Swapping road forks - what to look out for

johngti
johngti Posts: 2,508
in Road buying advice
So, 2nd hand defy advanced frame and forks arrived today. Quite fancy getting some forks with a carbon steerer for weight weenie purposes. Since finding a pair of defy advanced pro forks seems like an impossible task, the alternative is after market. What should I look out for? Any decent brands?

Comments

  • MattFalle
    MattFalle Posts: 11,644
    I've used Easton EC90 SLX for years and love them - stupid light, v strong, v stiff but v expensive.

    I've also got some Litespeed ones sitting in the hallway that look v nice made.

    But, tbh, the mega-est of all are some ridic light, ridic stiff full carbon ones from a 1st gen B'man Pro - the ali framed, full Dura Ace, full Ritchey WCS one from Halfords that cost £500, is utterly brilliant and makes clubbies explode with rage and jealousy.

    Ritchey do really nice ones as well.
    .
    The camera down the willy isn't anything like as bad as it sounds.
  • sungod
    sungod Posts: 17,414
    the enve fork is good

    columbus also have a few, i've tried their 'minimal' but found it a bit too flexy, pretty but it understeers in hard cornering, ''futura' looks better
    my bike - faster than god's and twice as shiny
  • johngti
    johngti Posts: 2,508
    Good suggestions. How concerned do I need to be about rake and trail?
  • MattFalle
    MattFalle Posts: 11,644
    essentially none at all.

    i actually deleted a post about a clubbie or that boring new poster on here - bikeguru.cc or some such - coming on here and dulling us all with stories - nay fables - of a change in rake causing people to spontaneously combust but so long as you aren't changing them for a set of forks off a tandem tourer, its gonna be mint.

    everything is basically the same today anyway.
    .
    The camera down the willy isn't anything like as bad as it sounds.
  • tetley10
    tetley10 Posts: 693
    johngti said:

    So, 2nd hand defy advanced frame and forks arrived today. Quite fancy getting some forks with a carbon steerer for weight weenie purposes. Since finding a pair of defy advanced pro forks seems like an impossible task, the alternative is after market. What should I look out for? Any decent brands?

    Did you spell 'norks' wrong?

  • tetley10
    tetley10 Posts: 693
    johngti said:

    Good suggestions. How concerned do I need to be about rake and trail?


    Just make sure you get some decent rims and a noisy freewheel
  • johngti
    johngti Posts: 2,508
    Sorted
  • Wheelspinner
    Wheelspinner Posts: 6,710
    Does the frame have that Giant specific “over-drive” steerer which has 1.1/4” instead of 1.1/8”?
    Open One+ BMC TE29 Seven 622SL On One Scandal Cervelo RS
  • johngti
    johngti Posts: 2,508
    I believe I can fit either of the standard OD which is 1 1/8 to 1 1/4 or the bigger OD2 headset (it hasn’t got the headset yet, the seller literally stripped everything he could off the frame; I can take the one off my contend frame though, that’s the standard OD size)

Categories