I need input on 1" carbon fork?

[Spicoli]

Giving an old serotta some new life, and want to put a threadless fork on it. Which would you choose and why? Alfa Q, Ouzo Pro, Easton? Does anyone know where any screamin deals are on any of these? :confused:

[bfd]

All 3 companies make excellent carbon forks. You be pretty hard press to argue one is *better* than the others. The best deal on forks is on Ebay. You can get a brand new Reynolds Ouzo Pro fork for something like $219 plus shipping. Easton SL fork is a sweet fork too, but more expensive.

However, I just picked up a brand new Alpha Q Sub 3 fork for $195 shipped. The only reason I decided on that one instead of the Reynolds was price.

[weaponsgrade]

Talk to Serotta and see what they recommend. In addition to the obvious steerer size there's also rake and the length of the fork legs to consider.

[vaxn8r]

I can tell you that the 1" Ouzo Pro is a very nice fork. I can recommend it without reservation.

[djg]

Well, I can tell you that I put a 1" ouzo pro on a CSi with good results, but I haven't tried either of your other two choices.

I don't know who has one in stock in the right steerer diameter and rake, but I seem to recall seeing deals on some reynolds forks or other recently at both excel sports and cambria bike.

[Larry]

Get the new Ouzo Pro 1 inch steertube.
It's been updated with a very cool, new look.
I had an Ouzo on my CSi.....an excellent piece of equipment.

Larry

[Marcusaurelius]

I would avoid Alpga Q if you weigh a significant amount. I tried a 1" threadless Alpha Q and found it a little too flexy. The only other threadless carbon fork I've tried was an F1 and it worked very well (could partly due to the steel steer tube's stiffness).

[thwart]

As a fellow Colorado TG owner, I'd advise keeping an eye on eBay.

Just let a Look HSC 3 fork with a 1 inch steerer slip through my hands when I was away from the computer... went for ~ $95 :crap:

[Bill Bove]

+1 on the Reynolds. I ran an Alpha Q on my Legend for years and an Ouzo Pro on my Colorado Al. The Al frame rode nicer than the Legend! I just put a 2007 Ouzo Pro on the Legend and I can tell you it makes a difference.

[Larry]

I'm vacationing on Paros Island, Greece.

I love Ouzo for lunch , dinner, and nightime socializing.
It packs a kick and helps me to bolt up that mountain.

Oh......my Ouzo Pro is GREAT, also!

[sspielman]

I'm vacationing on Paros Island, Greece.

I love Ouzo for lunch , dinner, and nightime socializing.
It packs a kick and helps me to bolt up that mountain.

Oh......my Ouzo Pro is GREAT, also!

Hey...I used to date an Armenian girl when I was in college...We went to a cookout at her parents house once, and they had LOTS of Ouzo...It was my first exposure to the stuff. I got so sick from it that the smell of licorice or anise gives me nausea to this day....

As for the forks, I like the idea of an Alpha Q...OR to get nice fork with a huge "funk" factor, try a Kuips....

[Big Dan]

The 1 inch Alpha Q fork is a pretty good one. No flex for me around 190#.

:)

[catulle]

I understand that the Alpha Q is a great fork. However, the wing nut in the fork tube needs to be glued or something. On the other forks the nut comes with an expansion thingy that makes life easier. Just what I've been told. I ain't got no hands-on experience with either. For a project I'm working on I think I'll go for a Reynolds UL only because Tom Kellog worked on its development. How about support for the good guys, atmo...?

[Marcusaurelius]

I understand that the Alpha Q is a great fork. However, the wing nut in the fork tube needs to be glued or something. On the other forks the nut comes with an expansion thingy that makes life easier. Just what I've been told. I ain't got no hands-on experience with either. For a project I'm working on I think I'll go for a Reynolds UL only because Tom Kellog worked on its development. How about support for the good guys, atmo...?


You do have to put in an alloy insert and let the glue set overnight. I put an alpa q on a friends bike but discovered later it needed to be a little shorter but trying to remove the alloy insert would not be an easy task. The ouzo pro uses a much better removeable insert.

[Big Dan]

Measure twice, cut once...... :)

[93legendti]

I've had all 3 forks and prefer the Ouzo Pro--stiff enough and very comfortable with no unwanted flex. The Easton is a litle flexy and the AQ is stiffer feeling (I have one now on my '99 Hors) . If I weighed what Dan weighs, I would use the AQ. I'm about 30 lbs lighter than Dan and the OP is just right. So I say, it depends upon how much you weigh.

[Benjamin]

another vote for the ouzo pro.

i had a CSi with an F1 with an 853 steerer.

swapping the F1 and quill stem for a full-carbon ouzo pro with threadless headset and a nice light stem was the best thing that ever happened to that bike.

it shaved off around a pound of weight and made the bike feel brand new, fast, and even more comfortable (definitely not knocking the F1, though).

[Tom Kellogg]

Just a thought or two:
- All the forks mentioned are good forks, but
- You can't compare an Ouzo Pro with an AlphaQ any easier than you can compare a Chevy Corsica to a Crysler. AlphaQ forks come in a VERY wide range of weights, stiffnesses and geometries. A Sub-3 (no longer made) is similar to the current GS-30. It is very light and is not appropriate for larger riders. On the other end of things, The V-Pro is likely too much fork for us little, light types. AlphaQ makes a number of forks in between as well.
- Be sure that you get the correct rake for your frame. If you don't know what it is, give James or Andrew a buzz to make sure.

I've had all 3 forks and prefer the Ouzo Pro--stiff enough and very comfortable with no unwanted flex. The Easton is a litle flexy and the AQ is stiffer feeling (I have one now on my '99 Hors) . If I weighed what Dan weighs, I would use the AQ. I'm about 30 lbs lighter than Dan and the OP is just right. So I say, it depends upon how much you weigh.