carbon fiber fork question

The most problematic is the full carbon fork. You must be careful when cutting the steerer. Also, a
compression insert must be used instead of a star fangled nut. Also, the steerer cannot extend too
far past the top of the headset. Aluminum is heavier. Chromoly is heavier still.

--
--------------------------
Andre Charlebois BPE, MCSE4.0, CNA, A+ webmaster for Triathlon New Brunswick www.TriNB.com
"TedK618265" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:20031225201926.09564.00001602@mb-
m17.aol.com...

Quoted message said:

I have a Specialized Allez alluminum frame and am thinking about getting a carbon fiber fork
for it. I have seen forks with cro-moly steering tubes, alluminum steering tubes, and carbon
fiber steering tubes. Are there any differences as to strengh and durability? Also, if I
decided to get a

fork

Quoted message said:

with a carbon fiber steering tube, does it require a special headset (the

frame

Quoted message said:

is not built for an integrated headset). Any thoughts appreciated.

Ted

In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

I have a Specialized Allez alluminum frame and am thinking about getting a carbon fiber fork for
it. I have seen forks with cro-moly steering tubes, alluminum steering tubes, and carbon fiber
steering tubes. Are there any differences as to strengh and durability?

No differences because of material alone. I would go by the reputation of the manufacturer.

Quoted message said:

Also, if I decided to get a fork with a carbon fiber steering tube, does it require a special
headset (the

frame

Quoted message said:

is not built for an integrated headset).

Normal headset will work on most. Very few CF forks are made for integrated headsets.
-----------------
Alex

I've had a full carbon fork fail. The steerer tube broke. Not worth any
weight saving, IMO!
"TedK618265" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I have a Specialized Allez alluminum frame and am thinking about getting a carbon fiber fork
for it. I have seen forks with cro-moly steering tubes, alluminum steering tubes, and carbon
fiber steering tubes. Are there any differences as to strengh and durability? Also, if I
decided to get a

fork

Quoted message said:

with a carbon fiber steering tube, does it require a special headset (the

frame

Quoted message said:

is not built for an integrated headset). Any thoughts appreciated.

Ted

ted-<< I have a Specialized Allez alluminum frame and am thinking about getting a carbon fiber fork
for it. I have seen forks with cro-moly steering tubes, alluminum steering tubes, and carbon fiber
steering tubes. Are there any differences as to strengh and durability? >><BR><BR>

Not in the practical sense, they just weigh less than one another. BUT there is a maximum number of
spacers you can put under the stem on a carbon steerer. For 1 inch it is generally about 1
inch(2.54cm). With the other two, steel and aluminum, no maximum. You need just about any threadless
1 inch HS.

Peter Chisholm Vecchio's Bicicletteria 1833 Pearl St. Boulder, CO, 80302
(303)440-3535 vecchios.comvecchios.comOpen ↗ "Ruote convenzionali costruite eccezionalmente bene"

Quoted message said:

"TedK618265" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I have a Specialized Allez alluminum frame and am thinking about getting a carbon fiber fork
for it. I have seen forks with cro-moly steering tubes, alluminum steering tubes, and carbon
fiber steering tubes. Are there any differences as to strengh and durability? Also, if I
decided to get a

fork

Quoted message said:

with a carbon fiber steering tube, does it require a special headset (the

frame

Quoted message said:

is not built for an integrated headset). Any thoughts appreciated.

Bill said:

I've had a full carbon fork fail. The steerer tube broke. Not worth any weight saving, IMO!

Bill, can you tell us more about that, please?

I was the loudest Cassandra about the dangers of carbon/carbon forks a couple of years ago. But I've
been proved wrong. Now there are tens of thousands of minimal offbrand carbon forks now and the
failure rate is minuscule.

So what more can you tell us about that - brand and model? Mileage? Any mitigating factors, like
front impact? Where and how did it break? (Where on the piece, not where on a map).

Since the incidence os so very low, I'm starved for information.

AFAIK, _every_ fork can be used with either an integrated or with a normal headset (so long as the
other dimensions are appropriate). Anyone know of a counterexample?
--
Andrew Muzi www.yellowjersey.org Open every day since 1 April, 1971

[email hidden] (Qui si parla Campagnolo) wrote:

<snip>

Quoted message said:

BUT there is a maximum number of spacers you can put under the stem on a carbon steerer. For 1
inch it is generally about 1 inch(2.54cm). With the other two, steel and aluminum, no maximum. You
need just about any threadless 1 inch HS.

Why the maximum? What's the limiit on a 1 1/8" steerer? Is this a loose rule-of-thumb or a hard
restriction printed on paper by the manufacturer? (i.e. rumor or fact) Wouldn't it differ between
manufacturors? What happens if you exceed it? Have I asked enough questions?

I recently purchased a bike with a 1 1/8" carbon/carbon fork. It was initially fitted wth about 3"
of spacers between the headset and stem, indicating that the LBS didn't think/know that that was a
problem. I've subsequently reduced it to 40mm, IIRC.

Michael

On Fri, 26 Dec 2003 12:54:11 -0600, A Muzi <[email hidden]> may

have said:

Since the incidence os so very low, I'm starved for information.

It might be worth considering that there could be a number of things which *might* causing the
reported failure rate to be lower than the real one. (They may be identical, but my instincts tell
me not to make that assumption.) There may well be tens of thousands of carbon/carbon forks which
have been sold, but how many of those get ridden hard on a daily basis? How many are ridden by
someone who is not the original purchaser? How many bear no indentifying marks?

I, for one, will continue to let others test the long-term characteristics of carbon/carbon forks.
They may very well be lighter than aluminum, titanium or steel, but weight is just one factor, and
not the principle one for me. Others have different priorities, and their policies will vary
accordingly. I think that's entirely appropriate.

--
My email address is antispammed; pull WEEDS if replying via e-mail.
Yes, I have a killfile. If I don't respond to something,
it's also possible that I'm busy.
Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.

"Michael Press" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

[email hidden] (Qui si parla Campagnolo) wrote:

<snip>

Quoted message said:

BUT there is a maximum number of spacers you can put under the stem on a carbon

steerer. For

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

1 inch it is generally about 1 inch(2.54cm). With the other two, steel

and

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

aluminum, no maximum. You need just about any threadless 1 inch HS.

Why the maximum? What's the limiit on a 1 1/8" steerer? Is this a loose rule-of-thumb or a hard
restriction printed on paper by the manufacturer? (i.e. rumor or fact) Wouldn't it differ between
manufacturors? What happens if you exceed it? Have I asked enough questions?

Quoted message said:

Michael

As an example, Reynolds says in their instruction manual for the Ouzo Pro:

"Slide the compression ring, spacers and stem onto the steerer tube. Use a minimum of two spacers,
while making certain not to exceed a maximum stack height of 1" on 1" diameter fork or 1 1/2" on 1
1/8" diameter fork."

Michael Press said:

I recently purchased a bike with a 1 1/8" carbon/carbon fork. It was initially fitted wth about 3"
of spacers between the headset and stem, indicating that the LBS didn't think/know that that was a
problem.

If you know which LBS that is, you might do well to avoid them. They were playing dice with their
customer's teeth.

Quoted message said:

I've subsequently reduced it to 40mm, IIRC.

Good idea. This shows one of the "advantages" of the "innovation" of threadless headsets. In order
to raise the bars enough, you create a dangerous situation.

--

David L. Johnson

__o | As far as the laws of mathematics refer to reality, they are not _`\(,_ | certain, and as
far as they are certain, they do not refer to (_)/ (_) | reality. -- Albert Einstein

Quoted message said:

Michael Press said:

I recently purchased a bike with a 1 1/8" carbon/carbon fork. It was initially fitted wth about 3"
of spacers between the headset and stem, indicating that the LBS didn't think/know that that was a
problem.

If you know which LBS that is, you might do well to avoid them. They were playing dice with their
customer's teeth.

Quoted message said:

I've subsequently reduced it to 40mm, IIRC.

David L. Johnson said:

Good idea. This shows one of the "advantages" of the "innovation" of threadless headsets. In order
to raise the bars enough, you create a dangerous situation.

Yes, theory aside, they completely suck in the real world.

Today I was showing a beautiful Waterford R33 with Chorus. The gentleman rode in on that size frame,
wanted a new Chorus bike and liked the color. Price was not an issue. I had it ready to go on my
showroom floor. On 27 December.

Those of you in the trade know what that means with taxes and rent due this week.

But there was no way to get any stem suitably high without adding a butt-ugly stem extender. I
ordered him a new frame with Waterford's extended head tube option.

No, I do not have any civil comments on threadles stems nor anything nice to say. Most of my
thoughts are unprintable.

--
Andrew Muzi www.yellowjersey.org Open every day since 1 April, 1971