Cyclocross Forks?

[Der_Kruscher]

I'm looking to possibly shed some weight from my trusty Cross Check and the fork is a pretty obvious place to do so. That said, it's a Surly so I don't want to break the bank. I was going to purchase an Easton EC90 X because I could get one for a stellar deal but I waited too long and while I can still get one pretty cheap, at the current price it may be hard to overlook some of the faults that I've heard (chattery! Was told that this may be due to the rake?). In lieu of the Easton, I was considering a Winwood Dusty Cross, a Ritchey Comp or possibly an Easton EC70 X. All of these forks have workable rakes for the Surly (45mm), are reasonably light and about the same price. The Winwwod is the lightest and therefore the most desireable on paper if all else is the same but I don't know anyone who uses this or any of the other forks...anyone have any feedback on this or the others? I was figuring that the added weight over the EC90 X would make these forks a little stouter and less prone to excessive shudder. Any help is much appreciated.

[cadence90]

I realize it's more expensive than the models you mentioned, but for me the Reynolds Ouzo Pro CX is the best CX fork around.

Or, for your Surly, get an Igleheart steel Traditional New England Segmented CX fork (http://www.iglebike.com/forks.html).

The thing is, the Reynolds and the Igle cost the same.

[Der_Kruscher]

Is this even available anymore? Part of the reason that I'm looking at the forks that I am is that I can get them at wholesale cost so the gap to a Reynolds or any other fork at regular MSRP is pretty huge. Plus, I figure that I'll put a few seasons of racing on the Surly and if I'm still having a ball I'll drop some cash and get a custom rig. BTW - the Igleheart looks sweet.

I realize it's more expensive than the models you mentioned, but for me the Reynolds Ouzo Pro CX is the best CX fork around.

Or, for your Surly, get an Igleheart steel Traditional New England Segmented CX fork (http://www.iglebike.com/forks.html).

The thing is, the Reynolds and the Igle cost the same.

[cadence90]

Is this even available anymore? Part of the reason that I'm looking at the forks that I am is that I can get them at wholesale cost so the gap to a Reynolds or any other fork at regular MSRP is pretty huge. Plus, I figure that I'll put a few seasons of racing on the Surly and if I'm still having a ball I'll drop some cash and get a custom rig. BTW - the Igleheart looks sweet.
I really don't know. I was thinking one might still find one at some online retailer or LBS.
I have no idea why Reynolds stopped making forks; the OP and OP CX were so nice.

Iglehearts are good.
I really don't know anything about Easton, Ritchey, Winwood.

There are always the Alpha Q CX forks, too.
I love my AQ Sub3 road fork.

Also available are the Wound Up "Team X" CX forks (http://www.woundupcomposites.com/team_x.html), very nice stuff, but also $$$. :(

[Auk]

The Wound Up cross forks are awesome. Very stiff under braking and yet able to take a huge amount of abuse. I have one on my steel singlespeed cross bike and love it.

[GregL]

I've got a Winwood Dusty 'cross fork on one bike and like it very much. It's inexpensive (got mine for ~$165 a few years back), solid (no chatter), has lots of mud clearance, and has eyelets. If the rake and axle-to-crown dimensions work for your frame, you can't go wrong.

I recently got an Alpha Q CX10 for another bike and it too appears to be a good fork. It has all the positive qualities of the Winwood fork, but with a steel steerer. I haven't got too many miles on it yet, but the first impressions are good.

Regards,
Greg

[cadence90]

The Wound Up cross forks are awesome. Very stiff under braking and yet able to take a huge amount of abuse. I have one on my steel singlespeed cross bike and love it.
+1.

Wound Up = Really, really good.

Straight blades, too, with a profile elegant enough to look really good on a steel frame.

[Der_Kruscher]

I was going to consider the Alpha Q CX10 but I think that it has too much rake for my bike. I'd love a Wound Up but again, too much cash to blow on my Surly...I'll wait until I get a better bike :)

I've got a Winwood Dusty 'cross fork on one bike and like it very much. It's inexpensive (got mine for ~$165 a few years back), solid (no chatter), has lots of mud clearance, and has eyelets. If the rake and axle-to-crown dimensions work for your frame, you can't go wrong.

I recently got an Alpha Q CX10 for another bike and it too appears to be a good fork. It has all the positive qualities of the Winwood fork, but with a steel steerer. I haven't got too many miles on it yet, but the first impressions are good.

Regards,
Greg

[mtb_frk]

I have a easton on one bike and a ritchey wcs carbon on my other bike. I like them both. Neither chatter for me, it really comes down to the brake set up. I also had the ritchey comp on my old bike. It was alright, but it weighed more than either of the others. I dont think you could wrong with any of them.

[Steve in SLO]

Another vote for Wound Up--especially if you're doing some trail/singletracking. I've ridden mine hard and it's still stiff and feels bulletproof.

I have a Stella Azurra Bellagio that I haven't mounted yet. Any opinions there?

[sokyroadie]

I have a Stella Azurra Bellagio that I haven't mounted yet. Any opinions there?

Great fork, wish I had bought several when Serotta was clearing them out for very little $$$$. Now I am looking for one and they are many $$$$$.

Jeff

[Ken Robb]

I have an AlphaQ-canti on my Hampsten Strada Bianca and I think it rides great.

I'm curious about the reports of shuddering because the cross forks look like they are quite a bit stouter than carbon road bike forks so I wouldn't have expected shuddering. Also, if one is really riding cross, aren't you on surfaces with limited traction that shouldn't be able to put as much stress on the fork as would a road tire on pavement to a cross fork?

[Bruce K]

I have an Alpha Q on the C'dale I gave to my son and a Ritchey on my Serotta.

Between the two I like the Ritchey better.

BK

[xjoex]

I have a woundup on my disc equipped seven, super nice.

But to your question, I replaced a stock steel fork on my old bianchi castro valley with a carbon Ritchey Comp and it was so much nice. Immediate weight difference and ride difference. Cool thing about the ritchey, it has tons of axle - crown clearance. So you can fit a decent sized tire and a fender on it for the winter.
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Jz4f840sc_c/Rq3iHOPCJ8I/AAAAAAAAARY/pJMRh-anr4k/s320/IMGP2543.JPG

-Joe

[djg]

I've got a Winwood Dusty 'cross fork on one bike and like it very much. It's inexpensive (got mine for ~$165 a few years back), solid (no chatter), has lots of mud clearance, and has eyelets. If the rake and axle-to-crown dimensions work for your frame, you can't go wrong.

I recently got an Alpha Q CX10 for another bike and it too appears to be a good fork. It has all the positive qualities of the Winwood fork, but with a steel steerer. I haven't got too many miles on it yet, but the first impressions are good.

Regards,
Greg

The Alpha Q is a nice fork, IMO. It seems to me that it's a pretty middle-of-the-road rake for an actual cross fork, although that doesn't answer the question what works best for your particular frame. Some of the forks you mentioned have pretty road-like rakes to them -- which may be great for your frame or intended purposes, but I'd definitely favor the Alpha Q for cross on my 54 cm (serotta) cross frame (and have it there now).

[KKevin]

Any good cross fork you purchase now can be saved for the next, better cross bike you buy. Of course you only have to worry about the steerer length.