Steel vs. Carbon regarding forks.

[Dave B]

I need some opinions only to add to knowledge. Almost every current bike (almost not every) on the market comes with a carbon fork, either with a carbon or aluminum steerer. I understand why I would want to use a carbon fork for vibration dampening and light weight.

HOWEVER, when I look through galleries of beautiful custom bikes as we have here I see wonders using steel forks.

I do not have any opinions as to why to use them as they look beautiful, however what type of riding characteristics does a steel fork have that a carbon does not?

I suppose I would like to now the pros and cons of both.

I am sure there is a weight difference, but really how much? If you are building a bike for comfort not racing, how does each material benefit the bike?

Thanks in advance for those of you who can help. :beer:

[saab2000]

Weight is really the only reason to not go with a steel fork IMHO. There is no negative in ride quality with steel.

Others may have other opinions. But I see no reason to have a carbon fork on many bikes, especially lugged steel bikes. Lugged steel bikes with carbon forks don't make sense to me.

So there.

[J.Greene]

Of all the things I can think of that would make you faster, better, stronger in a race or even a club ride, forks are not even on the list. The fork with the right length, rake and features designed for you bike is the right one.

JG

[BarryG]

The fork with the right length, rake and features designed for you bike is the right one. And the SINGLE most important fork feature . . . that it stays in one piece (http://youtube.com/watch?v=hw0thBvt_jY), at least while you're riding.

[BUTCH RIDES]

Hello,on my 5 mile ride I do everyday my carbon fork works fine ,it keeps the wheel on . Someday I will learn how take the front wheel off as long as I don't have get my hands dirty .
adios

[RPS]

I just came back from riding 7 days on a lugged steel frame with stainless steel fork, and one day on a bike with a carbon fork. Same road, same tires, same wheels, same air pressure, same everything else (except for frame). The carbon fork isolated vibration on rough chip-and-seal far better than the steel fork.

If not for aesthetics of a carbon fork on a lugged steel frame, I would replace the fork. When it comes to long rides on rough roads I prefer the additional give a carbon fork offers.

[michael white]

yeah, but I've experienced great differences in the ride of different steel forks . . . Some seem almost absurdly comfortable to me, others to have no give at all . . . I have a bike like that, a Colgago built with OS tubing, which I like, but it's not a tubing choice I would make again.

Certainly, as a rule, a carbon fork might be seen as an "upgrade" if only because it will probably be 150 grams or so lighter.

[David Kirk]

Amen.......design trump material every time.


Dave

[slowgoing]

The big, beefy steel fork on my MX Leader is as comfortable as any carbon fork I have ever ridden.

[fierte_poser]

HOWEVER, when I look through galleries of beautiful custom bikes as we have here I see wonders using steel forks.

My $.02,

Many of the frames in the gallery are heirloom quality, and those buying such frames want an heirloom quality fork, hence the choice of a steel fork crafted by the same individual that is crafting the frame.

[RPS]

My $0.01 since that's all it's worth,

I don’t have anything at all against steel, but the anisotropic properties of carbon fiber composites seems to allow for a greater amount of vertical give relative to bending; hence an equally functional fork can be theoretically made with greater give. And in my opinion, vertical give is the main component that leads to smoothness.

Unfortunately, what confuses this issue the most IMHO is that on rare occasions, additional vertical stiffness actually improves ride quality. It doesn’t happen often, but when it does it leads us to think that a product is superior in every situation, when it is only better under certain specific conditions.

[cpg]

I just came back from riding 7 days on a lugged steel frame with stainless steel fork, and one day on a bike with a carbon fork.


Stainless steel fork? Really? Or maybe chrome?

Curt

[RPS]

Stainless steel fork? Really? Or maybe chrome?

CurtReally :beer:

It's polished to the point of looking like chrome but it's stainless. It's very nice -- was built by a great builder IMO.

[cpg]

Really :beer:

It's polished to the point of looking like chrome but it's stainless. It's very nice -- was built by a great builder IMO.


Name names. Need pictures. Must be Columbus blades because I don't think anyone else made them. Love to see it!

Curt

[itsflantastic]

I just picked up a NOS Serotta CSI built up with a custom steel fork by Spectrum Cycles. Nothing on it is crazy light weight by any means. It's a 58cm, so it's a rather large bike, and it comes in a touch under 19 lbs! Now, I know there are bikes out there close to 12 lbs, but personally, I like to know there is something under me.

So, the weight penalty is really no big deal imho, and plus, it's the rotational weight that seems to matter the most. I rode across the country on a steel bike/steel fork, that loaded, weighed close to 90 lbs easily. Anything compared to that is light weight, and even so, that bike was still pretty quick.

i'll give you a nice review of how the fork behaves after I put some miles on it (none yet, snow on the ground!)

-Dan

[Big Dan]

I got both and prefer a good steel fork over carbon.
Call me crazy, but I actually like to feel the road!!!!!!!!!

:D

[stevep]

artisan bikes as built by the craftsmen who populate this place deserve a fork built of steel.

i like and use carbon forks on most of my rigs...but to put one on an artisan frame is like putting a velcro watch band on a collectable watch. just not right.

[dash]

aren't dario's steel bikes (other than luigino) fitted almost exclusively with carbon forks?

[Ken Robb]

this debate reminds me of the experiment that I never got around to doing. I bought mt RS11 Waterford with a Profile Design AC1 all-carbon fork installed and the 531 Reynolds steel fork in a box. I'd had both carbon and steel forks but never on the same bike and this was going to allow me to do a controlloed experimental comparison. Good news/bad news: the bike rode so well with the AC1 that I never swapped them until I sold the bike to a pal who wanted the steelie installed ASAP. Well I did take a quick spin after the swap and the bike rode fine but I didn't really get a lengthy comparo ride.

He's in town so I can get a longer ride but his set-up is more agressive than I like so I'm not sure how valid the test would be now. The AC-1 rides as well as my Ouzo Pro and O2 Serotta forks for me.

[Marcusaurelius]

I have a steel lugged fork on my CSI and the ride is great. It rides just as well as any carbon fork I've had perhaps better. A steel fork has many more custom options especially in the the axle to crown distance.

[obtuse]

aren't dario's steel bikes (other than luigino) fitted almost exclusively with carbon forks?


yeah so what? they're also tig welded big tubed 1 1/8th steerer tubed race bikes and 1 1/8th steel steerer tubes are stupid, ghey, heavy and a waste of time unless they're on a match sprint bike and even then......

here's the new rule:

1 inch steerer: steel fork

1 1/8th steerer: carbon fork

exceptions: match sprint bikes and kilo bikes may use a steel steerer tubed carbon fork. time trial bikes may use a carbon steerer tubed carbon fork. ale petacchi may use a steel tubed carbon fork; but you're not ale petacchi. get it?

obtuse

[jeffg]

yeah so what? they're also tig welded big tubed 1 1/8th steerer tubed race bikes and 1 1/8th steel steerer tubes are stupid, ghey, heavy and a waste of time unless they're on a match sprint bike and even then......

here's the new rule:

1 inch steerer: steel fork

1 1/8th steerer: carbon fork

exceptions: match sprint bikes and kilo bikes may use a steel steerer tubed carbon fork. time trial bikes may use a carbon steerer tubed carbon fork. ale petacchi may use a steel tubed carbon fork; but you're not ale petacchi. get it?

obtuse

... ;)

My bikes abide by this rule, though I would say an old Legend Ti with a 1" steerer could use an F1 :beer:

[stevep]

but you're not ale petacchi. get it?
obtuse

i would be except for my lack of good bike shiite.
bike holds me back. need more gears. better parts.

[Ginger]

i would be except for my lack of good bike shiite.
bike holds me back. need more gears. better parts.

You keep tell'n us you sell the stuff? Is that one of those "dealers don't use" kindof streetcorner cred things?

I don't have the vast experience that so many riders here have...yet, when has that stopped anyone here? I love the steel fork that was designed for my bike. On the road? Smooth. I've ridden bikes that were wearing the carbon fork that they were designed with and those were also smooth.

However, if I get into some of the really rough stuff I ride, I prefer steel over carbon.

[William]

Ride what you like. But when you get up into my size range, an over built carbon fork doesn't weigh a whole lot less then the steel fork on my Zanconato. And to me, the CF fork feels a little squirrley compared to the steel. But, this is just my perception. I have to tell you though, seeing all those carbon forks bend and chatter at the Cross Nats (and even break :eek: ) more then convinced me it's best for me to stick with steel.







William

[RPS]

Name names. Need pictures. Must be Columbus blades because I don't think anyone else made them. Love to see it!

CurtCurt, the stainless fork was built by Hans Schneider quite a few years back and it rides very nice. If you are interested in details please send me a PM and I'll give you his phone number. Hans can tell you far more about stainless forks than I can.