Fork curvature battle!
04-06-22, 06:35 AM
#26
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You people lack imagination:
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04-06-22, 06:35 AM
#27
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Originally Posted by drillium dude
one thing i've noticed is that i must have a particular fondness for a particular curvature as almost all my bikes share a distinctly similar bend across most of the length of the blade:
except for the this one - and truth be told, it was one reason i never really took to it:
a subtle curvature across most of the length just looks "right", i suppose. To my eye, for sure
dd
except for the this one - and truth be told, it was one reason i never really took to it:
a subtle curvature across most of the length just looks "right", i suppose. To my eye, for sure
dd
04-06-22, 07:29 AM
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Originally Posted by styggno1
Colnago lost me when they started with these straight forks. I remember seeing one for the first time and I thought "what a smart idea for cost cutting but the looks... the horror, the horror" ;-)
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04-06-22, 07:58 AM
#29
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Vintage french forks FTW. Straight blades with no bend, yuck!
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04-06-22, 08:22 AM
#30
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All the curves, handles like crap though.
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04-06-22, 08:33 AM
#31
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Originally Posted by Polaris OBark
The Zen bench is out of alignment.
-Kurt
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04-06-22, 08:48 AM
#32
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I like low-trail and am always tinkering to get the handling I want. I have two modern forks that both have over 2.5" of rake. One is the "beauty", a 1st version Electra Ticino. Chromo with huge tire clearance and a beautiful low bend.
And the "Beast" is this reclaimed RAns recumbent 26" fork. Aluminum and slightly too short axle-crown for these tires, but it handles a load nicely. Thinking about moving it to another frame.
It looks like I cased the landing. ..."You should have seen it, I was 20ft in the air..."
And the "Beast" is this reclaimed RAns recumbent 26" fork. Aluminum and slightly too short axle-crown for these tires, but it handles a load nicely. Thinking about moving it to another frame.
It looks like I cased the landing. ..."You should have seen it, I was 20ft in the air..."
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04-06-22, 09:48 AM
#34
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Straight Forks Vs. Other Styles
Originally Posted by nlerner
You people lack imagination:
Originally Posted by styggno1
Colnago lost me when they started with these straight forks. I remember seeing one for the first time and I thought "what a smart idea for cost cutting but the looks... the horror, the horror" ;-)
It was so off the wall with the straight Precisa fork, bulged and fluted oversize Columbus Gilco tubing plus the paint, I decided to build it into a frankenbike! I had a NOS 1987 Shimano Deore XT MTB gruppo so I used the hubs, triple crank plus the front and rear derailleurs.
When I got it home and put the frame up in the stand, I could immediately tell that something wasn't right! When I checked the alignment, the rear triangle was off 11mm to the drive side. I took it back to my buddy's and we put it on his layout table. Not only was the rear triangle off but the head and seat tube were out of alignment by over 1/4" (6mm) in opposite directions!!! The main tubes were over 1/2" (12mm) off of the frame center line! So much for sacred holy Italian craftsmanship!
To add to the bizarrity, I later installed a prototype set of Bonntrager Speed Limit brakes! I have to say, when I lock them up I can feel the beginning of retinal detachment.
The bike rides and handles really sweet and climbs like a mountain goat. Looking down on the stem while ridding there seems to be ZERO flex in the forks. Shock absorption comes from front and back flexing of the head tube due to the thin walled top and down tubes.
A problem that I discovered with the Precisa forks is a tendency to turn sharply to one side when coming up over small bumps at very low speeds like riding up onto a sidewalk at a crosswalk. The front wheel turned, threw me to the left and I did a face plant on 2 occasions. I caught myself several other times. They were bumps that a curved fork would have no problem going up over!
Originally Posted by seypat
Vintage french forks FTW. Straight blades with no bend, yuck!
Straight forks? In 1975 we brought several of these Bickerton aluminum folding bikes into to our shop for folks who planned on traveling. My friend who owned the shop took one over to Europe, bought a Eurail Pass and traveled all over France and Italy with it visiting lots of bike and component manufacturers. Very light but scary flexy. They were truly like pushing a wheel barrow!
1820 Draisne
verktyg
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Last edited by verktyg; 04-06-22 at 09:58 AM.
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04-06-22, 10:28 AM
#35
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Not to be crude, but I can think of other curvatures that dont get universal agreement. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
04-06-22, 11:03 AM
#36
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I humbly nominate my mid 70's Peugeot PR10, which has a distinct lack of Frenchness in it's 'swoop' (or lack thereof):
and my mid 80's Zunow. I know, non drive side, but it was a better shot for this purpose:
and my mid 80's Zunow. I know, non drive side, but it was a better shot for this purpose:
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04-06-22, 11:06 AM
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Originally Posted by styggno1
Colnago lost me when they started with these straight forks. I remember seeing one for the first time and I thought "what a smart idea for cost cutting but the looks... the horror, the horror" ;-)
I bought this Master Piu frame new and it would have been a deal breaker if it would have come with a straight fork.
Straight bladed forks just killed it for me, just as much as brifters, unicrowns, ergo bars and non-quill type stems did...... yechh....
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04-06-22, 11:31 AM
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Originally Posted by verktyg
1820 Draisne
verktyg
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04-06-22, 11:44 AM
#39
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I had a Raleigh once that had all the bend down near the hub - that bike had terrible wheel flop... maybe that wasn't the reason, but I never liked that shape.
I'm going to say that DeRosa has the more appealing bend, by a sliver, over the Masi... although the Masi's long head tube might be affecting my choice.
I'm going to say that DeRosa has the more appealing bend, by a sliver, over the Masi... although the Masi's long head tube might be affecting my choice.
04-06-22, 12:01 PM
#40
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Originally Posted by styggno1
...1978 Masi Prestige front fork curvature as being the most beautiful...
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04-06-22, 10:34 PM
#41
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Several years ago, while walking in Paris I saw this great looking Dancelli. Nicest bend I've seen. I asked my wife to stand alongside.
I haven't seen another one quite the same. Bike or wife..
I haven't seen another one quite the same. Bike or wife..
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04-07-22, 07:42 AM
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So...is the pattern that the Italians have a nice sweeping curve, while French bikes have a more abrupt curve towards the end of the fork?
04-07-22, 11:53 PM
#43
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Fork Rake and Fork Benders
I've seen advertisements for fork bending tools. As I recall some have a 9" radius and others have a 6" radius.
I think that a short fork rake looks best when done with a large radius. Larger fork rakes (>/= 45mm) can look good with either radius.
I've seen forks bent with a single radius and also some done with double radius. The double radius fork starts curving gradually at the top of the bend, and the curve 'accelerates' as it gets closer to the fork tip.
One of the best fork bends I've seen is on this 1972 SW Cotten, built by Bill Hurlow. See the attached photo. It looks like a double radius bend to me. A single radius bend often looks a bit 'straight' just above the fork tips.
I think that a short fork rake looks best when done with a large radius. Larger fork rakes (>/= 45mm) can look good with either radius.
I've seen forks bent with a single radius and also some done with double radius. The double radius fork starts curving gradually at the top of the bend, and the curve 'accelerates' as it gets closer to the fork tip.
One of the best fork bends I've seen is on this 1972 SW Cotten, built by Bill Hurlow. See the attached photo. It looks like a double radius bend to me. A single radius bend often looks a bit 'straight' just above the fork tips.
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