Sheldon Brown <
[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<
[email protected]>...
> A shy person wrote:
>
> > Hello, what is the difference between a 40 degree and a 45 degree rake.Is one better for time
> > trials then the other? THANKS
>
> Applicability to time-trial use has nothing to do with fork rake.
>
> The combination of fork rake (sometimes called "offset") and head tube angle determines the
> "trail" of the steering. This relates to the handling of the bike, which is not generally an issue
> in time trialing.
>
> Shorter-rake forks are appropriate for bikes with steeper head tube angles.
>
> Sheldon "Match The Frame" Brown
>
Applicability to time-trialing has everything to do with fork rake, if you're concerned about the
effect of wind on a deep-dish rim'd front wheel.
Time trial specific bikes typically use a 4.0 fork w/ a 73 deg or slacker head angle to achieve
trail numbers sufficiently high enough to aid in the stability of the front end in crosswinds. If
you can find a 3.8 offset fork, so much the better.