jules13

Has anyone tried an aluminum rigid fork on a TI frame?
I didn't find anything on this, and I was thinking how they would get together.
What do you think?

Hou-Tex

As long as everything mates up fine, you should be ok. If I had a Ti frame and wanted to go rigid, I would go carbon.

commo_soulja

Agree, you'd best be served running a carbon fork or even a steel or Ti fork.

An aluminum rigid fork will give you a harsh ride up front, negating the ride benefits of the Ti frame.

Trakhak

The measured difference in vertical compliance under a given load between a Litespeed Tuscany racing geometry frame and a Cannondale aluminum frame with comparable geometry was 3/200 (0.015) inch. Forks show even less difference in measured vertical compliance. Despite the cherished beliefs of the credulous, no one can feel any difference in flexibility between two forks of comparable design. An aluminum fork is fine; so is a carbon fork.

commo_soulja

Lab results are one thing, real world results are another.

Do a couple km ride on rocky rooty trails on a rigid aluminum and then on a comparable steel or carbon fork. I can tell you I feel much less fatigued and my hands and arms less jarred on steel or carbon forks than on a alu rigid fork.

dminor 

Bad idea mixing those metals: galvanic reaction combined with dissimilar resonant frequencies of the tubes will eventually cause the aluminum component to explode and the titanium one to implode. Simultaneously. Catastrophically.

Hou-Tex

You must be an Engineer. But that's why yall need Lab Techs. I would need to run some temp cycles to check for differing expansion/contraction rates with dissimilar materials.

Fred Smedley

I suppose you have yet to ride a Ritchey Logic fork on a Bridgestone MB. Show me a aluminum fork that can routinely flex 3/4" for more than a few cycles and I will believe you actually know what you are talking about concerning fork choices.

bellweatherman

Trakhak is on the money on this one. Lab results are the same as real worl results. The onus is on the delusional to produce some numbers and not purported "feel" that would support their conjecture.

ed 

I notice alot of fore/aft compliance with my rigid steel fork. It helps take the edge off. Fer sure, but very little vertical compliance. I can see the allure of steel for the right type of rider on the right type of trail though. I can also see why there'd be mildly noticeable vertical compliance on a steel frame versus a steel fork.