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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 |
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#2
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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 |
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carbon fiber fork question
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#4
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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 |
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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" |
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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 |
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carbon fiber fork question
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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. |
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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." |
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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" |
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