Originally Posted by
Johnk3
A lot of steel frame builders use only carbon forks. Many do not even offer a steel fork option. I know they are lighter, but doesn't that pervert the very purpose of a steel frame? They tout the ride quality of a steel frame, but doesn't the fork have the most actual effect on the feel of the bike's ride? Also, most, but not all, carbon forks are aesthetically clumsy, bulky and awkward looking compared with the rest of the tubing. Doesn't it seem duplicitous for a steel fame builder to brag about the high level of the artistry of his handmade steel frame, only to slap on a mass produced carbon fork?
Here is my new stainless steel Cicli Barco Columbus XCr frame with a stainless fork and a carbon steering tube. It weighs 18 lbs, 14 oz. including the pedals for a 58.5 cm size frame.
Couching your opinion in question marks doesn't make it a discussion or even a question, or even less of an accusation, a fact lost on most of the White House press corps... (bring back Sam Donaldson!). But, no, no, and no, if you are accepting answers.
You have a new steel bike with steel fork, great. Nice bike; ride it. Many builders of steel frames offer them with carbon forks, great. Nice bikes; they should be ridden, too.
I have a modern steel bike, with a carbon fork. 16.5 lbs, great. Nice bike; I ride it. Not swapping in a steel fork. Not sorry.
I have three C&V steel bikes with carbon forks swapped in. OMFG!. They look and ride great. I have a 1984 aluminum bike with a carbon fork swapped in for the steel fork. Huuuuge! Improvement. (RIP, Chris Farley). Not sorry.
Conversely, I have swapped in carbon forks many times, and then swapped back, due to no improvement, or even a degradation of ride, on steel C&V bikes. Sorry, I was. It happens.
I took a Kestrel carbon fork off of my Ti bike and replaced it with a Ritchey carbon fork. Rides a lot better. Forks differ, perhaps?
Depends on the fork. Depends on the frame. I do not purport to know more than the frame builders or designers. The builders I do know say a fork is easy to make.
Chirico designed and patented an automated process for making steel forks of high quality back in 1984. Cheaply. They were used in tons of high quality, hand-made steel bikes from Italy. No one knew! No one cared! The horror, the horror! (RIP, Mr. Conrad). None of those builders apologized. It appears they are not sorry.
When I start seeing steel forks commonly used in carbon frames....well, that would be something. No doubt there are many reasons why carbon forks are used on bikes, quality and performance are likely two of them.
It happens. In my experience, Depends on the fork, Depends on the frame.
I'd put a carbon fork in my '59 Sports if I thought it needed it, or would improve it. I'd put a steel fork on my Italian carbon Cipollini if I thought it needed it, or would improve it.
They're just forks. They're just bikes. They're all cool. Unwad the knickers, wear them on a ride.
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