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06-08-08, 01:25 PM
Well, I finally replaced the Reynolds Ouzo Pro all-carbon single-bike fork on my 1980 Kuwahara tandem with a tandem-rated Wound Up carbon fork. Although not tandem-rated, the Reynolds fork performed admirably on a non-loaded (no racks or panniers at all) tandem with 320-lb crew weight for over 4,500 km. This Reynolds fork did feel a bit soft and visibly flexed under hard braking, and the reasons for replacing it were its "soft" feel and a bit of concern in the back of my mind on fast descents that we weren't on a "tandem-rated" fork.
The Wound Up fork is way, way beefier. I think it really is overbuilt. It looks more like a mountain bike fork and adds at least a pound over the weight of the all-carbon Reynolds fork; I keep expecting to see shock absorbers on the ends. Although it provides much firmer handling (somewhat easier keeping the bike in a straight line, especially at lower speeds), I will need to replace the front brake caliper. I'm running a short-reach Ultegra dual pivot, and the pads at their lowest setting just clear the tire bead (the pads are at the extreme edge of the rim). I had wanted to switch to Campag calipers, but have had to order medium-reach Tektro calipers since Campag doesn't make a medium-reach brake. (The Record calipers go to 50mm, just one mm more than the standard 49mm of most short-reach brakes. This still isn't enough to compensate for pad wear on the side where the pad height moves up as the pad wears down.)
On the plus side, the fork now raises the front end a little bit, more closely approximating the original height of the steel fork that came with the bike and probably improving the steering geometry back to original factory specs, although not by much. I now feel much better about bombing descents, knowing the fork is guaranteed not to snap. I can't imagine that honking fork crown breaking. It's too bad Reynolds and Alpha Q don't make a carbon tandem fork with 1" steerer. The Wound Up is such an ugly fork.
- L.
The Wound Up fork is way, way beefier. I think it really is overbuilt. It looks more like a mountain bike fork and adds at least a pound over the weight of the all-carbon Reynolds fork; I keep expecting to see shock absorbers on the ends. Although it provides much firmer handling (somewhat easier keeping the bike in a straight line, especially at lower speeds), I will need to replace the front brake caliper. I'm running a short-reach Ultegra dual pivot, and the pads at their lowest setting just clear the tire bead (the pads are at the extreme edge of the rim). I had wanted to switch to Campag calipers, but have had to order medium-reach Tektro calipers since Campag doesn't make a medium-reach brake. (The Record calipers go to 50mm, just one mm more than the standard 49mm of most short-reach brakes. This still isn't enough to compensate for pad wear on the side where the pad height moves up as the pad wears down.)
On the plus side, the fork now raises the front end a little bit, more closely approximating the original height of the steel fork that came with the bike and probably improving the steering geometry back to original factory specs, although not by much. I now feel much better about bombing descents, knowing the fork is guaranteed not to snap. I can't imagine that honking fork crown breaking. It's too bad Reynolds and Alpha Q don't make a carbon tandem fork with 1" steerer. The Wound Up is such an ugly fork.
- L.