Do Tapered Head Tubes Need Tapered Forks to get Benefit?

myopic

Every new frame that comes out seems to have a tapered headtube to give a stiffer frame. I can see how that works with respect to weld area etc. Another touted benefit is less flex from the forks. However it seems harder to track down forks with tapered steerers (unless of course you buy a bike with them already fitted). The question is, do you need to have a tapered steerer to realise the benefits of a tapered head tube, or will you get improved control with a regular steerer and the right adapters?

richg1979

its not the frame that there making stiffer, its the steerer of 1 1/8 steerer/crown fork that can flex under hard braking/steering.

myopic

Ahh - so tapered head tube stiffens up frame, tapered steerer stiffens up fork?

If running a straight steerer in a tapered headtube, would the flex be worse than running it in a straight headtube?

nicklouse

no just the same.

Dick Scruttock

richg1979 wrote:

its not the frame that there making stiffer

Yes it is, it works on both the fork and the frame. On the frame its giving the headtube a larger weld/bond/joint area than it would have had with a standard headtube.

supersonic

The oversized steerer/crown interface reduces fore/aft flex if s 1.5 rather than 1.1.25. This 'stiffness' is not the same as as the stiffness from bolt through axles.

Northwind

I'd still like to set up a blind test with a tapered frame and 2 otherwise identical forks, one with a taper and one with standard... Get some journos in- ideally from MBR - and see what they make of it in a pepsi taste test. I'd bet money some of them would get it wrong.

myopic

Interesting idea, Northwind!

MountainMonster

That would be quite a good review time, especially with MBR doing it. Wonder how biased they will be if the bike is a Specialized. Obviously better because of the name haha :P :roll:

Dick Scruttock

MountainMonster wrote:

That would be quite a good review time, especially with MBR doing it. Wonder how biased they will be if the bike is a Specialized. Obviously better because of the name haha :P :roll:

Or a Orange 5.

Still could be like WMB and big up the new Saracen and create a whole new category for trail bikes just so it wins something...

richg1979

Rick Draper wrote:

richg1979 wrote:

its not the frame that there making stiffer

Yes it is, it works on both the fork and the frame. On the frame its giving the headtube a larger weld/bond/joint area than it would have had with a standard headtube.

Os headtubes have been around for years in semi/integrated types.

All this new taperd headtube buisness is to stiffen up the crown/steerer.

supersonic

Northwind wrote:

I'd still like to set up a blind test with a tapered frame and 2 otherwise identical forks, one with a taper and one with standard... Get some journos in- ideally from MBR - and see what they make of it in a pepsi taste test. I'd bet money some of them would get it wrong.

I think the same would be true of 9, 15 and 20mm axles for many riders too.

richg1979

qr/15mm yes but i think theres a notcable diffrence with a 20mm over qr/15mm.

run somthing like a pike next to a fox32 140 15qr and the diffrence in twang and stiffness is quite apparent.

Dick Scruttock

TAPER STEERER BENEFITS:

· Precision steering improves downhill and technical handling
· Offers better power transfer great for both XC and freeride athletes
· Stronger frame without a real weight penalty
· Allows the use of standard 1-1/8" stems"

bike-a-swan

I must say having tried a 36 stanchion with 20mm axle (standard steerer) I could definitely tell the difference, even compared to a shorter travel fork. How much was the stanchions, how much the axle, couldn't tell you.

supersonic

This is the ting - with flex, the whole structure needs to be considered. In the above case of Pike and Float, the Pike has reinforced crown, steerer, stanchions and lowers.

lawman

supersonic wrote:

This is the ting - with flex, the whole structure needs to be considered. In the above case of Pike and Float, the Pike has reinforced crown, steerer, stanchions and lowers.

exactly what i was about to say however with rockshox now doing the rev/sektor with qr,15mm or 20mm lowers, im surprised a mag hasnt done a back to test to see if they can see the benefits of each system, would make an interesting read for sure

supersonic

I have mentioned this to the powers that be, expect to see some tests in WMB soon

Northwind

MAKE IT HAPPEN

The Northern Monkey

They could use a newer and older orange 5 for the test.... i mean, they are exactly the same apart from the steerer tubes....

supersonic

I m phoning Matt on Tuesday for a chat about ideas and articles - anything you would like to see (though I cannot promise of course!), let me know.

Paul - your forum/mag go between

The Northern Monkey

Naked ladies?

supersonic

That may cross the boundaries lol

The Northern Monkey

How about a test between 25.4mm bars/stem and 31.8mm bars/stem (keeping with the flex theme).

I've got an old set of 25.4 mm bars that I might use on the Norco, but would be interesting to find out if there is actually any noticeable difference between the 2.

supersonic

WMB recenty did a bar flex test, but would be interesting to extend it to stems.