I have two steel bikes with steel forks. but I'm a fan of carbon forks...you should be able to notice the difference. carbon forks are are stiff and compliant. that is the magic of carbon. the stuff won't flex but it also absorbs small vibration. I have 2 road bikes and a cross bike with carbon forks. you might not notice on short rides, but on longer rides you will notice a smoother rider. if you need a 1" fork, check this out...scroll down: http://www.kirkframeworks.com/blog/