Carbon forks, alloy steerer or carbon steerer? Please help
06-17-14, 11:43 AM
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Carbon forks, alloy steerer or carbon steerer? Please help
Hello: I bought a Cannondale CAAD 9 frame, 58 cm, and I have a choice of forks to use. A fork with a metal steerer and carbon blades or a fork with a carbon steerer and carbon blades. I ride it up steep hills and on flats [SF Bay Area]. I don't race and rides don't exceed 50 miles on any given day. Any recommendations regarding which fork to use?
06-17-14, 12:24 PM
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either .. they both do the same job .. though the whole 1.5 to 1.125 steerer thing means the steerer is tapered .
but aluminum can be formed to any shape.. so Can Carbon.
who buys a forkless bike ?
but aluminum can be formed to any shape.. so Can Carbon.
who buys a forkless bike ?
Last edited by fietsbob; 06-17-14 at 12:33 PM.
06-17-14, 04:16 PM
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Either should work,just make sure to use a torque wrench for the stem on the one with the carbon steerer.
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06-18-14, 10:22 PM
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I'd go with the aluminum steerer tube. If I was racing and weight was an issue, I'd go with a full carbon fork.
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06-18-14, 10:26 PM
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06-19-14, 08:59 AM
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get the fork cannondale sold when they spec'd the complete bike ..
why crowd source your decisions?
why crowd source your decisions?
06-23-14, 11:47 PM
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To OP: I've hear two things regarding this choice, neither of which I will vouch for except to say which one makes sense to me (which is worth little or nothing).
First: the metal steer tube will be hardier, less apt to fail.
Second: the carbon steerer will be less apt to fail because it isn't metal bonded to carbon - the bonding (gluing) is the likely fail point w/ the metal steerer.
But both have millions of miles on millions of bikes of trustworthy use. If it were me, I'd go with my "heart" because you really can't go wrong. I like the CF steerer because the second urban legend above makes sense to me and I'm a slight weight weenie.
06-24-14, 08:23 AM
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Doesn't make any difference in my opinion.
Although I think you need to make sure to use a carbon specific plug with a carbon steerer tube. Slightly increased chance of damaging a carbon steerer during installation if you do it wrong.
Although I think you need to make sure to use a carbon specific plug with a carbon steerer tube. Slightly increased chance of damaging a carbon steerer during installation if you do it wrong.
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