Originally Posted by
Kontact
Probably 40 from 43, but a 2mm difference is going to be difficult. The bottom of the chainring is a point pretty close to a right angle from the dropouts, but it isn't perfect, so that's a small error. (Something like 2mm for every 5° off of 90°.) And then you have the measuring error problem - did you measure to dead center of the dropout, was the fork perfectly centered. And you can refine the process and calculate out the geometry errors if you have a very repeatable measuring process. This method is just the best one I have heard that doesn't fall victim to all the minor curves and incompatible shapes that make more direct measuring methods more useful.
So, if I do have the fork off of the bike, what's the method of determining the rake? Long story short, if I go into an LBS and tell them I want a new fork, but don't know the current fork's rake, what should they tell me they'll do to ensure they order the correct matching replacement?