Kent Eriksen titanium road bike
10-15-23, 08:08 AM
#26
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Those are all well know general properties of carbon fiber. But, it doesn't answer the question of why you would use carbon forks if you're using titanium for the rest of the frame (and other components). Why build a titanium frame with titanium stem, seat post, cages, etc but not use a titanium fork?
10-15-23, 11:06 AM
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Those are all well know general properties of carbon fiber. But, it doesn't answer the question of why you would use carbon forks if you're using titanium for the rest of the frame (and other components). Why build a titanium frame with titanium stem, seat post, cages, etc but not use a titanium fork?
10-15-23, 11:43 AM
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The first titanium bikes were (generally) supplied with titanium forks, but they (again generally) were built with the same dimensions as steel forks and were found to be too flexible for the application. Ti stems and handlebars developed a similar reputation, which is one reason you so seldom see either.
By the time Ti frame builders figured out that the dimensions of the Ti tubing for forks (as well as frames) could be manipulated to achieve sufficient stiffness, carbon forks had come into general acceptance for bike frames built with steel and aluminum as well as carbon.
After all, supplying carbon forks with their Ti frames represented an easy profit while saving hours of work in building a Ti fork that would necessarily cost more and weigh more.
By the way, I've never noticed any difference in shock absorption or comfort among the forks on my bikes, including steel, carbon, and aluminum forks---no difference that can't be attributed to to differences in wheelbase, anyway. If anyone can link to a pertinent report or a video supporting the claim that carbon forks are built to be more shock-absorptive than forks built from other materials, I'd love to see the evidence.
By the time Ti frame builders figured out that the dimensions of the Ti tubing for forks (as well as frames) could be manipulated to achieve sufficient stiffness, carbon forks had come into general acceptance for bike frames built with steel and aluminum as well as carbon.
After all, supplying carbon forks with their Ti frames represented an easy profit while saving hours of work in building a Ti fork that would necessarily cost more and weigh more.
By the way, I've never noticed any difference in shock absorption or comfort among the forks on my bikes, including steel, carbon, and aluminum forks---no difference that can't be attributed to to differences in wheelbase, anyway. If anyone can link to a pertinent report or a video supporting the claim that carbon forks are built to be more shock-absorptive than forks built from other materials, I'd love to see the evidence.
10-15-23, 11:47 AM
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I know little about metallurgy, so someone might correct me...But I believe that titanium is not very stiff on an ounce-per-ounce basis, hence manufacturing a suitably stiff fork would require tubing that is relatively thick-walled and large diameter -- and it would probably weigh almost as much as a steel fork. Hence the common choice of a cf fork, which can be both lighter and more aero.
10-15-23, 12:23 PM
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Yes, but that's kind of weird logic. If the use of a carbon fork is based on increasing profit, reducing labor, and reducing weight, why would you build a titanium frame in the first place?
10-15-23, 12:32 PM
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You'd build it because people continue to want to buy it, albeit in dwindling numbers.
10-15-23, 01:02 PM
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Yes, I realize that. But, if people are willing to spend the money for a titanium frame and they aren't concerned about the weight, why would the extra cost and weight of a titanium fork be a problem?
10-15-23, 02:24 PM
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Those are all well know general properties of carbon fiber. But, it doesn't answer the question of why you would use carbon forks if you're using titanium for the rest of the frame (and other components). Why build a titanium frame with titanium stem, seat post, cages, etc but not use a titanium fork?
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10-15-23, 02:41 PM
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I agree that it shouldn't be a problem, and yet people have generally been unwilling to pay for it, clearly. Maybe ti framebuilders talk customers out of going for ti forks for some other reason. Here's hoping someone who was on one side or the other of the purchase of a new titanium frame will weigh in on the topic.
10-15-23, 06:45 PM
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I agree that it shouldn't be a problem, and yet people have generally been unwilling to pay for it, clearly. Maybe ti framebuilders talk customers out of going for ti forks for some other reason. Here's hoping someone who was on one side or the other of the purchase of a new titanium frame will weigh in on the topic.
10-15-23, 08:01 PM
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10-16-23, 02:31 AM
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Most likely because there would be no performance advantage over any of the other common materials most likely perform worse in every category. Since the main reason people purchase titanium bikes is aesthetic, titanium forks that would perform adequately end up looking hideous.
10-16-23, 08:03 AM
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Most likely because there would be no performance advantage over any of the other common materials most likely perform worse in every category. Since the main reason people purchase titanium bikes is aesthetic, titanium forks that would perform adequately end up looking hideous.
10-16-23, 08:30 AM
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The first titanium bikes were (generally) supplied with titanium forks, but they (again generally) were built with the same dimensions as steel forks and were found to be too flexible for the application. Ti stems and handlebars developed a similar reputation, which is one reason you so seldom see either.
By the time Ti frame builders figured out that the dimensions of the Ti tubing for forks (as well as frames) could be manipulated to achieve sufficient stiffness, carbon forks had come into general acceptance for bike frames built with steel and aluminum as well as carbon.
After all, supplying carbon forks with their Ti frames represented an easy profit while saving hours of work in building a Ti fork that would necessarily cost more and weigh more.
By the way, I've never noticed any difference in shock absorption or comfort among the forks on my bikes, including steel, carbon, and aluminum forks---no difference that can't be attributed to to differences in wheelbase, anyway. If anyone can link to a pertinent report or a video supporting the claim that carbon forks are built to be more shock-absorptive than forks built from other materials, I'd love to see the evidence.
By the time Ti frame builders figured out that the dimensions of the Ti tubing for forks (as well as frames) could be manipulated to achieve sufficient stiffness, carbon forks had come into general acceptance for bike frames built with steel and aluminum as well as carbon.
After all, supplying carbon forks with their Ti frames represented an easy profit while saving hours of work in building a Ti fork that would necessarily cost more and weigh more.
By the way, I've never noticed any difference in shock absorption or comfort among the forks on my bikes, including steel, carbon, and aluminum forks---no difference that can't be attributed to to differences in wheelbase, anyway. If anyone can link to a pertinent report or a video supporting the claim that carbon forks are built to be more shock-absorptive than forks built from other materials, I'd love to see the evidence.
10-17-23, 04:22 AM
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Caliwild regarding the Enve logo, you could get vinyl overlays to color-change the logo. There’s a shop called Bikingroots.com that does some impressive work like that, so maybe reaching out to them would be fruitful. Check their YouTube.
Alternately, but still in vinyl, you could do a cover-up of the logo in matte black to match the fork. With knifeless tape you could easily outline just the logo area or maybe outline the entire outer face of each leg and put the vinyl all the way from crown to dropout. It would be a more uniform look than just covering the logo area, and protective.
A brushed Ti vinyl logo color change would be super cool, though, IMO!
Alternately, but still in vinyl, you could do a cover-up of the logo in matte black to match the fork. With knifeless tape you could easily outline just the logo area or maybe outline the entire outer face of each leg and put the vinyl all the way from crown to dropout. It would be a more uniform look than just covering the logo area, and protective.
A brushed Ti vinyl logo color change would be super cool, though, IMO!
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10-18-23, 03:01 AM
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10-18-23, 06:32 AM
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Yeah, not steep, but the front end is quite stubby, presumably designed for someone wanting a rather more upright riding position. So often, these kinds of high-end customs get built for old guys, since they have the means to pay for them, and so it's not uncommon to find such supernice bikes with extreme geometry like that.
10-18-23, 09:26 AM
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Yeah, not steep, but the front end is quite stubby, presumably designed for someone wanting a rather more upright riding position. So often, these kinds of high-end customs get built for old guys, since they have the means to pay for them, and so it's not uncommon to find such supernice bikes with extreme geometry like that.
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10-18-23, 07:19 PM
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Caliwild Nothing— not style, trends, or aero optimization— trumps getting out and doin’ the do! The most absolutely cool cats I know are the folks in their 80s who still saddle up and ride. Knock on wood we both get there!
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10-24-23, 09:53 AM
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I think Ti forks will be a bit flexy. Not sure I would want one over carbon. Well, I would not. I believe Kent was part of Moots for a while and then branched off to do his own thing.Nice looking frame for sure, and bike.
10-24-23, 12:19 PM
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https://www.bikeradar.com/features/i...-kent-eriksen/
Bingham Built took over Eriksen Cycles in 2017:
https://binghambuiltbikes.com/the-builder/
10-24-23, 12:26 PM
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