View Full Version : Why no ti forks?
EPOJoe
10-22-2005, 01:59 AM
I was thinking about how Fixed recently decided to give up on carbon when he had his problem with his Legend’s F1, and it occurred to me that a ti bike with a ti fork would be, conceptually at least, a cool idea. Why is it that there doesn’t seem to be any interest in ti as a fork material? Has anyone manufactured ti road forks?
Titanium is expensive and it is too soft. Steel is cheap and steel forks ride better. Typically, they don't use harder more brittle steel like Reynolds 853 for forks.
Cheers,
Kane
loctite
10-22-2005, 10:19 AM
Titanium is expensive and it is too soft. Steel is cheap and steel forks ride better. Typically, they don't use harder more brittle steel like Reynolds 853 for forks.
Cheers,
Kane
you are correct, Ti is an excellent material for forks as it is for frames. Sibex currently makes 2 Ti fork models, they are desinged for cross, but the point is ti is an excellent material.
A comon misconception is that Ti is soft..... actauly it properties as a metal is very hard! It does flex, but it is harder than steel. However, its not about the metal itself but how it is applied. The same is true for frames, steel frames can be built to be very sitff, and ti could be built to be very soft and noodely! Its all about how the frame builder applies the materials, than the materials alone. :D
Fixed
10-22-2005, 10:57 AM
bro ti fork give me a break dude.cheers :beer:
Ti road forks have been made. Aeron (sp?) in Arizona made one for their ti frames in the mid 90's. I think Morati in the Czech Rep. made several. Ibis made a one leg, bladed aero ti tandem fork that stirred some interest in the early 90's.
With a possible exception for the Ibis one legged prototype, Ti forks past and present are quite flexy. Many titanium alloys have too much elasticity and it seems that to make one that doesn't flex much would look a bit odd and be quite heavy.
With so many excellent carbon forks available today, not many will invest in developing a ti fork.
Well as mentioned, it has been done before! Also it would be oh so cool for it to be done again this time around perhaps applied to 6/4 Ti ?! Anyway here's a pic. More to read about this frame and fork at: http://www.yellowjersey.org/SUMITOMO.HTML
Forgot about Sumitomo. They made some ti frames and forks for Gary Fisher as well.
That reminds me, add Fuji and Italian frame builders Passoni and Trecia.
93legendti
10-22-2005, 11:37 AM
http://www.sibexsports.com/forks.htm
They look very cool. The price is petty comparable to carbon cross forks. Why not?!
Brian Smith
10-22-2005, 12:12 PM
Many people select their next product by the primary material from which it's composed, and for many the unusual material is sought after. Why is that? Maybe the makers of more traditional stuff known to work need to explicitly offer more color options to create fashion appeal.
The only Ti fork I've ever thought was OK so far was an old McMahon (MRC) which used a lot of aluminum in chief areas to make it acceptably rigid.
Kevan
10-22-2005, 12:14 PM
http://www.calfeedesign.com/images/cross.withashadow.jpg
Yup, a Ti fork.
loctite
10-22-2005, 12:55 PM
http://www.calfeedesign.com/images/cross.withashadow.jpg
Yup, a Ti fork.
NICE :D
Fixed
10-22-2005, 01:58 PM
bro the worst of both worlds kinda like tubular clinchers.i.m.h.o. cheers :beer:
Kevan
10-22-2005, 02:50 PM
you know what they do to messengers don't ya?
shinomaster
10-22-2005, 02:58 PM
Kevan.. a cute girl was racing on one of those here in POrtland at Stumpton..I think she broke it..
Kevan
10-22-2005, 07:45 PM
I've heard about some desperate acts in order to meet a cute girl, but breaking her bike???
Common man, have some pride! And a Calfee yet??? Jeez....
shiftinjon
10-23-2005, 10:31 AM
I would like to get my hands on a Passoni fork. I've seen them in race photos and they look nice.
Those Passoni's were not cheap, but a lot of work went into those frames and forks. I think the compay is still around.
Trecia did some very trick work with ti as well. One piece Ti fork/stem/h-bar for his road bike. Something you might see on some track bikes. A lot of imagination went into some of his creations. I'd like to see more of that stuff today but well, looks like someone hit the pause button on creativity in the bike world.
I wounder if Amilio Riva is still around. The bike he was riding and his position when he was in his 60's would turn many here green with envy.
shiftinjon
10-23-2005, 02:06 PM
...on a ti bike. Nice bend.
vBulletin® v3.8.7, Copyright ©2000-2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.