Originally Posted by
UberGeek
True as well. I suppose I was more pointing out the fact that this particular bike isn't the typical BSO from a department store, in which dumping any money into it would be worthwhile
It's a nice bike.
And I wouldn't to make any paranoid about CF - I just want stores to tell people the downsides, and to bring the bike in to be checked for accident damage after a spill. And in this case, I'd really say that it would be especially problematic.
Case in point: I'm considering replace the stock fork with a steel fork, to try and soften the road a bit.
I don't want to be too bike engineering nerdy.. but read
www.63xc.com/scotn/metal.htm
- It really isn't the material that matters but how it is used - my crosser and my classic Zaskar mtb both steel forks, but the Zaskar's Project 2s are super-rigid and the crosser's are twangy. And no rigid fork will soften the road as much as a slightly wider tyre - so the Zaskar normally rides softer despite the fork, because it is running wider tyres.
..So if you want a softer ride and can't/don't want to switch tyres, then research the fork you are buying VERY carefully! And be aware than some fork names get re-used for different designs - Project 2s have been in production for almost 30 years and look the same - but they can handle quite differently because of tubing wall thickness, heat treat, etc. You really to haunt review sites on something like this - although old style forks that have curve in an narrow down *do* strongly tend to be springier than straight forks like P2s. A Surly Cross Check fork would probably be ideal if you could get one.