Forks!
James_Russell
Posts: 67
Hi there, First post for me!
I'm having a bit of a moral dilemma and need advice. I have a 2005 'scott racing scale 50', which I intend to complete the 60-mile Hampton to Hove in july. Its a light bike, and in preparation for the ride she's had a full service, new conti 1.6 slick tyres, and I've fitted a 48 tooth 3rd chainring so it doesn't top out (Hit 42mph the other day!)
All the reviews for this bike say that the manitou axel forks are the bikes achilles heel. everyone recons they're too heavy and I want to replace them with a much lighter fork. I do all my riding on the road now, hence the big chainrings and slick tyres, but I'm unsure whether or not to go for rigid carbon fibre forks
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/eXotic-2007-Rigid-Carbon-MTB-Bike-Fork-Disc-Only-or-V_W0QQitemZ190123391320QQihZ009QQcategoryZ36135QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
I'm seriously tempted by these on e-bay, theyre over 2kgs lighter than what I'm using at the moment.
do you think I should go for these rigid forks, or are there lightweight forks avaliable with a little suspension that'll be better for a 60mile ride?
Thanks,
-James
I'm having a bit of a moral dilemma and need advice. I have a 2005 'scott racing scale 50', which I intend to complete the 60-mile Hampton to Hove in july. Its a light bike, and in preparation for the ride she's had a full service, new conti 1.6 slick tyres, and I've fitted a 48 tooth 3rd chainring so it doesn't top out (Hit 42mph the other day!)
All the reviews for this bike say that the manitou axel forks are the bikes achilles heel. everyone recons they're too heavy and I want to replace them with a much lighter fork. I do all my riding on the road now, hence the big chainrings and slick tyres, but I'm unsure whether or not to go for rigid carbon fibre forks
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/eXotic-2007-Rigid-Carbon-MTB-Bike-Fork-Disc-Only-or-V_W0QQitemZ190123391320QQihZ009QQcategoryZ36135QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
I'm seriously tempted by these on e-bay, theyre over 2kgs lighter than what I'm using at the moment.
do you think I should go for these rigid forks, or are there lightweight forks avaliable with a little suspension that'll be better for a 60mile ride?
Thanks,
-James
0
Comments
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there are a lot of forks out there with lock outs that allow no sus movment when on the road. if you dont need sus then it is stupid to get it.
for carbon forks i would look at pace or white brotherrs.
nick
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Parktools :?:SheldonBrown0 -
Yeah my current shocks have lock-out but I think there is so much rigidity in the alloy forks- my wrists get shot to pieces. Everyone talks about the 'damping effect' of carbon fiber- that it absorbs vibration. So how far can I rely on carbon forks to take up some of the high-frequency vibrations? am I better off getting a lightweight suspension fork with limited travel?
Thanks for your help,
-James0 -
You have fatter tyres than most roadies so you should be fine with a decent carbon fork for mtb use. Make sure you have a comfy saddle too.
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go carbon and good grips ,eg odi rouges, and Body Geo gloves.
nick
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Parktools :?:SheldonBrown0 -
Oh rite I never really thought about grips/gloves! I might have to change the saddle 'cos I'm a fat arse and I have a selle italia trans am which is a good saddle but not brilliant long distance. So the general consensus it Pace/White brothers forks, odi rouges grips and body geo gloves?
Just one more question, manitou forks have weird disk brake caliper mounts, don't they? am I going to have difficulty fitting my calipers onto my new forks?0 -
see sticky above. you will need a IS to post adaptor.
nick
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Parktools :?:SheldonBrown0 -
but the sticky says that If I've got post mounts for a 6" disk, It says I don't need an adaptor? Or am I just dumb?
btw if it helps they are shimano calipers.
thanks again, sorry for the newbish questions.
-James0 -
yes it does but as the new forks have IS mounts (if you go for the carbon forks) and your old forks are Post mount.
the fact you have shimano calipers means nothing as they come with both fittings.
so what actually is your new question.
nick
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Parktools :?:SheldonBrown0 -
So is this what I'll need?
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/ProductDetail.aspx?Cat=cycle&ProdID=5360030451&N=Shimano%20OE%20Disc%20Brake%20Calliper%20Adapter
-James0 -
if you wish to mount a post mount caliper to a IS fork.
nick
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"Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
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[?] Mail me!"Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
Parktools :?:SheldonBrown0 -
OK thanks!
-James0 -
Okay, ordered forks, caliper adaptor and grips.
you guys got any tips for cutting my steerer tube right? I really don't want to get it wrong! should I just put the forks in the frame, put the stem and spacers as I want them and then scribe around the top of the uppermost spacer?
will an airsaw give a good enough cut or should I cut it a few mms long and grind it flat?
-Thanks everyone,
James0 -
sorry, just noticed the guide in 'grime time'!
don't worry!
-James0 -
Just a quick note on the damping qualities of Carbon forks, my commute goes through some pretty dire London roads (oddly enough Hyde Park is truly poor) I run my tyres at 110 and never have painful wrists or felt road "buzzz".
See my other bike
Carbon = lovliness
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