Hello,

I've recently purchased a Tange fork online thinking it was Cr-Mo steel, but now that I received it I'm having doubts because it feels... heavy.

The steerer tube is engraved "TANGE 0G, MADE IN JAPAN", as you can see in the pictures. I've read online (on this very forum) that you can identify high quality Tange forks by checking if the dropouts are forged but I can't tell...

So do you guys have any idea ?

Thanks in advance

I would feel more confident if I saw cro-mo stamped on the steering tube. Heavy, how heavy?

Are there any script on the drop outs?

I didn't weigh it but I'd say a kg.

No script on the dropouts.

Do you have access to a similar known Tange cro mo fork you can compare with this new one. I have never seen one with Tange on the shoulders.

No, I don't have access to any other Tange fork, that would be too easy!

Stamped CHR MO or whatever...



The dropouts are stamped TANGE



The original replacement forks were available in British or Metric threads with 80mm (3") of threaded section so that they could be shortened to use on many sizes of bikes. They had a lot of clearance so that they could be used with 27" wheels.



The Chrome Moly forks had reinforcing tangs inside the blades.



verktyg

It seems like there are variations from the catalog.

I have a tange fork that appears to be a 130, except it doesn't have a rifled steering tube.

Here's a post on the subject that I did last year. It covers a whole lot of your questions:

CRMO fork... opinions?

I'm thinking that it's a 230 carbon steel fork not a 130 chrome moly one.

There is no such thing as "Hi-Tension Steel" !!!!!!!

That's a "JINGLISH" misnomer for High Tensile Steel which means Carbon Steel!

Tange sold a lot of OEM forks to bicycle manufacturers. Trek used them for awhile. Tange could deliver finished forks for less money than the bike makers could build them in house.

The TANGE name on the crown could have added "cache" to the bike for marketoid purposes.

Attached is a PDF file from the 1981 Tange catalog with sharper images.


verktyg

Thanks for the input!

Also good to know for the type of steel, I'll sound less dumb next time