Cyclocross - Is a $250 carbonfiber fork really better than a $80 steel fork?

I have a steel Soma Double Cross frame that I'm building as a commuter and long distance bike.

I have a steel CX fork from Redline that I can use with this frame. Is a Carbon Fiber fork @ $250 a worthwhile investment? What do you recommend?

Michael

commuter and long distance? just use the steel fork you have.

I have a steel Soma Double Cross frame that I'm building as a commuter and long distance bike.

I have a steel CX fork from Redline that I can use with this frame. Is a Carbon Fiber fork @ $250 a worthwhile investment? What do you recommend?

Michael

i feel it could be worth it... but not at that price.

$250 seems quite much... at less than half that price you can have a nashbar or performance bikes house brand carbon fork... alot less and still get that carbon fiber ride qualities... it obviously may not be as high quality as the $250 one.. but it should get the job done.....

http://www.nashbar.com/
http://www.performancebike.com/

250$ would be better spent on a sweet custom steel fork. Otherwise, I'd stick with the stock Tange fork.

The Redline will do fine, the only thing better with carbon is weight and maybe a bit of vibrations absorption depend of the fork.
Plus with that frame a steel fork looks much better.

I have the Soma Double Cross with the with the stock steel fork, and love the bike it is really a comfortable ride I hope your enjoy your new ride. My other bike is a Moto Fantom Cross with the stock carbon fiber fork, which I doubt is near quality fork of what you are looking at. But both bikes are my car, so they are constantly getting banged by the bike racks when locking up and the paint along the backside of the fork of the moto is all gone exposing the aluminum crown, I wonder how well a full carbon fiber fork would take to this constant scraping and chipping and scratching, luckily the moto only has carbon legs.

Chuck's bikes has carbon forks for $65.00.

http://www.chucksbikes.com/ (http://www.chucksbikes.com/)

The stock Double Cross fork (IRD steel sloping crown) is very nice, good-looking, and sturdy. But, hey, it's not terribly light. I am looking at carbon forks for racing purposes, but for pretty much anything else, the steel fork makes more sense.
http://www.bikesomewhere.com/images/variations/large/EE0EB5BC-F1F0-408F-179B2E9FD94C26C5.jpg

I also think that the stock fork is the winner.

Michael