Tandem Cycling - An Inexpensive Fork Upgrade

There's an ebay shop that has some stock bontrager Satellite tandem specific forks, same as on the 2006-2008 T2000 with carbon blades, Al crown, Al steer tube, road brakes only, ~800gm, 50mm rake (versus the steel fork's 55mm(?) rake).

Might work for 2001-2005 Trek T2000s or any T1000 in place of the steel fork if you want road brakes. May work on some other tandem brands/models (do your homework).

I got one because I'm changing my 2004 T2000 from the canti brakes to road brakes. Cost was $105 shipped, new.

Just be aware the Bontrager Satellite Tandem fork was designed to work with standard reach calipers like the Shimano BR600 to accomodate larger diameter tires.

I don't believe the adjustment range of the compact calipers like Shimano's Ultegra, DuraAce, 105 or those from Campy will get the pads down far enough to properly align with most rim brake tracks. I could be wrong on this, but that is my understanding.

As for the 50mm rake, this was done to give the Satellite equipped Trek T2000 more steering trail, on par with Co-Motion's steel fork-equipped tandems instead of the more conservative amount of trail used by Santana and some others yielded by the forks with 55mm of rake.

Born2Pdl can you give us a clue which store, cause a search of eBay and eBay stores nets nothing for the fork. (At least every which way I could think to re-word it!) :(

It was: http://stores.ebay.com/wheelandsprocket

Looking at the completed auctions, they appear to have sold either 5 or 6 of them. The last one listed indicates the auction closed without a sale on the 22nd, but I would have expected it to pop back up in the active listings.

Ahhh. I did completed items too, but I left Bontrager in the search every time and they're just listed as "famous brand". Thanks.

Looks like they're all gone, though. Can't find any more in their store either. Guess I'll have to stick with the Wound-up I've got on there for now!

IIRC my LBS wanted $250 for the Bontrager fork. Even at full price that's much less than I could get the Reynolds or AlphaQ forks for.

I think they have more. Give them a call and ask them to start up an auction for you. (just got their phone number)
Wheel & Sprocket
1-866-995-9918

I bought one of the forks a few weeks back. I've gotten a few things from Wheel&Sprocket. Seem to be good folks.

Fork looks great. You are correct that a long reach caliper is warranted. You can just about fit a compact reach (Shimano 105) but it barely works and there is some slight pad overlap on the right side. I'm going to buy a long reach caliper for ours.

-Couch

Does anybody know the axle-crown height of these?

Thanks,dan

Does anybody know the axle-crown height of these?

385mm

Full Specs are here: http://bontrager.com/model/06450/en

FWIW I am running the Alpha Q 44mm forks on a T2000. I got them for $280 I think after much shopping around on ebay. They do change the handling - the bike now steers like my road bike, which is what I wanted.

However it does require more input to keep it straight, e.g. out of the saddle or particularly on rough roads at low speed. The fork legs are also shorter, meaning the head tube ends up a bit lower and angles steeper, in theory meaning the front pedals will scrape the ground fractionally earlier under cornering, but in practice there's no real difference.

Confirmed, long reach road calipers are required for the bontrager fork.

I sent them a note. Thanks for the heads up.