Kol.klink

So for 74.99, How bad is the nashbar carbon fork, carbon fork for 74.99$ is very tempting, but for that price somthing has to be wrong with it, besides it being heavy. anyone ridden one>? How well do you think this would go on the flite?

barba

I have one. It has worked just fine. It is not the lightest fork available (obviously), but I bet it would shave at least a pound off the front of the IRO group buy frame if that is what you are thinking. There is a 20% coupon right now that would make it $60 +shipping

9Rings

The rake is >40mm, the KHS probably has ~28mm fork rake. It will make your bike handle differently (Better? Worse? I don't know).

MIN 

Steel forks are about 2lbs. This will be ~1/2 the weight and stronger.

9Rings

https://www.phred.org/~josh/bike/trail.html

Looks like it may make your bike a bit more twitchy (I think?)

RK1963

I just took the plunge and got it for 20% off----$59. I will let you know how it rides.
(The picture looks nice) I bet it's made in Taiwan.

MIN 

If the rake on the carbon fork is 43-45mm and you are running 28-35mm now, the carbon will feel more stable, not more twitchy.

MIN 

How did you get 20% off?

lvleph

Uh, steel is stronger. Or was that what you were saying?

MIN 

I'm not sure I want to get into this debate here. There is a lot of contention around this question and there are lots of variables to consider - such as manufacturing process, carbon used, steel used, weld quality, etc.

My gut feeling is that a Nasbar carbon fork will be stronger than a "cheap" stock steel fork on a KHS.

They don't make the Boeing 787 out of carbon fiber for nothing and there is a reason why <90% of the bikes in the TdF are made of carbon. Anyway, that's neither here nor there.

Kol.klink

cool it could be a little less twitcy, its got some speed woobble. on the strength front as long as it can take some semi sideways skids and the ocasional pot hole, ill be happy. Which do you guys thing would be stronger the full carbon or the Aluminium steer tube. I'm allready pretty much set the the aluminium one but if there's a significant reason other than weight (which i dont really care about) i will go with the full carbon. the main reason for getting this puppy for some vibration dampening, as the stock KHS fork, from some reason byhond be rides REALLY hard. And really who can say no to a 60$ carbon fork?

lvleph

Yeah it is lighter. The Boeing 787 is made of carbon to save on fuel. I am not saying Carbon is not strong. I am just saying steel is stronger. I cracked my cf, but have yet to dent my steel frame.

9Rings

At first I thought it would make the bike more mellow, but if you read that article, and look at the diagram, by increasing the rake, the contact point of the tire is going to get closer to the intersection with the headtube line. That means less trail, which means more twitchy.

Kol.klink

hmmm, o well, for 60$ i dont care im getting it, it sucks it'll go in the parts bin or CL/ebay

SlowandRusty

Carbon fiber isn't inherently stronger or weaker than steel - it's all in how it's laid up. The advantage of carbon fiber is that it can be given a huge variety of shapes. This, along with modern computers running FEA, allow CF to be designed to be strong and stiff in some directions, and forgiving in others.

Steel can't be formed in the same way as carbon fiber. That means more needs to be used. It also means that it's usually stronger when forces a carbon part isn't designed for are applied (think crashing).

9Rings

To make a fair comparission between steel and carbon you have to compare strength to weight ratios.

Carbon has a higher strength to weight ratio than steel, that's a physical fact.

i.e. if you built a 2lb carbon fork and a 2lb steel fork, the carbon fork will be stronger.

The advantage of carbon is that you can (if designed properly) build a 1lb fork that is as strong as a 2lb steel fork.

RK1963

Their website gives you the code to enter b4 checkout. It was the 20% off that pushed me to do it.

RK1963

r u getting the threaded model? what size?

MIN 

I just saw it on Nashbar... I am thinking of pulling the trigger. The only thing is that it's heavy for a carbon fork at 585 grams or 1.3 lbs.

Gyeswho

how long was it before you cracked your fork? I just got a Forte from Performance for the same price as the nashbar maybe cheaper actually (considering the fork only) but can't tell since I ordered the fork combo with Cane Creek S2 HS, spacers, and forte stem. I was a lil apprehensive to buying carbon cuz of brittle factor and me being a hard rider. It was between that or an aluminum fork.

dwainedibbly

I bought one for my IRO GB frame a couple of weeks ago. It was on sale and I used the 20% off coupon, too. For $59.99 it was a great deal. I weighed both forks, and the nashbar carbon for is more than a pound lighter (both forks uncut). Granted, when cut the IRO steel fork will lose more weight than the Nashbar because steel is being removed vs aluminum, but I bet it'll still be close to a pound lighter. I saved a pound for only $60.

lvleph

I didn't crack my fork I cracked my downtube. My fork has held up just fine. I wouldn't ride an aluminum for, because it just doesn't absorb the vibrations from the street enough. I had an aluminum fork about 5 years ago and it was just too much for me.

dwainedibbly

(had to go help the wife administer cat meds...)

Anyway, I'm not a weight weenie, but to save a pound for only $60, it was a no-brainer for me.

Would I want one of these forks on a high-dollar bike? Of course not, but for a budget frame like the IRO it's a nice upgrade.

Gyeswho

okay thanks.

MIN 

I just bought one too. Will post report later. Is Nashbar pretty quick with their shipping?