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Noleen Mega Air

1K views 5 replies 4 participants last post by  kingfurby 
#1 ·
You guys talked me into buying a Noleen Mega Air off of eBay as a backup fork to my various Manitou forks. I had to take my Skareb Super in last year for broken plastic threads on the lockout, so I thought it would be nice to have a cheap, simple fork that I could toss on my race bike just in case.

The fork looks and feels nicer than I could have expected for $115 shipped. It weighs 1440 grams with a star fangled nut already installed and the steerer tube cut to 8 7/16". This is just about the right length for my 18 to 19" frames. I'm glad I don't really have to do any labor other than installing the race and putting the fork on the bike. The travel is set at 75 mm as far as I can tell from the amount of stanchion tube exposed.

The right leg had 70 psi but the left leg was empty when I hooked up my shock pump. The left leg had a slow leak that I could just barely hear. I wrapped some teflon tape around the threads and now can't hear anything. Time will tell if this is enough to keep air in the fork.

When I ride this thing I'll know for sure if it is a winner or a dud. That's going to be a while since I only have about half of the parts for a budget lightweight hardtail I am building. I have to thank you cheapskate weight weenies for finding and testing this fork so I didn't have to, it looks pretty darn nice. I was looking at Manitou Blacks for the longest time but just couldn't put a fork that heavy on my bike after running 3 pound forks for the past five years. And now I have enough money leftover to build a fairly light, affordable and hopefully raceworthy hardtail.
 
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#2 ·
Sounds like a man...

kingfurby said:
You guys talked me into buying a Noleen Mega Air off of eBay as a backup fork to my various Manitou forks. I had to take my Skareb Super in last year for broken plastic threads on the lockout, so I thought it would be nice to have a cheap, simple fork that I could toss on my race bike just in case.

The fork looks and feels nicer than I could have expected for $115 shipped. It weighs 1440 grams with a star fangled nut already installed and the steerer tube cut to 8 7/16". This is just about the right length for my 18 to 19" frames. I'm glad I don't really have to do any labor other than installing the race and putting the fork on the bike. The travel is set at 75 mm as far as I can tell from the amount of stanchion tube exposed.

The right leg had 70 psi but the left leg was empty when I hooked up my shock pump. The left leg had a slow leak that I could just barely hear. I wrapped some teflon tape around the threads and now can't hear anything. Time will tell if this is enough to keep air in the fork.

When I ride this thing I'll know for sure if it is a winner or a dud. That's going to be a while since I only have about half of the parts for a budget lightweight hardtail I am building. I have to thank you cheapskate weight weenies for finding and testing this fork so I didn't have to, it looks pretty darn nice. I was looking at Manitou Blacks for the longest time but just couldn't put a fork that heavy on my bike after running 3 pound forks for the past five years. And now I have enough money leftover to build a fairly light, affordable and hopefully raceworthy hardtail.
with a lot going for him. I think you'll like the Noleen. Cheap is sometimes good.
 
#3 · (Edited)
Based on all this Noleen talk I went and picked one up as well for my project bike for my bride-to-be. 1422g with a 8 3/8" steerer and a star fangled nut installed! What a steal at that price on eBay :)
Thanks for the tips guys!

I'm building her a bike because the other day, I got to carry her heavy bike up many many steps. The steps started way behind where the picture was taken, and we had to climp up to that top platform:

There are several flights even behind where the photographer stood in this picture:

you can see the same platform in the distance.
At that moment I knew it was time for her to catch the weight weenie fever :D
 
#6 ·
Super cheap build

Hey, check out some of the parts from my super-cheap build.

Weyless Ultra------------------1600 grams
Noleen Mega Air--------------1434g (peeled stickers)
Raceface Prodigy cranks----675 app.
Raceface Prodigy BB---------250 app.
Crank Bros. Eggbeaters-----290
XT chain----------------------------290
XT cassette-----------------------290
XT FD-------------------------------125
SRAM x.9 RD--------------------255 app.
Avid SD-7 brakes---------------350
SRAM 9.0 levers----------------155 app.
SRAM 9.0 shifters--------------160 app.
Shimano cables-----------------150 app.
Kore/Easton bar-----------------145
Pazzaz stem---------------------149
Cane Creek S2 headset------130 (with spacers approximately)
Schwinn grips----------------------50
WTB sst.k saddle---------------310 (hefty)
Pazzaz post-----------------------257
Mavic Crossroc wheels-------1950 or thereabouts
or XTR/Valiant wheels---------1800 with strips and skewers
Python UST tires----------------1470
or Python Gold tires------------1150
tubes if I use them----------------300
Total weight--about 22 to 23 pounds

I hope you don't get seasick reading that column, I'm throwing this on here pretty quickly. I'll try to post a picture of this goofy machine when I get a built up then you can all have good laugh. I'm still waiting on the parts that have approximate next to them. Somehow this bike just kind of fell together with the deals I have been finding on the web. Thanks for the pointers MTBR users. I had about half of the parts already from last year and spent about another $400 this year to finish the project. I think it is actually going to ride pretty nicely despite it's frankenstein origins.
 
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