Originally Posted by
Aubergine
I do get that, I think. I was just thinking that it must be possible to design for a certain amount of flexibility, given the constraints of the material's strength. But although I loved science courses in college, i never did anything in the fields of engineering or material sciences.
Yes, I'm sure bike makers design a bit of flex into forks. To get extra flexibility, they use thinner walls or perhaps smaller diameters. And to do that, they'll need a stronger alloy. So it's a tradeoff between flexibility and cost. They have to meet a minimum strength standard, and I gather the regulations require higher strength than before. I'm under the impression that current-production steel forks are heavier than they were back in the day. I've kept bike shops in business since 1975, not long before you.