new fork advice?
 

Hi folks,

I'm looking for a new fork (700c threadless w/ cantilever posts).

My current fork is fine, but I want to replace it for two reasons:

1) I'd like to have more steerer tube in order to raise my handlebars up a couple inches.
2) Current fork is carbon fiber and I've beat on it for 2.5 years, crashed the bike once in this time, and it bakes for 9 hours at a time in the Arizona sun 2-4 times a week. Maybe I've been reading too much of Grant Peterson's musings but I have this feeling the fork won't last forever.

The LHT fork and the Cross Check fork both appeal to me as they have uncut steerers, and as of a month or so ago both have mid-blade eyelets for a rack. Plus they have a good deal of tire clearance.

Any good options I'm missing? My bike has a cross/touring geometry (relaxed for cross, aggressive for touring).

Input is appreciated.

I replaced the stock suspension fork on my hybrid with a Cross Check fork in June. Mine was pre-mid-blade eyelets...

I love it. It's been a great fork. I had mine cut w/ lots of steerer exposed... better for future adjustments and/or putting on another frame at some point.

In all my countless hours on bikeforums, I haven't heard any complaints from any quarters about either the CC or the LHT fork. I say go for it... given desciption of your current bike, I'd say go Cross Check.

Missing .. is .. numbers, .. measure .. blade length, [crown race seat to hub axis] offset , brake reach, [if not cantilevers]
head angle of frame ..

All have effect on the trail layout on the ground .. then you have something to compare ..

Yes, I should have prefaced my comments above w/ a caveat re: proper measurements/fit. I took it as a given that the OP was sure that either of those forks would be compatible and fit the frame properly.

I've got a pretty standard cross fork on there afaik. Is there that much variation?

I'll measure and post it.

Yes, there can be. And a little difference in the right (wrong?) place makes a big deal.

Frame specs are generally readily available online and you would do well to compare what you've got to what you're going to.

It's a schwinn so the detailed specs aren't there. I had to go measure.

The fork is 390mm from the axle to where the fork meets headset. I couldn't figure out a good way to measure the rake reliably since people seem to take it down to the millimeter.

Cross check fork is listed as 400mm - would the centimeter make the bike handle very differently?