Time to buy a new fork, need help!

[elcolombiano]

I am the proud owner of a 1996 Serotta Ti bike. I bought it new in 1996. It has a threaded painted Serotta carbon 1" steerer F1 fork. I want to replace it with a threadless fork. I asked Serotta a few years ago if they could replace my steerer and they told me they could not. This week I again wrote Serrota asking technical questions about their threadless fork before I order it. These are expensive forks that run close to $1000 after you get them painted and I want to make sure I order the correct one as I do not want to make a $1K mistake. Serotta was unable to answer any of my questions and referred me to several Serotta dealers in my area (Los Angeles). None of the dealers I wrote to have responded to my emails. What do I do?

[4Rings6Stars]

I am the proud owner of a 1996 Serotta Ti bike. I bought it new in 1996. It has a threaded painted Serotta carbon 1" steerer F1 fork. I want to replace it with a threadless fork. I asked Serotta a few years ago if they could replace my steerer and they told me they could not. This week I again wrote Serrota asking technical questions about their threadless fork before I order it. These are expensive forks that run close to $1000 after you get them painted and I want to make sure I order the correct one as I do not want to make a $1K mistake. Serotta was unable to answer any of my questions and referred me to several Serotta dealers in my area (Los Angeles). None of the dealers I wrote to have responded to my emails. What do I do?

I would look at non-Serotta forks...

[elcolombiano]

I don't want to bastardize the bike. I want a Serotta Fork.

[DRietz]

I don't want to bastardize the bike. I want a Serotta Fork.

Seriously?! Come on, it's a bike. Just get a nice used Look fork and have it painted to match. As far as I'm concerned, they've been less than helpful in this instance so why pay them $1,000 for a frame that's probably now worth close to $1,000?

[dave thompson]

Serotta forks are some of the very best in the business. That said, I'm not sure what you'd like to know.

[elcolombiano]

You say they are amongst the best in the business. What is makes a good fork and what is good about them?

[fogrider]

You say they are amongst the best in the business. What is makes a good fork and what is good about them?

he farms it out to someone else and puts his name on it.

[Fivethumbs]

Call those dealers on the phone.

[SoCalSteve]

Call Bike Effect in Santa Monica... Ask for Justin. You'll get all the answers you are looking for.

[Ken Robb]

he farms it out to someone else and puts his name on it.

I think all Serotta forks are made at their own plant in Powat, CA. They come in various levels of stiffness so you can fine tune the ride/handling of your bike.

[DRZRM]

I've actually been in the same boat as you. I have a 97 Ti (Legend) Colorado with an F-1 and have considered the 1" threadless F-3. My bike is painted Big Boy Blue and I'd hoped to match the paint, and Serotta pointed out that not only don't they do that color, but after being ridden in the sun for 15 years, the paint has faded and they'd never get a match. Options were paint everything or go with a black fork. Not many of these out there.

I'm sticking with my F-1 for now, but I understand wanting that particular fork.

Gothard (http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=110090&highlight=legend) has a Legend with a 1" F-3, he might be able to answer your questions.

[Sandy]

I am the proud owner of a 1996 Serotta Ti bike. I bought it new in 1996. It has a threaded painted Serotta carbon 1" steerer F1 fork. I want to replace it with a threadless fork. I asked Serotta a few years ago if they could replace my steerer and they told me they could not. This week I again wrote Serrota asking technical questions about their threadless fork before I order it. These are expensive forks that run close to $1000 after you get them painted and I want to make sure I order the correct one as I do not want to make a $1K mistake. Serotta was unable to answer any of my questions and referred me to several Serotta dealers in my area (Los Angeles). None of the dealers I wrote to have responded to my emails. What do I do?

I wanted to know about a particular Serotta fork. Yesterday, I sent an email to info@serotta.com. In it, I asked several questions about the fork. I received an email back, with the answers, within several hours.


Sandy

[cmg]

what questions were you asking that disrupted the cosmos?

[Serotta_Carbon]

I am the proud owner of a 1996 Serotta Ti bike. I bought it new in 1996. It has a threaded painted Serotta carbon 1" steerer F1 fork. I want to replace it with a threadless fork. I asked Serotta a few years ago if they could replace my steerer and they told me they could not. This week I again wrote Serrota asking technical questions about their threadless fork before I order it. These are expensive forks that run close to $1000 after you get them painted and I want to make sure I order the correct one as I do not want to make a $1K mistake. Serotta was unable to answer any of my questions and referred me to several Serotta dealers in my area (Los Angeles). None of the dealers I wrote to have responded to my emails. What do I do?

Hello,

It's true that my staff and I make all the carbon forks & parts at our shop in Poway California.

Perhaps I may be able to answer your questions.... PM me and I'll get back to you.

[Joachim]

Straight from the expert ^^^. I too got an answer from info@serotta.com in 45 minutes and they were going to pass my question on to the guy who could answer it. Too bad that was a month ago. No, not a build sheet. It was actually a refinish question i.e. money for Serotta.

[Fixed]

Is there something wrong with your f1 fork. If not
Keep what you have IMHO
Cheers

[slidey]

Here are some fine forks...take your pick:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7c/Assorted_forks.jpg/220px-Assorted_forks.jpg

:banana: :banana:

[Chance]

I think all Serotta forks are made at their own plant in Powat, CA. They come in various levels of stiffness so you can fine tune the ride/handling of your bike.

How is that accomplished? Do you get to test one for a while and then send it back to get another that is either less stiff or more stiff to compare?

If choosing fork stiffness based only on rider weight that leaves personal preference out of equation. Not sure how this would work.:confused:

[Serotta_Carbon]

How is that accomplished? Do you get to test one for a while and then send it back to get another that is either less stiff or more stiff to compare?

If choosing fork stiffness based only on rider weight that leaves personal preference out of equation. Not sure how this would work.:confused:

No test rides. Sorry...

The concept applies more towards a new built custom bike rather than a retrofit. On a new bike the customer would work with his fitter to determine which layups would work best for him. This applies to the tubes and stays as well as the fork and is not entirely based on the riders weight but his riding style and desire for performance and comfort. All the forks are strong and safe but some layups are more compliant based on the desired ride characteristics.

As a reference point the 8.5 layup has very similar ride characteristics to the original Ouzo Pro fork. We can make them a little softer or stiffer as desired.

Anyway...That's the concept. Hope this helps!

[Keith A]

So which layup of the F3 forks would most closely match the feel of the F1?

[Serotta_Carbon]

So which layup of the F3 forks would most closely match the feel of the F1?

I've never ridden an F1 fork but I understand they're quite stiff and they should be at over 700 grams. Don't get me wrong here cause I'm not knocking it by any means. From what I've read it's popular but it's a first generation product and the market now demands forks at a fraction of that weight.

At some point in time I'm sure I've collected stiffness data for comparison but can't seem to find it at the moment. When I get more time I'll try to dig it up or remeasure the 2 I've got here in the office.

[Keith A]

Thanks Mike. I would be interested in the results of how an F1 compares to various layups of the F3.

[Chance]

No test rides. Sorry...

The concept applies more towards a new built custom bike rather than a retrofit. On a new bike the customer would work with his fitter to determine which layups would work best for him. This applies to the tubes and stays as well as the fork and is not entirely based on the riders weight but his riding style and desire for performance and comfort. All the forks are strong and safe but some layups are more compliant based on the desired ride characteristics.

As a reference point the 8.5 layup has very similar ride characteristics to the original Ouzo Pro fork. We can make them a little softer or stiffer as desired.

Anyway...That's the concept. Hope this helps!

Thanks Mike. Sounds like it comes down to the rider and or his builder taking their best guess and hoping they get it right. And of course there is no way to tell after the fact whether it was the “best” choice. Makes it easy to claim success.

For what it’s worth, when buying things that are based on some level of feel, my preference is to try first. Going by numbers alone doesn’t cut it for me unless it’s based on some kind of comparison. Or theoretical value at a minimum.

[Ahneida Ride]

If all else fails

send me a PM and I'll get it resolved !!

[Ahneida Ride]

I've ridden both the F1 and F3.

F1 is a beast .... F3 is more responsive.

Both are great !

[Keith A]

I've ridden both the F1 and F3.

F1 is a beast .... F3 is more responsive.

Both are great !Which layup F3 have you ridden?

[happycampyer]

In my experience, the difference between the 6.5 and 8.5 forks is pretty subtle. When you order a Serotta, they generally match the stiffness of the fork to the overall stiffness of the frame. While the weight of the rider is not the sole determinant, it's obviously a factor, as well as how aggressively the rider rides, etc.

I currently have two bikes with 6.5 F3's, and have had one with an 8.5. The one with the 8.5 was a demo MeiVici GS, which had medium/8.5 stiffness tubing overall. I found the bike to be stiffer than I liked, similar to a Look 595 Origin that I owned at the time (and the Look HSC6 fork on that bike had a tapered steerer). Can't imagine what a 595 Ultra would have felt like.

I also currently have three bikes with Enve 2.0 forks. I would be hard pressed to say that I can tell a difference in stiffness between the F3 6.5's and the Enve 2.0. The bikes with the F3 forks have a smoother ride (using the same wheels, tires, saddles, handlebars, etc.), but it's hard to say how much of that is the fork itself and the frame/fork combination.

My very subjective take is that if you weigh between 180 and, say, 200 or maybe 210, or you weigh less than that but are a very aggressive rider and want added stiffness, you'll probably prefer the 8.5. Bigger than that, the 10.5 would likely be better. If you are lighter than that, or are interested in a smoother ride, get the 6.5. No doubt, there is a huge Goldilocks aspect to all of this.

As far as getting to try the forks befor you buy, that would be nice, but it's not that different from deciding between an Enve 1.0 and 2.0, or among the various Alpha-Q road forks that were available in different weights/stiffnesses back in the day.

[Keith A]

happycampyer -- Thanks for your input on the forks.

[Serotta_Carbon]

So which layup of the F3 forks would most closely match the feel of the F1?

I will say again that I've never ridden an F1 fork so I can't testify to the feel per se but I just finished some testing in the lab where I measured the static stiffness of 2 different F1 forks in the fore/aft and lateral planes.

The F1 deflection numbers repeated well from fork to fork which is a nice idicator of quality and consistency.

The deflection numbers were very similar to the F3-8.5 lay-up. The F3 was slightly stiffer in the fore/aft plane and the F1 was slightly stiffer in the lateral plane.

Based soley on this information I'd say the 8.5 lay-up should match the handling characteristics quite well. Can't speak to how it would feel though. Two different sets of materials and processing methods as well as the weight difference could yield different damping characteristics.

[Keith A]

Thanks Mike!!!

[jds108]

Yes, thanks Mike for the information - you're a great resource to have on the board!