Alpha Q CS10

[djg]

Does anybody have any experience with this fork? I have one that I'm maybe about to use and I'm wondering what folks think about it.

So, a couple of advantages to it: I have it already, new and ready to go; and Serotta thinks it works with the frame (say it's decent, right rake and span, etc.).

At the same time, this seems to be a "budget" fork for Alpha Q, and I don't have any local references for it, so I wonder how it might compare to things I know better (like Reynolds Ouzo Pro). There's an argument that says just try it and see, but if there are significant doubts I'd rather not use it (cut the tube, glue the plug, etc.) and cut its resale value a ton.

BTW I realize that it has a steel steerer (ox platinum, I think), which is likely strong (a good thing), and which makes it 100 grams or so heavier than many alternatives (not a good thing in itself, although not a big deal for me either, and not in itself the sort of thing that would make me replace it).

[jhcakilmer]

Never tried it, but love the steel steerer. It's going on my next bike!

[RudAwkning]

Does anybody have any experience with this fork? I have one that I'm maybe about to use and I'm wondering what folks think about it.

So, a couple of advantages to it: I have it already, new and ready to go; and Serotta thinks it works with the frame (say it's decent, right rake and span, etc.).

At the same time, this seems to be a "budget" fork for Alpha Q, and I don't have any local references for it, so I wonder how it might compare to things I know better (like Reynolds Ouzo Pro). There's an argument that says just try it and see, but if there are significant doubts I'd rather not use it (cut the tube, glue the plug, etc.) and cut its resale value a ton.

BTW I realize that it has a steel steerer (ox platinum, I think), which is likely strong (a good thing), and which makes it 100 grams or so heavier than many alternatives (not a good thing in itself, although not a big deal for me either, and not in itself the sort of thing that would make me replace it).

I replaced my Alpha Q Sub 3 with this fork. I never liked the fact that once you cut and epoxied an Alpha, that was it. No cutting it any shorter. I also never like the fact that my stem was clamping onto a plastic tube. When I'd slide the stem down the steerer, it would shave bits of the tube which never sat right with me.

I also received two different Sub 3s with tolerance issues in the steerer tube which didn't allow everything to compress correctly. Always ended up getting a little bit of creaking when really torquing on the bars. Thought it was a bad headset or a bad stem/bar combo until I swapped forks

Believe it or not, after cutting the steerer tube on my CS10, it weighs only a few grams more tha the Sub3 with the epoxied insert. Most of the advertised weight of that fork is in the enourmous steel steerer.

Stem clamps nicely onto the steerer, no more creaking and no more worries. And my front end rides way more rigid now.

[Big Dan]

With the steel steerer, do you still need to use the insert?

[Dave]

With the steel steerer, do you still need to use the insert?


According to the instructions on the Alpha-Q website, "alloy" steering tubes use star nuts, just like other brands. Hopefully, the Alpha-Q folks realize that steel is an alloy, as is the aluminum used for some steering tubes.

http://www.truetemper.com/performance_tubing/images/tech/fork_instructions.pdf