To carbon fork or not to carbon fork...

I'm considering getting a road bike and considering whether to get the "standard" model or the same model with a carbon fork for $100 or so more. It's supposed to make for a more stable ride on rougher roads, but what are your conclusions/reviews/recommendations on this claim?

On Saturday, October 13, 2012 10:05:40 PM UTC-4, piscesboy wrote:
I'm considering getting a road bike and considering whether to get the "standard" model or the same model with a carbon fork for $100 or so more. It's supposed to make for a more stable ride on rougher roads, but what are your conclusions/reviews/recommendations on this claim?

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

IF YOU RIDE OFTEN, ride on rough roads, pa a a tchy t a a a r, then you may need replacement...

of the fork if not facial skin from your inner thigh.

take a look at your inner thigh. would it look good on your face ?

On Saturday, October 13, 2012 10:44:11 PM UTC-4, datakoll wrote:
On Saturday, October 13, 2012 10:05:40 PM UTC-4, piscesboy wrote:

I'm considering getting a road bike and considering whether to get the "standard" model or the same model with a carbon fork for $100 or so more. It's supposed to make for a more stable ride on rougher roads, but what are your conclusions/reviews/recommendations on this claim?



$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$



IF YOU RIDE OFTEN, ride on rough roads, pa a a tchy t a a a r, then you may need replacement...



of the fork if not facial skin from your inner thigh.



take a look at your inner thigh. would it look good on your face ?

BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB

the help over at carbon fork is cough cough cough not up to speed thus there are quality control problems. We imagine that as the price goes waaaaaay up then each fork gets a thorough inspection raising chances if not insuring survival.

On Oct 13, 7:05 pm, piscesboy wrote:
I'm considering getting a road bike and considering whether to get the "standard" model or the same model with a carbon fork for $100 or so more. It's supposed to make for a more stable ride on rougher roads, but what are your conclusions/reviews/recommendations on this claim?

Sounds like a sales pitch. I doubt they could get away for long
selling bikes with unstable forks.

Sorry I can't offer knowledgeable advice, except that you should ride
both and see how they feel.

(Maybe something of a luddite, but the perceived failure mode of
carbon would frighten me.)

On Sat, 13 Oct 2012 19:05:40 -0700 (PDT), piscesboy
wrote:

I'm considering getting a road bike and considering whether to get the "standard" model or the same model with a carbon fork for $100 or so more. It's supposed to make for a more stable ride on rougher roads, but what are your conclusions/reviews/recommendations on this claim?

I have had bikes with carbon fiber forks and bikes without. Frankly I
can't tell the difference.
--
Cheers,
John B.

Op 14-10-2012 4:05, piscesboy schreef:
I'm considering getting a road bike and considering whether to get the "standard" model or the same model with a carbon fork for $100 or so more. It's supposed to make for a more stable ride on rougher roads, but what are your conclusions/reviews/recommendations on this claim?



What kind of bike and what kind of riding are we talking about? Whether
a carbon fork is stable or not depends how it is made. You can't just
say a carbon fork is more stable just because it is made of CF. My
experience is that an Al fork is almost always less stable than a CF
when we talking about a roadbike.

Lou

On Oct 13, 8:05*pm, piscesboy wrote:
I'm considering getting a road bike and considering whether to get the "standard" model or the same model with a carbon fork for $100 or so more. It's supposed to make for a more stable ride on rougher roads, but what are your conclusions/reviews/recommendations on this claim?

Your query falls on the tenth anniversary of this sage advice:
http://groups.google.com/group/rec.b...5c23df6e83a84b

DR

On 10/13/2012 10:05 PM, piscesboy wrote:
I'm considering getting a road bike and considering whether to get the "standard" model or the same model with a carbon fork for $100 or so more. It's supposed to make for a more stable ride on rougher roads, but what are your conclusions/reviews/recommendations on this claim?

What's the "standard" model?

I have both a CF and a CroMoly bike. I don't find much difference in
road noise or vibration on either. Used to have an AL frame and found
it very jarring on my joints though. Was it the AL versus the CF or
steel? I think so but I can't say for sure. There were too many other
differences in the bikes.

My suggestion would be to take each bike out for a ride long enough to
see how you feel on each and then decide whether the more expensive one
gives you 100 bucks more benefit.

On Saturday, October 13, 2012 10:05:40 PM UTC-4, piscesboy wrote:
I'm considering getting a road bike and considering whether to get the "standard" model or the same model with a carbon fork for $100 or so more. It's supposed to make for a more stable ride on rougher roads, but what are your conclusions/reviews/recommendations on this claim?

Well, "stability" in bikes is a complicated subject, but it's likely influenced by changes in geometry (i.e. trail) far more than by fork material. IOW, I'd expect a metal fork and a CF fork to have almost identical stability if they had the same length and rake.

If you're planning on riding rougher roads, I'd recommend looking more at clearance for wide tires. Going up a tire size or two (and reducing tire pressure a bit) will give you more benefit than a fork change. And lots of carbon forks don't accept tires that are very wide.

- Frank Krygowski

On Sunday, October 14, 2012 8:36:59 AM UTC-4, DirtRoadie wrote:
On Oct 13, 8:05*pm, piscesboy wrote:

I'm considering getting a road bike and considering whether to get the "standard" model or the same model with a carbon fork for $100 or so more. It's supposed to make for a more stable ride on rougher roads, but what are your conclusions/reviews/recommendations on this claim?



Your query falls on the tenth anniversary of this sage advice:

http://groups.google.com/group/rec.b...5c23df6e83a84b



DR

Those suspension hubs look interesting...I might look into those.