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View Full Version : Fork recommendation for Surly Midnight Special?

adamhell
10-01-2018, 01:59 PM
Hi!

I just bought a Surly Midnight Special at my local bike shop, intending to just go with the stock [boring unicrown steel] fork, except Surly only sent the frame as they were apparently out of stock forks. This has got me thinking, maybe I should just go for the gold and get a tapered carbon fork with all the bells and whistles. However, in the search for the "perfect" carbon fork there has been no one fork which has checked all requirement boxes (12mm thru axle, 650b/2.2" clearance, fender mounts, triple bottle cage mounts are a bonus). Here is what I have come to know about the following forks, followed by why they don't quite make the cut:

1. Rodeo Spork - clearance for 47mm only (this limits to WTB horizon/byway or similar)
2. Enve CX fork - no fender mounts or extra bottle cages
3. Lithic Hiili fork - 15mm TA only
4. Bearclaw (not yet named) fork - 15mm TA only
5. Bombtrack EXT fork - (checks ALL the boxes but not available in the US yet - might be coming in late november per email to manufacturer).
6. Whisky no. 9 - limited clearance (byway/horizon or similar).

Do you have any other recommendations? The frame is built around 400mm axle to crown and 40mm offset, however i wouldnt be opposed to slightly more offset. The tires I intend to run are WTB beeline 2.2's. The reason I can't do 15mm TA is i just had a very nice, very expensive, very classy 12mm wheelset built (Son 28 generator front hub), and I am not financially willing to get the same thing built in 15mm.

Thanks in advance for your input!
-Adam
velotrack
10-01-2018, 02:19 PM
adam, have you looked into a 15 to 12mm thru axle adapter? (edit: it might only work the other way around, not as the case here. sorry about that)

i suppose my other recommendation is to get a custom steel fork made with all your specs, though it will not be as light as carbon.
charliedid
10-01-2018, 02:23 PM
I assume you have a white frame? Black forks are available...50mm offset only though
dancinkozmo
10-01-2018, 02:31 PM
scroll down this page a bit and they discuss fork options....

https://surlybikes.com/blog/road_plus_brought_to_you_by_the_midnight_special

looks great with a whiskey no 9

https://surlybikes.com/uploads/blog/2018-02-14_07-33-13.jpg
.RJ
10-01-2018, 02:36 PM
Ritchey, Spot, Niner, Whisky all make forks.

If you want rack mounts your options become more limited.
adamhell
10-01-2018, 03:19 PM
thanks for the rec's. the whisky does look great, & i know they have stock black forks. i am still pretty married to being able to run 2.2 knobbies hence my hesitation with whisky, ritchey, et al. the more niche options like bearclaw, rodeo, & bombtrack are more in line with what i'm looking for, except they all have one fatal flaw that doesn't work with my vision. the bombtrack EXT fork is exactly what i'm looking for, & i'm wondering if there is a fork out there exactly like it but available in the US.
Jaybee
10-01-2018, 03:26 PM
Any chance the new Salsa fork (Waxwing?) is out there? Not completely sure of availability, but it would meet the criteria, I think. Or maybe a 2018 vaya fork? I don't see it on their site, but that doesn't mean a connected dealer couldn't source one.
v531xc
10-01-2018, 03:37 PM
How about the fork on the Vaya? 12mm drop out, anything cage mounts, fender eyelet, tapered, has lots of clearance.

https://salsacycles.com/bikes/vaya/2019_vaya_105

Salsa doesn't list it separately but they surely make extras as warranty items. Perhaps your shop can ask Q to send one of those since they weren't able to accommodate the stock Surly fork.

Or the fork from the Specialized Sequoia? Gonna be harder to get a warranty replacement without help of a Specialized dealer and some sweet talking since you don't have a frame, but crazier things have been known to happen.

https://www.specialized.com/us/en/sequoia-expert/p/154496?color=227624-154496
woolly
10-01-2018, 05:04 PM
Did your LBS order the wrong SKU? When I was ordering mine, they said there was a "frame only" option (though this doesn't seem to be widely publicized). I'm glad they said something, because I would have been disappointed to wait & then not get the full frameset. I can see where others would be keen on the frame-only, if they had their mind set on a carbon fork instead of the stock steel.
adamhell
10-01-2018, 08:00 PM
Did your LBS order the wrong SKU? When I was ordering mine, they said there was a "frame only" option (though this doesn't seem to be widely publicized). I'm glad they said something, because I would have been disappointed to wait & then not get the full frameset. I can see where others would be keen on the frame-only, if they had their mind set on a carbon fork instead of the stock steel.

yeah i think so. i went through QBP or whatever with them and said i want the full frameset. i think they mightve messed this up, but whatever. i was fluctuating on whether to go carbon or stock/steel anyway.
adamhell
10-01-2018, 08:01 PM
the salsa and specialized options are interesting, too. thanks for those. i'll do some research.