tmh657

The search function is wacky right now so...
I have a nice 20 year old Columbus tube bike with Tange fork. It's a Schwinn.
Any opinions on carbon fork upgrade? Would it really make any difference besides a little weight savings?
It would be a threadless fork with carbon steerer so I'd have to give up the look of the quill stem for a whatever looks decent.

I had a 4130 tube commuter bike and put a carbon fork on. It helped that bike out for sure.

Thanks

cyclotoine

The EC90SL

https://www.roadbikereview.com/cat/fr...8_2492crx.aspx

rhenning

It will make little difference except for a bit less weight. It also may make the handling of the bike worse unless the rake. trail etc. are correct for the frame. Sense you said the frame is Reynolds I am assuming you have a Paramount or a Volare and those had very good/light Reynolds forks in them to start with. Roger

StanSeven

The weight saving is more than a little. If you go for a fork with a carbon steerer, you'll save two to three pounds including the threadless headset. I went with Reynolds Ouzo Pro and a Chris King headset. I sent the fork to Waterford to match the original paint.

divineAndbright

Its a worthy upgrade for shaving weight, wether the new fork look goods or not depends on the bike!

I find 1" forks are really hard to come across, all I have is ebay to look though, but I havent been able to find anything for a descent price all year. 1 1/8 carbon forks are becoming dime a dozen, but the 1" ones you can expect to pay anywhere from 200-400$ new. Someone sells the easton ones on ebay mentioned above for 400.. ouch, I wouldnt trust easton carbon fiber anything either.. seen too many pictures of their forks failing, plus I can break one of their carbon hockey sticks shafts in half in a session of normal use!

MKahrl

Depends meaning if the bike was really ugly to start with it won't make it much uglier.

Barchettaman

So, for a steel frame from the ´90s, is it certain or just highly likely that a 1" fork will fit?

I´m thinking of changing over the steel original fork on my Gitane TT bike for an aero 1" carbon one too.

JohnDThompson 

Is there something wrong with the steel fork? If not, why bother?

StanSeven

Yes. A 1" CF fork will fit. But remember you also will need a 1" threadless headset.

RobbieTunes

The one on Ebay right now, sitting at $38.

I have found, and truly believe, that a good, light steel frame, a carbon fork and STI's are all the upgrade many 80's bikes will ever need, it you want to stay "current." I've done it to 3 Ironman bikes, and sold them for $450. All of the owners love 'em. Two actually tried "modern" aluminum bikes with carbon forks and STI's, decided to stay with "vintage" steel and the CF fork/STI setup.

StanSeven

Did you mean to say a frame is part of the needed upgrade?

SingeDebile

the only carbon fork to buy is a 'wound-up'

Longfemur

Well, you may save a few meaningless grams (one gram being roughly equivalent to a single M&M candy), but you will completely lose the ability to consider that a vintage or classic bike. You won't gain anything else, except the nagging feeling in the back of your mind that you may be placing your life or at least your bones in the hands of a plastic fork. I can see swapping to carbon bits on the back end of a bike, somewhere, but to put plastic at the most critical part of an otherwise steel bicycle is complete lunacy.

StanSeven

Did you read what I posted above? The savings is 2 to 3 pounds, not grams

RobbieTunes

no, c&v frames are still, imho, the best place to start, like a 68 camaro...

Skylar

I wanna do it, but even used they command the carbon premium, regardless of brand.

I live in the pothole capital of America so these roads have been a bit of a deterrent, although if I'd found the right price I'd have already tested the carbon/steel combo's "mettle" for lack of a better term

kbjack

Here are a couple options from both sides of the price spectrum (if you don't mind doing your shopping at nashbar):

https://nashbar.com/profile.cfm?categ...eid=&pagename=

https://nashbar.com/profile.cfm?categ...eid=&pagename=

I have a full carbon profile design on my modern steel road bike and it's a great upgrade--though I was upgrading from a heavier carbon/steel fork.

What kind of Tange fork is on your bike right now? If it's the unicrown replacement job, I can see why you're in the market for something else. If it's something nicer, I'd consider hanging onto it.

Longfemur

Of course, weight comparison depend on what you're comparing. There are many different forks, fork crown types, etc. If what you say is true, that much weight might change the handling of your bike.

Keep in mind that if you make the swap, your tire clearance will change considerably under there. Carbon forks have to be a lot thicker and narrower near the crown, and that leaves very little extra room.

Just don't live under the misconception that you will suddenly be Mr. Fast because of a fork change.

Galoot

Saving 2 to 3 pounds? What steel fork weighs anywhere close to 2 or 3 pounds?

unterhausen

I don't think it's 2 or 3 pounds on any bike you would want to spend this much on. But I'm swapping a fairly light 531SL fork for a carbon fork, and the difference is pretty amazing. I haven't built with modern, high strength steel, so I don't know what those forks are like. I assume the difference is a little less. But the big weight is the steerer and fork crown which have not dropped in weight over the years.

SoreFeet

Its a big hassle for not much gain. You save weight and have a less reliable fork. I know the stock Tange forks on those Tenax Schwinns can be kind of harsh but at least they don't quit.

I got hit by a car and my steer tube took the full impact. I was knocked out, I woke up and tried to mount my bicycle again...The fork was bent funny and I fully convinced that if I was using a composite fork that the crash would have been fatal.

Carbon forks are not worth the expense on an older bike. Cold setting the frame and adding a modern day cassette would be a better upgrade. Wheels are where its at.

I find using friction with a big gear cluster isn't so tough. Good luck. Yeah the stock forks on the Schwinns are a bit stiff and unforgiving but they take a beating.

banjo_mole 

Sadly, the CrMo fork on my "nice bike" may weigh about that much. I'll double-check.

unterhausen

I can't imagine getting knocked off your bike results in any more damage if the fork happens to fail in the process. I wouldn't ride a fork that was bent anyway.

WNG

I'd say just holding two of these forks (a Tange chromed replacement and a GT Edge CF with threaded steel 175mm steerer) there is a 1-2 lb difference.

For all their advantages (weight, tunable, ride), they are unforgiving during an impact. They will shatter into shards, or develop hard to detect fractures. After any significant crash, best to have a 2nd fork at hand to swap.

I think that's why they are questionable for most recreational riders. When they fail, you're left stranded far from help. Or if it's a crash, the severity is magnified (depending on the crash).

StanSeven

A typical all steel fork weighs around 2 pounds. Some weigh more and get close to 3 lbs. A CF fork with CF steerer tube weighs about 0.4 lbs. A threadless headset, along with the stem, also saves several hundred grams over a threaded headset with quill stem