Alpha Q carbon fork for fenders

[acckids]

Has anyone been able to locate the new Alpha Q carbon fork that takes standard/long reach brakes and has eyelits for fenders? Comotion's website posts the following:

The new Nor’Wester has been redesigned with a fresh new carbon fork made just for its unique geometry by Alpha Q. Not you average racer-kid’s fork, it is designed for long-reach caliper brakes, with the Nor’Wester’s requisite room for fenders ands dropout eyelets. It’s the fork we’ve always wanted, to make the Nor’Wester better than ever.

True Temper's website doesn't have this newer fork.

Thanks.

[coylifut]

call Comotion and find out what distributor they are sourcing it from. They're nice folks.

[Steve Hampsten]

I've been talking with Co-Motion and they tell me that fork will be delivered in a couple of weeks. I imagine builders will be able to buy it from True Temper or from Henry James, the distributor, and it should be available through better bike shops everywhere this summer. We'll be trying it on a couple of our bikes to see how we like it.

Keep in mind it is intended for frames designed with a crown race height of 379mm, which is taller than most modern road frames.

[cpg]

Yo Steveo-

Any idea what the brake reach on this gem will be? I hope they're intending something a little longer than mid slot. Most miss that opportunity. :rolleyes:

Curt

[Steve Hampsten]

Yo Steveo-

Any idea what the brake reach on this gem will be? I hope they're intending something a little longer than mid slot. Most miss that opportunity. :rolleyes:

Curt

Brake reach? Wha? Is this a graduate forum, mister?

I'm thinking 52mm or so.

In Vegas they looked nicely lowish but maybe that's the rosy sunglasses. I think Dwan/Co-Mo helped with the design; if so I'd expect it to be well-placed - "well-hung" as we say in the bicycle industry. So to speak. But I'll ask.

It will only be offered in a 45mm rake - afaik.

The Wound Up is offered in 41, 46, and 49mm rakes. With eyelets and good brake reach - imho

atmo

[acckids]

So if ones bike is designed with a 370 axle crown height, a 379 axle crown height would "slacken" the head angle and decrease trail?

[Ray]

Brake reach? Wha? Is this a graduate forum, mister?

I'm thinking 52mm or so.

In Vegas they looked nicely lowish but maybe that's the rosy sunglasses. I think Dwan/Co-Mo helped with the design; if so I'd expect it to be well-placed - "well-hung" as we say in the bicycle industry. So to speak. But I'll ask.

It will only be offered in a 45mm rake - afaik.

The Wound Up is offered in 41, 46, and 49mm rakes. With eyelets and good brake reach - imho

FWIW, I have one of the Wound Ups, although without eyelets. The pads are pretty close to the bottom of the slot, within a mm or two, but the fork is also fairly narrow up by the crown. Such that it only comfortably takes fairly narrow road fenders and, thus, fairly narrow tires. Waaaaay better than a standard carbon fork for short reach brakes, to be sure, but not great for fitting anything fatter than a 25-27 and fenders unless you modify the fenders.

-Ray

[coylifut]

as a consumer I say "why bother." Any bike I'm going to hang fenders on I really don't care about the weight and I can have a steel fork built in any configuration I want.

[dreadpiratetim]

Back in 2005 I was building a rando bike and contacted True Temper about adding eyelets to their cross fork (I was running canti's, not long-reach). I talked with a guy named Bert Hull in Performance Sports (division?). At any rate, before I could get an answer I went forward with another solution. Bert got back to me a couple of weeks later and said they would make 5 of the forks, as they had commitments for 3 and he figured he could source the other 2. It's great to see they went forward with a production fork... Bert was genuinely interested and helpful during my search. I wish I could say the same for some of the other mfrs. I contacted. At any rate, good on True Temper!

[dreadpiratetim]

Here's another solution for mounting fenders (mudguards) on standard forks called ReachArounds from Rivercity Bicycles... They require a cut in the fender, so not as clean as with long-reach brakes, but they give you a full fender vs. "half" fenders like the Race Blade.

Click on the link, and there is another link to photos showing them mounted on a bike.
http://www.rivercitybicycles.com/product_info.php?products_id=613

[dash]

I've been talking with Co-Motion and they tell me that fork will be delivered in a couple of weeks


bump. is the fork out? what's it look like? do you like it?

[Steve Hampsten]

bump. is the fork out? what's it look like? do you like it?

Still not available - I'm hearing "production problems".

[acckids]

Anyone see, hear or touch one of these forks. Still not on their website.

[Steve Hampsten]

Want me to try get you one?

How bad?

[rpm]

Seven claims that you get its fork in a wide variety of rakes with fender mounts and clearance for up to a 32. Can these be bought as an after market item?

http://www.sevencycles.com/accessories/carbonfork.php

[acckids]

I think "real bad" but then I have to consider they are rare and I would have to have an industry insider attempt to find one. Reality sets in and I think my "real bad" would change to "oh, I think I'll wait." Thanks for the offer though.

[vaxn8r]

I just think True Temper is way, way behind on their fork orders for whatever reason. My tandem was done and hanging on a wall for over two months waiting for the tandem ALpha Q fork earlier this summer.

It is a cool fork and probably lighter than steel but on a fendered bike, what's the worry about half a pound? Get a nice steel fork.

[PacNW2Ford]

I asked True Temper for some technical details back in September and this is what they said:

"The CS25 touring fork is just like the CS20 fork, but 8mm longer, thus the need for normal reach brakes, not short reach brakes. Many people refer to short reach brakes as normal reach because they are 20 times more common.
Axle to crown on your fork is 379mm. Our racing forks are 371. Tandem is 374.
Bert Hull
Product manager"

I guess I should have also asked whether or not they existed.

[Steve Hampsten]

Many people refer to short reach brakes as normal reach because they are 20 times more common.

I guess I should have also asked whether or not they existed.

Isn't this getting a a little Kantian?

But what do we really mean when we say "they existed"? Doesn't their very essence - or at least the fact that you had heard of them - precede their actual existence?

And what is "normal"? How "common" is it?

These are questions that keep me awake nights.

[PacNW2Ford]

Turnabout is fair play. Knowing that IF is building the Strada Bianca now is keeping ME up nights. Good work!

[Steve Hampsten]

If IF is on first, then who's on second?

[PacNW2Ford]

Schwinn?

[Steve Hampsten]

And the spare fork is because...?

[PacNW2Ford]

Taste testing? Long story, like how I've ended up with two Yamaguchi stems.

Now that we've seriously hijacked this thread, look what I got from IF today.

Also, do the Jack Browns fit with the Shimano standard reach brakes on an SB?

[Steve Hampsten]

Niiice...I'm still waiting for the first

The JBs fit just fine - plenny o' room

[Pete Serotta]

I have the Stella Azzura with eyelets on my "S" and it has worked great. Took it on 400 plus miles in VT and have no complaints about it. (We can discuss the rain complaint at another time).

If you want one of these and can not find, let me know and I will see about getting one. Serotta is using them on some of the cross bikes.

PETE

[Steve Hampsten]

Can you post a link, Pete? Izzit the same fork Winwood or Bontrager is selling? We need details, man, details!

[TimB]

If you're just wantin' a carbon road fork for long-reach brakes and fender eyelets, what's about: http://www.interlocracing.com/forks.html

I have the Mosaic 57 on my Gunnar...seems nice enough for my simple tastes.

[Pete Serotta]

http://www.stellaazzurra.com/Forks/Bellagio-Cross.php


Could not do a cut and paste but here is the description and picture on the WEB.

Pete

[acckids]

At least the graphics are understated. :confused:

[Steve Hampsten]

ok, I have the new alpha q fork right here (w/o decals):

it takes a narrow honjo fender w/a 25mm tyre, but no bigger

you'll want a lathe to modify the sheldon fender bolt to fit the crown

w/o fenders, a 30mm tyre should fit, but a 33mm jack brown don't

it has a crown race height of 381mm so you'll need to design the frame for the fork

i got mine from co-motion

no idea how it rides

it's fine but i do feel an opportunity was squandered here

[Louis]

it has a crown race height of 381mm so you'll need to design the frame for the fork

Why in the world don't folks all agree to a standard for this? It would make things so much easier.

[Grant McLean]

Why in the world don't folks all agree to a standard for this? It would make things so much easier.


I wouldn't want this. Variety is good.
there are lots of fit/sizing/compatibility reasons for different fork lengths.
One size doesn't fit all.

-g

[Louis]

I wouldn't want this. Variety is good.
there are lots of fit/sizing/compatibility reasons for different fork lengths.
One size doesn't fit all.

-g

I'm not saying they should all have the same axle-to-crown distance, just that they should choose a few standard numbers (same as rake) and add that to the info that is provided with the fork (same as rake). Doesn't sound too complicated or restrictive to me.