F1 carbon fork upgrade

[SC Will]

I have a 1998 58 cm Legend Ti with an F1 carbon fork

I thought that I read in one of the threads that upgrading the F1 to a Reynolds carbon fork can result in a tangible improvement in ride quality

What do folks think?

I currrently have a 1 " headtube, Chris king headset and a serotta titanium quill stem

How would I know what fork rake if I decided to upgrade?

Could I upgrade the Chris King HS to a threadless version - or should I stick with threaded and the serotta stem?

Thanks in advance for any thoughts

Will

[Doc Austin]

I've got F1 forks on my CSI and my Legend, and they ride about the same. The TI came with the F1, but the CSI came with steel. When I switched the CSI to steel it completely transformed the bike to where I like it as much as my TI. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I think the fork and the material it's made of is probably more important than frame material.

I'll never again ride anything but carbon forks......at least until they come out with something better. Since carbon is such a great material, it's unlikely something better will be made, though I'm sure design and manufacturing techniques will probably improve alot. The widespred use of carbon fibre isn't all that old, so there is still alot to be discovered about it's use.

[Needs Help]

Huh?

[93legendti]

I have a 1998 58 cm Legend Ti with an F1 carbon fork

I thought that I read in one of the threads that upgrading the F1 to a Reynolds carbon fork can result in a tangible improvement in ride quality

What do folks think?

I currrently have a 1 " headtube, Chris king headset and a serotta titanium quill stem

How would I know what fork rake if I decided to upgrade?

Could I upgrade the Chris King HS to a threadless version - or should I stick with threaded and the serotta stem?

Thanks in advance for any thoughts

Will
Yes, the upgrade imporved the ride quality of my '93 Legend and '99 HC. Smiley is a big prononent of the move. He and I have added $60 ti Heads Up
extenders to our head tubes. The HU extends the head tube to allow using a threadless fork without a lot of spacers. Serotta is out of them now, but expect to have them in the fall.

[Doc Austin]

Huh?

Yeah, I know. My post was worded poorly. I went from a steel fork on my CSI to an F1 carbon fork and the bike is so much better that it's probably the best money I have spend on cycling, other than my Serottas. Sorry I wasn't very clear earlier. It's late, I'm old.

[Needs Help]

Thanks for the clarification. I think Smiley went from an F1 to an F2, and he was raving about that change.

[Needs Help]

93legendti,

How do you upgrade to a full caron fork with a 1" headtube? Does Reynolds make one with a 1" steerer? Serotta?

[slowgoing]

How do you upgrade to a full caron fork with a 1" headtube? Does Reynolds make one with a 1" steerer? Serotta?

Not as common as they used to be but Reynolds makes (or made) Ouzo Pros and Ouzo Comps with 1" steerers.

[Needs Help]

Thanks.

[Sandy]

I don't know about going from an F1 fork to a newer one. A know of several people who have done it, and have been very satisfied, especially with the decrease in weight. I have the F1 fork on my CSi and the F2 on my Ottrott and I can't say that the F2 seems any better than the F1. If I had to pick one in a "blind" test, I think that It would be the F1. Yep, pretty sure that it would be.

The F2 fork was around only a very short time before Serotta introduced the F3. Perhaps it is part of fork evolution, just like bike evolution. Newer doesn't mean better. Lighter, but not better.


For me lighter would be much better,

Sandy

[Fixed]

The Jerk say's the F1 is one of the best forks ever. I have one on my bike and it's a rock best carbon fork I ever had for sprinting on.Cheers

[Larry]

I had an F1 on my 1998 CSi for over five years and around 18,000 miles of dependable service. Campy headset and Serotta quill stem. Really nice,
but I got the bug to go lighter.

I switched to a threadless Ouzo Pro (1 inch steerer), Chris King headset.
Serotta Heads-Up titanium, spacers, and Ritchey WCS stem.
As much as I liked the F1, the Ouzo Pro is an improvement. It has more get-up-and-go......I suppose because of the lightness and carbon steerer.

I cannot detect any negative handling issues, and the flex in the steerer that some folks mention, does not seem noticeable to me. It would seem to be a better climber, but I have not given it the big grind up long hills yet.

The bottom line............I would make the change over, although the F1 is
a fine piece of equipment.

[Smiley]

Made the change to both our Ti bike with no regrets , its a benefit to shave almost a pound of weight from the bike too :banana:

[93legendti]

93legendti,

How do you upgrade to a full caron fork with a 1" headtube? Does Reynolds make one with a 1" steerer? Serotta?

Yes, I have had both a F1 and 1" Reynolds in my hands to compare and the F1 is a boat anchor... :)

[Fixed]

If weight was everything none of us would be riding steel or ti. i.m.h.o. Cheers

[93legendti]

If weight was everything none of us would be riding steel or ti. i.m.h.o. Cheers

No one said it was "everything". What we said is the Reynolds rides better than the F1 AND it weighs a lot less than the F1. I've ridden them both. I'll take the Reynolds. The F1 was discontinued (and replaced by a fork made by Reynolds) for a reason.

[Fixed]

The jerk would not agree with you.read his past post on the subject.if you are big guy who likes to sprint the F1 (might) just be better .Cheers

[Smiley]

Fixed , I would disagree that the Jerk may not know everything here , Serotta newer forks model rival what the F1 was take the new F3 fork at the 10 weave for really BIG guys or the 8.5 weave fork . The old F2 fork was no dog either . The F1 was cutting edge at the time but the newer technologies have surpased this older fork . Sorry , I used to drink that Kool Aid but no more on this F1 subject , its way too heavy by todays standards .

[Fixed]

Yes you may be right I only know what I have ridden but I had a bike with a quzo pro and didn't care for it.I guess I'd like a good steel fork and the F1 is like a steel fork i.m.h.o. I don't know as much you guys about these things but I am on my bikes 30 hours a week.Cheers

[Smiley]

Fixed , I love my steel fork on my Co-Mo tandem and can't imagine going down hill at 50-60 mph on anything else . I think if you look at the pro peleton most all the riders are using a modern day carbon forks like Reynolds or Easton or others , they have been proven decending at speeds we can only dream about . So maybe you should re-visit the Ouzo Pro with the carbon steerer tube .

[Fixed]

Even with a 1 inch h.t.? Cheers

[Smiley]

Yes , I modified both my and my wifes Legends with a Heads UP extension and a 1 inch Ouzo Pro ( its actually lighter then the 1 1/8 inch comparable model ) .

[Fixed]

So if I put one of those quzo pro's on my lugged steel bike it would go from 19 pounds to 18 and handle better even in the sprints? Cheers

[SC Will]

Thanks for all the thoughts

I am 6'1" and 152 lbs - not much of a sprinter

I have about 15,000 miles on the bike so it is due for an upgrade

I am planning a new gruppo, stem, handlebars and wheelset

(I prefer not to disclose which gruppo I am planning to upgrade to - I would hate to derail the focus of the thread)

I still have a couple of questions

What is a Heads up extender?

How do I know which fork rake I need? Seems 4.3 cm is standard?

Do I need a whole new headset - or can my Chris King be converted to a threadless?

Thanks

Will

[Smiley]

Look at the Serotta store for the head tube extender called the Heads Up , call Chris King and buy the parts needed to convert your threaded head set to an Ahead system , I did and these parts cost me like less then $ 40 from them direct . The default rake for an F1 conversion is 43 mm rake . Good luck

[chrisroph]

I love the ouzo fork but the F1 is much more solid and steel like. It weighs as much as a steel fork too so, if you want to run an F1, you may as well run steel. The only advantage of the ouzo is that it is lighter.

[Fixed]

I'm an oddball here I wear vintage clothes from the 2nd hand store I listen to 60's jazz l.p.'s I don't even own a car, I have no t.v. I only ride lugged steel I thought I was goin mod with a F1 fork the reason I like it is it rides like a steel fork and I got it off a wrecked legend for $50 or I would still be riding a steel fork.What the pros ride does little for me they ride and do things I wouldn't even if I could.Cheers

[Sandy]

I agree with the comparison of the 2 carbon forks. I have never owned a steel fork.


Agreeable Sndy

[Ahneida Ride]

Some us are big, fat, stupid and ulgy, don't ride fast and could care less
about weight. What I do care about is safety and making it back home.

F1 is rock solid. I'll keep it. :D

[Dr. Doofus]

the F1 is dead solid, a great great fork (rode a csi with one during shop rat summer of '03)

on a 58cm frame, yamightnot want an ouzo pro...1" carbon steertubes on bigger frames are flexy and suck

go with the ouzo comp...which iddinazgood as that F1

[EPOJoe]

Still riding on, and loving my F1. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

[jerk]

if you can't tell the benefit in handling, stiffness, and balance a serotta f1 has over a one inch reynolds ouzo pro, a lighter weight bicycle should be the least of your concerns. the f1 was a fork which was designed and built around the wonderful serotta race bikes of which it became a part. an ouzo pro is a plastic, lightweight accessory which may or may not have the proper ride height, rake and drop-out allignment for your frame. don't waste your money and don't listen to people who don't even have enough weight over the front wheel of their bikes to know the difference anyway.

jerk

(the jerk assumes the new f3/f4 is equally wonderful and a bit lighter and probably better balanced for a super lightweight medici/ottrot etc than an f1 would be. but this conversation is about an off the shelf one inch ouzo pro, which when combined with legend ti frame would, in not so many words make it a worse bike than what it was when you started.)

[William]

Pretty maidens.... (http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=5107)


The history of....Serotta gams.

William

[Fixed]

There you have it ladies and gentlemen if you have a serotta that came with a F1 keep it. It goes with your bike like the top tube .for me Dr. Doof mr.Jerk and Christoph and the master tube bender and watch maker e-RICHIE. each of these guys I respect and I never feel they are trying to sell something you don't need .Thanks guys.Cheers Hey Mr. J. ya know you cut thru this stuff like a hot knife thru butter you are blessed Bro.

[93legendti]

Fixed , I would disagree that the Jerk may not know everything here , Serotta newer forks model rival what the F1 was take the new F3 fork at the 10 weave for really BIG guys or the 8.5 weave fork . The old F2 fork was no dog either . The F1 was cutting edge at the time but the newer technologies have surpased this older fork . Sorry , I used to drink that Kool Aid but no more on this F1 subject , its way too heavy by todays standards .

That's right. Serotta thinks the Reynolds forks are pretty good.

http://www.serotta.com/pages/parts.html

jerk, who you referring to?

[Keith A]

Pretty maidens....
And their new sister...

http://forums.thepaceline.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=2526&stc=1