What's it like riding rigid carbon forks?

samc

Retro Guru
... as the title suggests; I'm thinking of getting some straight carbon forks (Like RC31s or whatever), and wondered how you lot ride them, how you find them day to day? They save on weight, but do they rattle your wrists to sh1t?!

They're potentially going to be replacing some P2's, so what are the major differences I'll feel? I'm not going to be doing any downhilling or particularly tough rides on this bike (Lava Dome frame).

Or do carbon forks just look good... could I just buy some carbon-effect stickers and stick them all over me and get the same benefit for a fraction of the price?
 
I used the Pace forks. They are very stiff. Weigh 700 grams so save 4oz to 8 oz.
Their are carbon that are even lighter at 480 grams but i haven't riden them and they quite expensive at £130+ off the bay from China.
 
depends on your weight too, im over 100kg and loved the forks, only had trouble with vibration when heavy braking.

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From my experience, any claimed improvement in comfort/vibration absorbtion etc. is very overstated and you'd get more of an improvement from a biggish front tyre (2.35") run at low (20-25psi) pressure.
I think that well designed steel forks (Vicious Cycles, Salsa, Singular, whatever) give a more comfortable ride than any carbon fork, apart from probably the Niner fork, which I haven't tried.

The only advantage (IMHO) that those carbon forks which are constructed by bonding carbon tube to aluminium dropouts and crown give is a small decrease in weight over steel. I'd stay with steel forks and use carbon bars myself.
 
No idea on an MTB.

Can tell you that putting a carbon fork on my Wilier Triestina after I took the alloy one off, gave a lot more comfort over tarmac.

As far as I can see though, on an MTB the only advantage would be weight-saving.
 
I had some white bros carbon rigids on my klein and they made the front end feel very light indeed and did absorb a lot of vibration but they flexed
alot under braking,nice enough though :cool:
 
marin man":3mstr9ht said:
I had some white bros carbon rigids on my klein and they made the front end feel very light indeed and did absorb a lot of vibration but they flexed
alot under braking,nice enough though :cool:

Were you on discs or v's MM ?

Im considering this too.a nice pair of lightweight on the front for my new build.
 
I've got P2's, Salsa Cromoto's & RC31's. The P2's being the most unforgiving,the Salsa's are just plain nice to ride & look good as well, whilst the RC31's are nice & light, they do however flex under braking which was a bit of a surprise at first. I've used V's, which I hated as they are as spongy as a victoria sandwhich thats been left in the rain, the legs flex sideways when the brakes are applied. Tried a brake booster, but they are a pain to get parralel, if you don't they bind. I now use an Avid BB7 disc on the front which is a vast improvement. As Andy R said the ride is improved more with a larger volume tyre, Ive not run pressures as low as 25lb though.
 
I ran pace on the bonty, they 'fluttered' under braking, but were comfortable. Only advantage of the pace compared to other carbon forks is the fact there are some 1" out there. The build quality was poor, I had to shim the crown race.
I ran exotic carbons on the dialled. Stiffer than the pace, despite running bigger brakes. They are the same as bontrager, superstars, White bros, etc but cheaper. Probably not as comfy as the rigid steels on the P20, but a good fork.
 
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