Quality short travel fork on road bike
gonebiking1
Posts: 3
Hi,
Have a challenge, a friend is trying to break the current Trans Cuba record of just over 3 days in a years time. He wants a short travel fork to dampen the rough roads as well as a dampened seatpost. The bike is in Cuba and is a Trek speed time trial bike with an aerodynamic seatpost.
I am mostly a mtn biker but after cycling on a road bike across Western Cuba I understand why he wants suspension. I realize the fork will alter the geometry somewhat, hopefully a short travel fork will minimize this. I have seen some hybrid 700 c forks but I 'm hoping to find something a bit lighter and better quality.
I appreciate any ideas, thanks for the help.
Have a challenge, a friend is trying to break the current Trans Cuba record of just over 3 days in a years time. He wants a short travel fork to dampen the rough roads as well as a dampened seatpost. The bike is in Cuba and is a Trek speed time trial bike with an aerodynamic seatpost.
I am mostly a mtn biker but after cycling on a road bike across Western Cuba I understand why he wants suspension. I realize the fork will alter the geometry somewhat, hopefully a short travel fork will minimize this. I have seen some hybrid 700 c forks but I 'm hoping to find something a bit lighter and better quality.
I appreciate any ideas, thanks for the help.
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Comments
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It may be that I am missing the point, but if you add suspension forks to a road bike you will seriously affect the geometry and therefore handling, not to mention any aerodynamic advantage of the time trial bike.
Why not simply ride a mountain bike with slicks? At a pinch I am sure you could cut down the bars and add aero bars to it as well......0 -
+1 to the above really. I think he'd ruin the benefits of the Time Trial bike by turning it into Frankenstein's monster - and make too many compromises that would slow him down on the faster road sections - and quite likely lead to an impossible number of punctures on skinny performance tyres more suited to the fast road sections.
The logical answer to me would be 2 bikes - assuming he is riding supported?? Full on TT bike with suitable wheels and tyres, and then a fast XC type MTB with clip on aero bars and skinny tyres / closer ratio block to suit the terrain. Alternatively - a "Paris Roubaix" style road bike with 28mm tubs or so, and clip on bars. Swapping bikes takes seconds, and allows the helpers to fix any punctures on the move.0 -
Sounds to me like the wrong bike too. Road bike, fat(ter) tyres and clip-on bars may be the better option - or the roads are not really that bad if a TT bike is even considered.0
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Thanks for the advice. 2 bikes would be ideal, I've been riding the 2014 Specialized SL4 Roubaix with the Cobl Gobl seat post and am impressed with the rigidity and yet how much it soaks up the rough. The organizer is adamant he wants front suspension, your opinions will hopefully sway him.0
