Unicrown forks look hideous to me
04-11-13, 11:25 AM
#54
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When I bought one of the Titan frames that were on ebay several years ago, it came with a unicorn fork....chrome IIRC. It went right in the trash can. Instead, I used a fork I had stashed away.
I couldn't even compare a unicrown fork to this one:
I couldn't even compare a unicrown fork to this one:
04-11-13, 11:35 AM
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The sloping Cinelli crown made for internal brazing was the last, but beautiful hoorah for the fork crown. All carbon and unibrow forks after that.
04-11-13, 11:48 AM
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04-11-13, 12:09 PM
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My Trek 600 and its whatdayacallit? "Sloping fork crown?" Is that the right term? Does it qualify for the hate? (apart from being dirty).
04-11-13, 12:40 PM
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04-11-13, 12:44 PM
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Patent was around 1984, and a lot of forks made after that came from Bussero.
04-11-13, 12:56 PM
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For some reason, I find this crown very appealing. 1984 Trek 610 Tange crown and steerer with 531c legs:
[IMG]
[IMG]
04-11-13, 01:24 PM
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I don't mind them at all. In fact, they've kind of grown on me. Isn't it great that we all don't have to like the same thing?
I like sloping top tubes and unicrown forks. I also like horizontal top tubes and lugged or sloping crown forks. I like classy French constructeur bikes. I like colorful "fixie" bikes. I like bikes!
I hate everything being the same as everything else.
I like sloping top tubes and unicrown forks. I also like horizontal top tubes and lugged or sloping crown forks. I like classy French constructeur bikes. I like colorful "fixie" bikes. I like bikes!
I hate everything being the same as everything else.
Last edited by cobrabyte; 04-11-13 at 02:41 PM.
04-11-13, 02:21 PM
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Even humble Peugeots had such beautiful full sloping fork crowns before the "unicrowns" reared their ugly head....
Even back then my first reaction to unicrowns is they just look like a cheap solution for a new crown design by the bike manufacturers, disguised as as something "aero" for the bikes.......
Chombi
Even back then my first reaction to unicrowns is they just look like a cheap solution for a new crown design by the bike manufacturers, disguised as as something "aero" for the bikes.......
Chombi
04-11-13, 02:37 PM
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Agreed,. A pox on them all.
04-11-13, 02:41 PM
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Not necessarily. I think a bike with a sloping tt and a curved fork looks hoky, as does a bike with a level tt and a straight fork. Now, for sloping TT's... 
04-11-13, 03:00 PM
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We live in a capitalist society, why should we reprimand the businesses for making choices that reduce costs, save weight and offer much more options in terms of crown width and blade angle? I am talking about unicrown forks here specifically. Wheels today are far lighter, just as strong and more aerodynamic how can you criticize this. Bicycles have always been an arms race for lighter and faster and you have posted one of the best bikes in the world at the forefront of this race. That S5 is beautiful, the engineering that has gone into that bike is better than all those that came before. THe bike is lighter, more aero-dynamic and faster.
While many of us here at C&V sit around drinking beer talking about the one guy we dropped on a Cervelo, there are 5 others for that one that will whip our ass because for them it is all about performance and they train hard and want the most out of their bike.
In the 1990s unicrown forks lower production costs and built a lighter and stiffer fork that more adjustable in it's design. It was a good thing! Yes it is not as pretty, but neither are the cars, boats, buildings or what have you of long ago. I agree we have lost the focus on art in many facets, but that is why we have artists custom building bikes, motorcycles, instruments, boats and buildings. The bicycle is a tool.
While many of us here at C&V sit around drinking beer talking about the one guy we dropped on a Cervelo, there are 5 others for that one that will whip our ass because for them it is all about performance and they train hard and want the most out of their bike.
In the 1990s unicrown forks lower production costs and built a lighter and stiffer fork that more adjustable in it's design. It was a good thing! Yes it is not as pretty, but neither are the cars, boats, buildings or what have you of long ago. I agree we have lost the focus on art in many facets, but that is why we have artists custom building bikes, motorcycles, instruments, boats and buildings. The bicycle is a tool.
I believe the main reason manufacturers went to unicrown was to improve their margins. Like so many other "improvements", they have a gullible public believing they did these things strictly for durability, aerodynamics and weight, but any such improvements have been coincidental, while the impact on aesthetics has been enormous.
They will market whatever they can market... E.g., 20 spoke wheels, sloping unisex compact frames, carbon fiber forks.
Some of these things may indeed save weight or drag, but they have serious detrimental effects on appearance, durability and sometimes even rider safety.
Brifters are yet another example of manufacturers "innovating" largely to improve profit.
While these may not be cheaper to produce, some people will pay high premiums for the added creature comfort. (You can be sure that if this wasn't so, they'd still be marketing friction.)
Don't get me wrong. I don't fault the manufacturers for innovating to improve their margins.
Largely, they have done so reasonably responsibly, with increased attention to quality control to enable that cost savings, and their new products obviously appeal to many, many people.
I however, am not one of them, and am unwilling to pay the price, particularly when it results in a bike that will not outlast its predecessors and looks like this:
They will market whatever they can market... E.g., 20 spoke wheels, sloping unisex compact frames, carbon fiber forks.
Some of these things may indeed save weight or drag, but they have serious detrimental effects on appearance, durability and sometimes even rider safety.
Brifters are yet another example of manufacturers "innovating" largely to improve profit.
While these may not be cheaper to produce, some people will pay high premiums for the added creature comfort. (You can be sure that if this wasn't so, they'd still be marketing friction.)
Don't get me wrong. I don't fault the manufacturers for innovating to improve their margins.
Largely, they have done so reasonably responsibly, with increased attention to quality control to enable that cost savings, and their new products obviously appeal to many, many people.
I however, am not one of them, and am unwilling to pay the price, particularly when it results in a bike that will not outlast its predecessors and looks like this:
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04-11-13, 03:11 PM
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We live in a capitalist society, why should we reprimand the businesses for making choices that reduce costs, save weight and offer much more options in terms of crown width and blade angle? I am talking about unicrown forks here specifically. Wheels today are far lighter, just as strong and more aerodynamic how can you criticize this. Bicycles have always been an arms race for lighter and faster and you have posted one of the best bikes in the world at the forefront of this race. That S5 is beautiful, the engineering that has gone into that bike is better than all those that came before. THe bike is lighter, more aero-dynamic and faster.
While many of us here at C&V sit around drinking beer talking about the one guy we dropped on a Cervelo, there are 5 others for that one that will whip our ass because for them it is all about performance and they train hard and want the most out of their bike.
In the 1990s unicrown forks lower production costs and built a lighter and stiffer fork that more adjustable in it's design. It was a good thing! Yes it is not as pretty, but neither are the cars, boats, buildings or what have you of long ago. I agree we have lost the focus on art in many facets, but that is why we have artists custom building bikes, motorcycles, instruments, boats and buildings. The bicycle is a tool.
While many of us here at C&V sit around drinking beer talking about the one guy we dropped on a Cervelo, there are 5 others for that one that will whip our ass because for them it is all about performance and they train hard and want the most out of their bike.
In the 1990s unicrown forks lower production costs and built a lighter and stiffer fork that more adjustable in it's design. It was a good thing! Yes it is not as pretty, but neither are the cars, boats, buildings or what have you of long ago. I agree we have lost the focus on art in many facets, but that is why we have artists custom building bikes, motorcycles, instruments, boats and buildings. The bicycle is a tool.
I wish I still had the legs for an S5.......
04-11-13, 03:17 PM
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04-11-13, 03:34 PM
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Yes, although insofar as others disagree with me they are wrong.
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04-11-13, 03:48 PM
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Cheaper?, Lighter?,...Heck then I should maybe trade in my Toyota for a Trabant tomorrow if I can dig up one...... Similarly, cheaper and lighter for the bicycle manufacturer does not always translate to something favorable to every cyclist.
Some people can live with unicrowns but some cannot. Like I noted, I myself hated the look of unicrows the first time I saw one 30 some years ago. In fact, it was one of the first things that made me feel that bike design ws taking a "left turn" on us after they finally seemed to have perfected the steel racing bicycle to it's most aesthetically appealing and sleekest/most minimal design in the mid 80's.
I'd rather that the bike makers would have really "cheaped out" on something else like the saddles or pedals they included with their bikes back then as lots of people usually change them out anyway. With a unicrown fork, most were usually stuck with it for the life of the bike.......Then one sees the rugrat next door on his brand new motobike bought from Target....with a unicrown fork too....
Some people can live with unicrowns but some cannot. Like I noted, I myself hated the look of unicrows the first time I saw one 30 some years ago. In fact, it was one of the first things that made me feel that bike design ws taking a "left turn" on us after they finally seemed to have perfected the steel racing bicycle to it's most aesthetically appealing and sleekest/most minimal design in the mid 80's.
I'd rather that the bike makers would have really "cheaped out" on something else like the saddles or pedals they included with their bikes back then as lots of people usually change them out anyway. With a unicrown fork, most were usually stuck with it for the life of the bike.......Then one sees the rugrat next door on his brand new motobike bought from Target....with a unicrown fork too....
04-11-13, 03:59 PM
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You missed the entire point, I said, "I don't fault the manufacturers for innovating to improve their margins."
I'm just not buying what they're selling, and there is nothing wrong with that either.
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