carbon fiber fork question
 

I have a Specialized Allez alluminum frame and am thinking about getting a
carbon fiber fork for it. I have seen forks with cro-moly steering tubes,
alluminum steering tubes, and carbon fiber steering tubes. Are there any
differences as to strengh and durability? Also, if I decided to get a fork
with a carbon fiber steering tube, does it require a special headset (the frame
is not built for an integrated headset). Any thoughts appreciated.

Ted

carbon fiber fork question
 

The most problematic is the full carbon fork. You must be careful when
cutting the steerer. Also, a compression insert must be used instead of a
star fangled nut. Also, the steerer cannot extend too far past the top of
the headset. Aluminum is heavier. Chromoly is heavier still.

--
--------------------------
Andre Charlebois
BPE, MCSE4.0, CNA, A+
webmaster for Triathlon New Brunswick
www.TriNB.com
"TedK618265" wrote in message
...
I have a Specialized Allez alluminum frame and am thinking about getting a
carbon fiber fork for it. I have seen forks with cro-moly steering tubes,
alluminum steering tubes, and carbon fiber steering tubes. Are there any
differences as to strengh and durability? Also, if I decided to get a
fork
with a carbon fiber steering tube, does it require a special headset (the
frame
is not built for an integrated headset). Any thoughts appreciated.

Ted

carbon fiber fork question
 

In article ,
says...
I have a Specialized Allez alluminum frame and am thinking about getting a
carbon fiber fork for it. I have seen forks with cro-moly steering tubes,
alluminum steering tubes, and carbon fiber steering tubes. Are there any
differences as to strengh and durability?

No differences because of material alone. I would go by the reputation of
the manufacturer.

Also, if I decided to get a fork
with a carbon fiber steering tube, does it require a special headset (the
frame
is not built for an integrated headset).

Normal headset will work on most. Very few CF forks are made for integrated
headsets.
-----------------
Alex

carbon fiber fork question
 

I've had a full carbon fork fail. The steerer tube broke. Not worth any
weight saving, IMO!
"TedK618265" wrote in message
...
I have a Specialized Allez alluminum frame and am thinking about getting a
carbon fiber fork for it. I have seen forks with cro-moly steering tubes,
alluminum steering tubes, and carbon fiber steering tubes. Are there any
differences as to strengh and durability? Also, if I decided to get a
fork
with a carbon fiber steering tube, does it require a special headset (the
frame
is not built for an integrated headset). Any thoughts appreciated.

Ted

carbon fiber fork question
 

ted- I have a Specialized Allez alluminum frame and am thinking about getting
a
carbon fiber fork for it. I have seen forks with cro-moly steering tubes,
alluminum steering tubes, and carbon fiber steering tubes. Are there any
differences as to strengh and durability? BRBR

Not in the practical sense, they just weigh less than one another. BUT there is
a maximum number of spacers you can put under the stem on a carbon steerer. For
1 inch it is generally about 1 inch(2.54cm). With the other two, steel and
aluminum, no maximum. You need just about any threadless 1 inch HS.

Peter Chisholm
Vecchio's Bicicletteria
1833 Pearl St.
Boulder, CO, 80302
(303)440-3535
http://www.vecchios.com
"Ruote convenzionali costruite eccezionalmente bene"

carbon fiber fork question
 

"TedK618265" wrote in message
...
I have a Specialized Allez alluminum frame and am thinking about getting a
carbon fiber fork for it. I have seen forks with cro-moly steering tubes,
alluminum steering tubes, and carbon fiber steering tubes. Are there any
differences as to strengh and durability? Also, if I decided to get a
fork
with a carbon fiber steering tube, does it require a special headset (the
frame
is not built for an integrated headset). Any thoughts appreciated.

Bill wrote:
I've had a full carbon fork fail. The steerer tube broke. Not worth any
weight saving, IMO!


Bill, can you tell us more about that, please?

I was the loudest Cassandra about the dangers of
carbon/carbon forks a couple of years ago. But I've been
proved wrong. Now there are tens of thousands of minimal
offbrand carbon forks now and the failure rate is minuscule.

So what more can you tell us about that - brand and model?
Mileage? Any mitigating factors, like front impact? Where
and how did it break? (Where on the piece, not where on a map).

Since the incidence os so very low, I'm starved for information.

AFAIK, _every_ fork can be used with either an integrated or
with a normal headset (so long as the other dimensions are
appropriate). Anyone know of a counterexample?
--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

carbon fiber fork question
 

carbon fiber fork question
 

On Fri, 26 Dec 2003 12:54:11 -0600, A Muzi may
have said:

Since the incidence os so very low, I'm starved for information.

It might be worth considering that there could be a number of things
which *might* causing the reported failure rate to be lower than the
real one. (They may be identical, but my instincts tell me not to
make that assumption.) There may well be tens of thousands of
carbon/carbon forks which have been sold, but how many of those get
ridden hard on a daily basis? How many are ridden by someone who is
not the original purchaser? How many bear no indentifying marks?

I, for one, will continue to let others test the long-term
characteristics of carbon/carbon forks. They may very well be lighter
than aluminum, titanium or steel, but weight is just one factor, and
not the principle one for me. Others have different priorities, and
their policies will vary accordingly. I think that's entirely
appropriate.

--
My email address is antispammed; pull WEEDS if replying via e-mail.
Yes, I have a killfile. If I don't respond to something,
it's also possible that I'm busy.
Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.

carbon fiber fork question
 

"Michael Press" wrote in message
...
(Qui si parla Campagnolo) wrote:

snip
BUT there is
a maximum number of spacers you can put under the stem on a carbon
steerer. For
1 inch it is generally about 1 inch(2.54cm). With the other two, steel
and
aluminum, no maximum. You need just about any threadless 1 inch HS.

Why the maximum? What's the limiit on a 1 1/8" steerer? Is this a
loose rule-of-thumb or a hard restriction printed on paper by the
manufacturer? (i.e. rumor or fact) Wouldn't it differ between
manufacturors? What happens if you exceed it? Have I asked enough
questions?

Michael


As an example, Reynolds says in their instruction manual for the Ouzo Pro:

"Slide the compression ring, spacers and stem onto the steerer tube. Use a
minimum of two spacers, while making certain not to exceed a maximum stack
height of 1" on 1" diameter fork or 1 1/2" on 1 1/8" diameter fork."

carbon fiber fork question
 

Michael- Why the maximum? What's the limiit on a 1 1/8" steerer? BRBR

About 1 1/2 INCHES on a 1 1/8 inch carbon steerer. To prevent lawsuits I would
suspect.

Is this a
loose rule-of-thumb or a hard restriction printed on paper by the
manufacturer? BRBR

For Reynolds, it is the printed maximums, For AME, it is 1 1/2 inch for both.
Each manufacturer publishes their own maximums.

michael I recently purchased a bike with a 1 1/8" carbon/carbon fork. It was
initially fitted wth about 3" of spacers between the headset and stem,
indicating that the LBS didn't think/know that that was a problem. BRBR


LBS is wrong, no carbon steerer has a maximum of 3 inches.

Peter Chisholm
Vecchio's Bicicletteria
1833 Pearl St.
Boulder, CO, 80302
(303)440-3535
http://www.vecchios.com
"Ruote convenzionali costruite eccezionalmente bene"