Steel forks that look good with 1-1/8" headsets

[tv_vt]

Occasionally I'll see a steel fork on a frame with a 1-1/8" headtube. Most of the time, they look funny because the headtube and lower headset piece are so much bigger than the top of the steel fork. It's a poor transition in comparison to, say, how an Enve carbon fork looks under a 1-1/8" lower headset - the front to back depth of the Enve fork matches the diameter of the headset very well. With steel forks, the front to back depth is much shorter than the headset width and it looks weird to me.

So, can you point me to certain steel forks that work well visually with 1-1/8" headtubes and headsets? Are there certain crown lugs that work better? BTW this would be for a road frame with caliper brakes.

Just thinking ahead a bit if/when the time comes or need arises when I need to replace my current fork, which is carbon.

Thanks.

[seanile]

Interestingly, I’d personally say the size ratio awkwardness is less of a concern of the head tube, but more of the downtube and the top tube sizes. A skinny front end on a thick mid section looks odd to me.
Older Columbus and Reynolds tubed bikes, like Merckx, looked good because they were smaller 25.4 tubes.
Just my thoughts, though I’ll always recommend a segmented fork if you’re looking for some thickness in the front end that isnt carbon

[tv_vt]

Segmented forks are just too clunky and overbuilt for a road bike (IMO).

It would be cool if there were some very ovalized fork blades and a matching fork crown that had a smooth visual transition with 1-1/8 headtubes. Most of the crowns seem to be designed to work with 1 inch headtubes.

[Blue Jays]

Tom Kellogg and Jeff Duser of Spectrum Cycles can easily address that question. They love forks.

[seanile]

Originally Posted by tv_vt

Segmented forks are just too clunky and overbuilt for a road bike (IMO).

It would be cool if there were some very ovalized fork blades and a matching fork crown that had a smooth visual transition with 1-1/8 headtubes. Most of the crowns seem to be designed to work with 1 inch headtubes.

Columbus max forks with the samson crowns are good at that intent, but unfortunately built to a 1”. If there were a 1 1/8 version id be on that so quickly..


Sklar has also managed to add a nice touch to his segmented forks by matching the steerer tube extension to the diameter of the head tube: https://www.instagram.com/p/BIYQtIIA...=19uxv9rtbf6p3

Then winter did the best of both worlds with this:
https://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=167179

[weisan]

Originally Posted by Blue Jays

Tom Kellogg and Jeff Duser of Spectrum Cycles can easily address that question. They love forks.

oh they do!

I love the fork more than the frame, to be honest.
It's so light, I couldn't believe it when I first pick it up. It makes a world of difference to the ride.

[Peter B]

It's the top side of any 44mm HT that bothers me. I've yet to see a clean HT-to-stem transition with this spec.

[Peter P.]

I agree with tv_vt; I was tempted to buy a Ritchey Road Logic, but I didn't want a carbon fork. The problem is, there's no replacement fork custom or otherwise which would match the transition from the integrated lower headset cup to the fork crown.

[ERK55]

Originally Posted by Peter B

It's the top side of any 44mm HT that bothers me. I've yet to see a clean HT-to-stem transition with this spec.

Couldn’t agree with this more. While the 44mm headtube may have structural advantages, it is flawed IMO asthetically. It have an otherwise very nice ti road bike but all I see is that big cylinder staring at me.

[unterhausen]

Originally Posted by Peter B

It's the top side of any 44mm HT that bothers me. I've yet to see a clean HT-to-stem transition with this spec.

I'm okay with a beer can headtube look on a mtb, but on a road bike, give me a tapered head tube. Like that Winter linked up-thread. There are choices for a tapered head tube for steel, not sure about Ti.

[ERK55]

I happen to be the owner of a road bike version of the above Winter you reference. The tapered head tube is indeed beautiful. The accompanying steel fork is very stiff, and heavy, however.

[jmoore]

Originally Posted by seanile

Columbus max forks with the samson crowns are good at that intent, but unfortunately built to a 1”. If there were a 1 1/8 version id be on that so quickly..

Oh my. Soooooo good. ooof

[skiezo]

This one seems to flow nicely into the HT junction. The steer tube is 1 1/8".
https://forums.thepaceline.net/showt...hlight=sketchy

[AngryScientist]

the fork on my Swan is 1-1/8 and i think it looks pretty fluid with the rest of the bike...

[bitpuddle]

Originally Posted by seanile

Columbus max forks with the samson crowns are good at that intent, but unfortunately built to a 1”. If there were a 1 1/8 version id be on that so quickly..

That is really nice.