Adding a carbon fork to vintage steel?

[fignon's barber]

I've been contemplating adding a Columbus Minimal 1" threadless fork to a vintage lugged steel frame. About the only thing I don't like about the MXL's,Masters, Corsa Extras,etc are the limitations of the threaded fork and quill stem. My plan is to test it, and if all works out to paint to match. Has anyone done this successfully, or had negative results? Any photos?

[Cicli]

I am thinking the same thing. I dont see any real drawback.

[El Chaba]

I'm curious, what are the limitations of a threaded fork/quill stem...other than weight?

[Black Dog]

I'm curious, what are the limitations of a threaded fork/quill stem...other than weight?

I was thinking the same thing. Certainly easier to set the bar height with a quill. Only draw back is putting bars in the first time it is set up. Once set it will look much better with steel fork and quill.

[oldpotatoe]

I've been contemplating adding a Columbus Minimal 1" threadless fork to a vintage lugged steel frame. About the only thing I don't like about the MXL's,Masters, Corsa Extras,etc are the limitations of the threaded fork and quill stem. My plan is to test it, and if all works out to paint to match. Has anyone done this successfully, or had negative results? Any photos?

Only with aesthetics and that's subjective. Carbon fork will be lighter and more stem/handlebar options with threadless. Sizing a wash unless you have a lot of spacers under the stem. 'May' ride 'better', may not..older steel forks ride really well.

BTW-SAVE the steel fork..the value of a vintage (Merckx) or any lugged steel frame plummets w/o a proper fork.

[Tommasini53]

I've been contemplating adding a Columbus Minimal 1" threadless fork to a vintage lugged steel frame. About the only thing I don't like about the MXL's,Masters, Corsa Extras,etc are the limitations of the threaded fork and quill stem. My plan is to test it, and if all works out to paint to match. Has anyone done this successfully, or had negative results? Any photos?

I did this once..first, 1" carbon forks flex a lot. Don't be surprised to watch your front hub flex backward when you pull your front brake. Second, i just received my new gravel frame set which has a steel fork. WOW, steel forks ride really nice and i'm considering having one built for my road frame. just my humble opinion.

[glepore]

Minimal's aren't a very flexy fork. Blades are really stiff. Steerer? Depends on weight but in most real world situations no more flexy than the steel fork.

I'm actually doing what the op suggests with the same fork, except mine is on a custom frame that was built with a 1 in. threadless steel fork. It's at Spectrum now for a repaint (pics when done) and I'm having both forks painted. I'm going to try the carbon fork back to back with the steel and decide. For me, its a weight issue, a good all carbon fork is what, half the weight of its steel counterpart?

Colnagos were optioned this way during the era when transitioning from the prescia to the star/force. The Colnago forks are great options on the 'nago's but they're steep in price now.

[merckx]

It will never ride the same again.

[FlashUNC]

Save the steel fork.

But I'd also say roll with the steel fork. MAX forks are made of some stern stuff and ride great imo. If you're on an MXL, weight is a secondary consideration anyways.

[El Chaba]

If you're going to switch forks, there are a lot of things to consider. To not screw up the handling, you have to consider matching the rake to the original fork. That may or may not be a problem. Then you have to consider the *span*...That is the dimension from the dropouts to the crown race surface. This number is not as easy to come by, but mismatching it effectively changes the rake. Then there are considerations related to stiffness if the new fork is considerably stiffer or more flexible than the old. If it was a well designed bike by a good builder, there are a lot of things to get right before you can do better than the original. In my estimation handling trumps weight any day of the week.

[bigbill]

I've done this. In 2002, I put a Reynolds Ouzo Pro fork on my MX Leader thinking I could lighten it up and go threadless. It did make the bike lighter and the threadless opened up a bunch of stems, but it didn't have the same ride plus it took away from aesthetics of the bike. I ended up selling the fork a few years later and getting the frame/fork repainted in a nice deep yellow with red decals.

I've got the other way too. A few years ago I bought a 97 vintage Team Shaklee GT (Nobilette) that had the stock EDGE (the original GT) threaded carbon fork. I sent it to a painter in Dallas to get a red with white panel paint job and a steel straight blade threadless fork. It turned out well.

One thing to think about when you consider going threadless, newer bikes are designed for threadless, older bikes were not so to get the same fit you'd get with a Cinelli 1A, you'll likely have quite a few spacers. I knew that going in with the GT but it's a steel fork so it's not the same concern as a carbon steerer.

[djg21]

I did this too. I put a Ritchey Comp Carbon fork on.my 1990s vintage Mezzatesta frame. I put the carbon fork on largely so I could use a threadless headset and jettison the old quill stem. While the bike has been a full time trainer bike for the last 5 years, the addition of Ritchey fork did lighten the bike up. Tony’s old fork, while heavy, rode beautifully, so I can’t say that the carbon fork changed the ride much.

I chose the Ritchey because it has an alloy steerer tube and was pretty reasonably priced. There are a few forks made with 1” carbon steerers, but I’d run from them.

My Mezzatesta is about to come out of service finally. The bike actually is on my stand now so I can start stripping the parts. If you are interested in the fork and aren’t in any real rush, let me know. It’s got a 43mm rake and a lot of steerer tube (I ride a tall bike and don’t think I ever cut it). I can shoot some pics if you’re interested.

[brewsmith]

One other thing to keep in mind is that the 1" steerer can look out of proportion with some modern stems using a 1x11/8 shim, and you'll likely want some thick 1" spacers if you arent planning on slamming the stem. I have had several 1" threadless forks and that always seems to be the aesthetic issue for me.

[djg21]

One other thing to keep in mind is that the 1" steerer can look out of proportion with some modern stems using a 1x11/8 shim, and you'll likely want some thick 1" spacers if you arent planning on slamming the stem. I have had several 1" threadless forks and that always seems to be the aesthetic issue for me.

I use a Thomson X2 stem (120 mm I think) with mine. I did have to use a shim to fit it on the 1” steerer obviously, and I used a couple of spacers to avoid cutting the steerer. It doesn’t look bad at all.

[mtechnica]

I’m running a minimal on my Calfee and I like it. I’d bet the minimal will ride smoother than any steel fork.

[wallymann]

I've been contemplating adding a Columbus Minimal 1" threadless fork to a vintage lugged steel frame. About the only thing I don't like about the MXL's,Masters, Corsa Extras,etc are the limitations of the threaded fork and quill stem. My plan is to test it, and if all works out to paint to match. Has anyone done this successfully, or had negative results? Any photos?

i've been running an easton on my spago-bottecchia since the mid noughties, works fine. no downside aside from the incongruent aesthetic.

http://majortaylorcycling.org/bikes/walter_bottecchia_team-spago.jpg

[weisan]

Do you promise to ride it more often after the change?

If yes, proceed!

[Luwabra]

I personally love the Neo-Retro look. why not. shave some weight liven up the front end and have fun. throw some deeper dish carbon tubs on and POW!!

[bicycletricycle]

just keep the steel fork so that you can sell it as a pair later.

[chrisroph]

I've put ouzos on several different steel frames (1987 spectrum, 2007 desalvo 10th anniv) to see how the bikes would ride. In both instances, I switched back to the steel forks in very short order. I preferred how the bikes rode with the steel forks.

[veggieburger]

I have a crappy back, so while I don't love the aesthetic, the ability to hoist the stem nice and high appealed to me. Slapped a 1" Minuzo on my TSX bike, rides fine. Kept the steel fork in case I ever sell.

[fignon's barber]

BTW-SAVE the steel fork..the value of a vintage (Merckx) or any lugged steel frame plummets w/o a proper fork.


This is why I'm considering it. I found a very nice Merckx, sans fork that was super cheap. I started thinking, "ok, add a $200 Minimal fork,this might work".

[fignon's barber]

Do you promise to ride it more often after the change?

If yes, proceed!


I already ride more than I probably should.;)

[vqdriver]

i've done this.
i swapped out the threaded for a carbon fork and the world didn't end. any differences in ride quality were minimal to me, but that'll change with what you opt to use. i went with a wound up.

for me the biggest issue was all the hoops i had to jump thru to get a modern bar onto quill stems. all the bars i wanted to try at the time had a flat top with 31.8 center. removable face plate quill stems were hard to come by, and none of the ones i saw had OS clamps.
f that s. i swapped the fork and didn't look back.

but yeah, keep the original fork along with the threaded headset. whoever buys it from you later will want the original.

[Mark McM]

If you're going to switch forks, there are a lot of things to consider. To not screw up the handling, you have to consider matching the rake to the original fork. That may or may not be a problem. Then you have to consider the *span*...That is the dimension from the dropouts to the crown race surface. This number is not as easy to come by, but mismatching it effectively changes the rake.

Change the fork span doesn't change offset (which sometimes goes by the misnomer "rake"), but it does change the affective head angle which can also affect handling. Each 10 mm change in span will change the head angle by about 0.6 degrees, which will change the trail by about 3.5 mm. If the change in span is only a few millimeters, the change in steering and handling will be minimal.

[shinomaster]

I switched out forks on a bike and suddenly it rode horribly. Plus it will look worse too..

[bob heinatz]

Don’t do it. I have a vintage Eisentraut with steel fork and I can’t believe how nice it rides with its fork. My Peg has a carbon fork and it has a completely different feel. I like the steel fork much better. I feel many steel frame custom builders are only trying to compete with carbon bikes so it is their excuse to offer a carbon fork that wasn’t designed for the frame. It has become a lost art. Why do you think Kirk, Sachs, Spectrum still build steel forks?

[Big Dan]

Don't have carbon forks anymore.
I'm happy.

;O)

[jtbadge]

This is why I'm considering it. I found a very nice Merckx, sans fork that was super cheap. I started thinking, "ok, add a $200 Minimal fork,this might work".

Yeah, if the frame doesn't come with the original fork, I'd say go right ahead!

[Kontact]

Henry James has paint ready Minimals for $165 - $20 cheaper than the clear coated version. They are 45mm rake.

Having ridden bikes with the "wrong" rake, I don't think it is that big a deal.

I would expect the Minimal to be more comfortable, but not flexy in a bad way.

Stems with the shim in them look fine.

[timto]

I had an ibis spanky with steel unicrown fork. I would ride down this gravel path on the way to smoother roads. One day I switched it out to a Reynolds Ouzo pro. Looked really cool. Couldn't believe at how much more harsh the fork was on the bumpy gravel than the steel fork. On smooth roads the carbon fork seemed to be fine but on rough stuff boy it was clear that steel was a superior fork. I switched back to the steel fork. that was that.

m 2 cents. There are quill stems with 31.8 clamps out now to allow modern bars...

[mistermo]

Paint it chrome. No one will notice. Sikkens paint

http://www.sikkens.com/assets/img/start/background/car.jpg

[palincss]

I have a crappy back, so while I don't love the aesthetic, the ability to hoist the stem nice and high appealed to me.

I'm surprised you weren't able to do that with a Nitto Technomic.

[El Chaba]

Change the fork span doesn't change offset (which sometimes goes by the misnomer "rake"), but it does change the affective head angle which can also affect handling. Each 10 mm change in span will change the head angle by about 0.6 degrees, which will change the trail by about 3.5 mm. If the change in span is only a few millimeters, the change in steering and handling will be minimal.

I meant to type*trail* instead of *rake*.....

[Ken Robb]

Before swapping forks you can get an adapter that you insert into your existing threaded fork just like it was a threaded stem except its top part is just a round cylinder like it was the top of a threadless fork.

This way you can try any new stem and bars you like without buying a new fork and headset. If you like the new bars/stem and still want to try a new fork you buy the fork and headset and use the stem/bars you already own and you're only out an extra $20 or so that the adapter cost.

[fogrider]

If weight is an issue, a carbon fork will save a ton of weight, and lighter stem too! Here's my Ron Cooper with custom paint. .https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180130/3d7450b86ee04cd908ee2d1d52e5f15d.jpg

Sent from my Moto G (5) Plus using Tapatalk

[weisan]

my steel hampsten and serotta both have an aftermarket carbon fork because they came to me only as a frame, no fork. They ride very nicely with no ill effects. But from an aesthetic standpoint, I wish they were painted to match. Matchy fork and matchy frame just look better in my eyes.

And then there are four other steel bikes which at the time of purchase came with their original steel forks. One was custom and even though I was given the choice to save some weight by going with a carbon fork, I chose to have a custom steel fork made. It does make it a lot heavier but I would not have it any other way. I think the steel fork contributes in a big way to the overall ride quality. There were times I wished it was lighter but I quickly snapped out of it and got back to my senses.

The others were bought used but knowing they came with the original fork painted to match the rest of the frame played a big part in my purchase decision. If I had known that they were missing the original forks, I might not be as tempted to purchase them.

Can you imagine any of these frames going without their original steel forks?

Rivendell
Richard Sachs
Eddy Merckx Corsa

Personally, I can't.