Originally Posted by
Ronno6
I'm refurbing an old Cannondale ST (touring) frame, but do not have the original fork.
The Frame is 25" size, and has a 72° head tube angle.
Dimensions for the original, fork 1 and fork 2 are:
Fork.......Axle to crown...Rake....Trail
Original.....385mm..........55mm...55mm
Fork !.......403mm..........50mm...58mm
Fork 2.......400mm.........44mm....64mm
Question is: are either of these acceptable, or will the increase in trail make the bike demonstrate unsatisfactory handling characteristics for loaded touring??
I cannot afford a custom fork, and I have not as of yet located an original.
Can fork blades be "adjusted" safely to achieve the original rake, or am I worrying too much about it?
64 mm is getting up there, as trail numbers tend to be between about 40 and 60 for a 700C road bike, generally, with the shorter end being generally better for a front load situation. 50 mm is sort of a good 'average' if you don't know what the bike will be used for.
The difference between 55 and 58 mm is not much (about 3 mm or so, I guess!), but 64 may not work well when loaded, as others have indicated.
Yes, it is probably very possible to add some rake to that #1 option fork, which would make it more like the original.