Bicycle Mechanics - Integrated Fork on Non-Integrated head Tube

I know that an integrated fork can be used with a traditional headset/head tube. An integrated fork has a wide cut-out crown which butts up flush with an integrated head tube for that clean streamlined look.
This is purely cosmetic but does anyone here use an integrated fork with a traditional headset? How do they look? Thanks!

I have and changed it out as the look just was never right.

integrated fork???

integrated fork???

Yeah. It's a cosmetic thing. They made the crown race seat wider to match the fat head tube flair so the whole thing looks more "streamlined" There is no functional change.

The diameter of the standard (non-integrated) headset cup perfectly matches the cut-out diameter of the integrated fork crown. With the crown race installed, that should give me less than a millimeter gap between the fork crown and the headset cup. I actually prefer this look over the traditional fork crown of carbon forks...:)

You won't be looking at your fork while riding so what's the problem? I put on a used Reynolds Ouzo Comp integrated fork on my traditional headtube beater bike a couple of years ago and it looks great. Got the fork for 40 bucks so I didn't really worry much about the look, but it turned out way better than I ever thought.

Here's some pics:

http://www.cyclingseries.com/bike1.jpg

http://www.cyclingseries.com/bike2.jpg

You won't be looking at your fork while riding so what's the problem?

......but I will be staring at it while sipping some java at Starbucks.... :D
Anyway, thanks for posting those pics...:)

I know that an integrated fork can be used with a traditional headset/head tube. An integrated fork has a wide cut-out crown which butts up flush with an integrated head tube for that clean streamlined look.
This is purely cosmetic but does anyone here use an integrated fork with a traditional headset? How do they look? Thanks!



Here is the key. If you have a bike with some fat tubes commonly found in many carbon and aluminum frames, then an integrated fork + traditional headset is going to look great because the width of the upper portion of the integrated fork is going to complement the width of the fat tubes found in carbon and aluminum frames. On an old skinny tubed steel bike, an integrated fork is going to look atrocious because it will look out of proportion with the rest of the tubes on the bike.

...sooooo, if your top or down tubes on your bike are fat, and they measure in thickness of, at least, say 1 3/8" then I'd say your bike is a good candidate for an integrated fork. For example: check out this picture of this Moots frame with integrated Easton fork. I'm guessing that the down tube and top tube on that bike are in the neighborhood of around 1 3/8" to 1 1/2".

http://moots.com/images/compact.jpg

Here is the key. If you have a bike with some fat tubes commonly found in many carbon and aluminum frames, then an integrated fork + traditional headset is going to look great because the width of the upper portion of the integrated fork is going to complement the width of the fat tubes found in carbon and aluminum frames. On an old skinny tubed steel bike, an integrated fork is going to look atrocious because it will look out of proportion with the rest of the tubes on the bike.

Thank you and I agree. My frame is oversize tubing, including a very fat seatpost so everything should fall in its place......:)

The Moots illustration is interesting in that the bike doesn't have an integrated headset.

The Moots illustration is interesting in that the bike doesn't have an integrated headset.That was exactly the point of my topic....:)

My track fork looks like it should fit up against an internal headset. But I run a steel frame with a regular style FSA Orbit headset. Doesnt look to bad actualy. When it all boils down to it, is it going to make a differance in how it rides? no....so go ride the thing.

My track fork looks like it should fit up against an internal headset. But I run a steel frame with a regular style FSA Orbit headset. Doesnt look to bad actualy. When it all boils down to it, is it going to make a differance in how it rides? no....so go ride the thing.


Yeah, but your track fork is a traditional (non-integrated) style fork. So, of course, it is going to look great when paired up to a traditional headset.