Originally Posted by
NumbersGuy
OK, so none of that explains any specific reason the handling is worse with a stronger fork. I’m not against preferring any of the benefits of a more compliant fork, I’m just trying to understand how it actually results in better handling, or at least a reason other than someone has experience and thinks so. Lots of times perception is not reality and handling for most things is improved by eliminating flex. Or maybe it’s the definition of handling being used which can be pretty ambiguous.
The only thing that occurs to me is an observation I made years ago, when switching from a Cannondale 3.0 frame to a Ritchey Road Logic steel frame. Descending the same road, and hitting the same patch of crappy asphalt on a turn, the stiffer Cannondale hopped slightly, and I could feel the rear end stepping out just a hair on each hop. I hit the same patch on the Ritchey and it rolled right over it with no hop. So maybe the idea is that a less compliant fork would corner worse by not absorbing bumps as well? But then if you're running modern, wider tires, you get both compliance and grip so does it still matter?