Fork Compatability
 

Hello,
I am looking to replace my fork. It is currently a 1 1/8 to 1 1/4 and I am interested in the Whisky MCX fork which is 1 1/2. My question is would this fit? Or would I need an adapter for 1.5? If I do can you please link me the correct adapter?

Thank you in advance.

Unless you know a way to put 1.5" tube into a 1.25" hole, they aren't compatible.

+1

You can fit a small peg into a big hole with shims. But only a theoretical physicist can put a big peg into small hole.

Your bike's headtube sets the max size for the fork, so assuming the fork was original, you need to shop for a similar a tapered fork, or one with a 1-1\8" steerer, plus an adapter for the bottom.

What frame do you have? What is the head tube size. If it is large enough with the right headset you might make it work but as is you cannot fit a larger round peg in a smaller round hole. Sometimes there are conversion headsets for certain frames but unlikely to work if the bike was set up for that taper natively and not like a 44mm headtube or some odd conversion.

This might be of help looking for forks:
https://bikepacking.com/index/forks-...e-cage-mounts/

I love Whisky both the company and the delicious brown beverage but find the right taper or ask a custom builder to build you a nice steel or titanium fork or get a modern frame compatible with the fork you want. They do make good quality forks but if it doesn't work it doesn't work.

Without knowing what frame you have, no one can give you the corrrect answer. The size of the head tube will determine if the fork will fit. If your frame has a head tube that will take a 44mm lower headset cup, then the fork will fit by just changing the lower headset. If the frame has a head tube that was designed to fit only an 1 1/8 to 1 1/4 tapered steerer, then there is no way to fit the 1 1/2 lower.

If one was to reread one's original post, one might figure out that the question was answered in the description. One does not need to know what frame it is to know that 1-1/2" does not fit into 1-1/4" or 1-1/8". If I could invent an adapter that would make this work, I could rule the world.

To answer the question of bike it is a Focus Mares. 2017.

Having tried to find a replacement fork for one of these before, I can tell you your options are very limited due to the tapered headtube with integrated headset.

If one knew anything about frame building, one would know that a 44mm head tube will fit nearly any size steerer tube by changing the upper and lower headset. With a 44mm head tube, you can use a straight 1 1/8" steerer, 1 1/8" to 1 1/4" tapered steerer, 1 1/8" to 1 1/2"tapered steerer or 1 1/2" straight steerer just by changing the headset.

For the OP, this ENVE fork may be an option for your Focus https://enve.com/collections/gravel-...s/ar-disc-fork

While what followed is factually correct, the tone of the opener isn't justified.

One may just as offhandedly say, "if one knew anything about framebuilding, one would know that framebuilders rarely, if ever, use a 44mm headtube, then use adadaptors to fit a smaller fork".

Given no other info, folks were correct in going with the odds, assuming that the headtube and OEM fork were matched, and therefore a larger fork would not fit.

The tone was in response to the tone of the post that I quoted.

44mm head tubes are quite commonly used by custom framebuilders, because of their versatility. Paragon Machine Works sells a lot of them and I use them on nearly every frame that I build. No one is using adapters to fit a smaller fork. There are headsets designed to work for this purpose. An 1 1/8" steerer would have an internal ZS style cup on both ends, whereas a tapered steerer would us a ZS cup on the top and and external EC style cup on the lower.

This looks promising. Thank you for taking the time to help me out.

It might be a larger head tube with an adaptor headset to size it down, but if it is you'd expect he might know about it.

Agreed. As they teach in medical school, "if you hear hoofbeats, think horses, not zebras".

Though it's easy to "correct" posts based on possibilities, it's still good sense to respond based on likelihoods. In this case it's far more likely, though not assured, that someone asking this question is not the proud owner of a custom bike.

This one certainly knows nothing about frame building. I’m still pretty sure one cannot install a 1.5 inch cylinder through a 1.25 or 1.125 hole.

What do 44mm head tubes have to do with the 2017 Mares?

How do you go from an internal to external lower headset without screwing up the front end height? How do you know that the top of the lower headtube bearing seat has clearance for a 1 1/2" steerer?

What is it you are trying to accomplish with a new fork? Have you talked to Focus about a replacement? Other companies make forks like this:

https://ritcheylogic.com/bike/forks/...oad-cross-fork

Focus has left the U.S. just FYI Kontact you can still get some limited support from Gazelle/PON holdings in the U.S. but it isn't going to be a quick process not that the U.S. side is slow but everything unless they magically still have stock would have to come from overseas and that can take a looooong time.

The Ritchey fork is a fine fork.

It appears that the OP is looking for a fork that accepts 50mm+ tire in a 1.125 straight or 1.250 tapered that night be the a solution to his question. Since the Whiskey MCX won't work, what else it out there. A lot of other carbon forks that accept a wide tire are generally 1.5" tapered

Of course the other piece is A2C and rake. From what I found the Focus Mares has a 400 A2C and 45mm offset.

John

What is interesting is that I was only turned on to the MCX through my local shop and I wanted to get second opinions. I am enjoying the discussion happening here.

Thank you, I couldn't tell what Focus's deal is. But forks are the kind of thing that whomever is fulfilling warranty service should have some stock of, since the Mares was produced until 2020.

I have tried contacting Focus but none left. There is also a seller on ebay, with about 25 Focus Forks, but they do not ship to the USA.

Reach out to someone in a country they ship to, or a friend who may be headed there. Then they can either forward to you via post or bring it back. I've sent stuff to and from all over the world using burros* this way.

BTW- there are businesses here in the USA, which do this kind of thing for a fee. Often they consolidate shipments, lowering costs to where they can be both cost effective and profitable. Use the net and search for forwards to the right country, or any that they'll ship to, and you have the forwarder make the purchase as your agent. I send CHAIN-L to Japan this way, shipping to California.

*(burros, not mules to avoid negative assumptions)

44mm at insertion, 1.5 inch fork. External cup is how to do it.

The OP just needs to make sure the 36 or 45 degree bearing taper (if integrated crown race) matches that of the fork.

In Europe they would have that the U.S. is less likely they were selling Mares in the U.S. at the time but it has been quite some time and most of that stuff is been used.

Have you contacted Gazelle? They were handling Focus warranty in the U.S. as noted above.

If nothing else the Ritchey fork would work and would be a fine replacement.

The OP doesn't have a 44mm headtube. His bike isn't built to accept a pressed cup. What are you talking about?