forte axis - performance
 

So I was applying for a job today at a Performance bike shop near my house and I saw that they had a road fork on sale. With my coupons the total was about 50 bucks for a really nice quality fork, it's called a Forte Axis and it's made out of carbon. The guy at the shop told me that it was a dumb purchase since my bike is steel. Dumb purchase or not?
I'd also like opinions on this fork, I can't find much about it on the internet. By the way, I'm not looking to make my bike super duper light, just a little lighter with some carbon components (stem, seatpost, etc). Is carbon and steel a good combo?

Well in depends what type of steel your bike is made out of. If it's Hi-ten don't bother if its cro-mo it might be a reasonable upgrade.

A carbon fork - while being lighter - is also capable of dampening a lot more vibration than the hi-ten fork you currently have. It does seem somewhat silly to put a carbon anything on a Draft, though.

cro-mo

His signature says SE Draft Lite, which is Hi-Ten last I heard. If so I agree, total waste. Not worth spending any money trying to make it something it isn't.

In defense though, when weight is irrelevant a carbon fork should also improve vibration a little, and I'm sure any fork is better that what came on the frame stock. Up to you if you want to dump money into it.

Well the thing is with my draft, the only original part on it is the frame, everything else has been upgraded.

Sounds like you may have too much money into it already. A Draft "lite" is hi-tensile steel, not cro-mo. I'd be saving for a better frame instead.

If weight is your concern, I bet you would have saved more weight getting a better frame than you saved with replacing everything else combined.

I say, assuming you have a decent stem bars post saddle cranks rims pedals etc since they are "upgraded" - Save another few bucks and put all of those parts on a decent frame and carry everything else over. A decent frame by itself won't run you too much more and upgrade wise will be worth more than the rest of the parts combined. Esp from a Draft Lite.

I mean... I guess my question is have I wasted way too much money on this bike? I personally don't really have a problem with the draft...

You haven't "wasted money" if you've bought quality components for your Draft and eventually swap them over to a nicer frame. Post a pic of your bike.

I saw an SE Draft at Performance awhile back and picked it up off the stand. Cotdamn that thing is heavy. I wouldn't waste time/money upgrading anything on it. But in general (besides hi-ten) I don't see anything wrong with CF parts on a steel bike.

if you swap the fork over to a new frame that doesn't suck, then it's not a bad purchase.

will it turn your draft into a great bike? hell no. but that fork is a pretty good deal in and of itself.

is the fork 1" or 1 1/8"? something to consider when you eventually upgrade the frame, or not.

performance, as a company, generally looks down on that kind of 'advice' from what i hear. i think they're supposed to upsell through positive methods and generally shed the persona of a surly bike shop worker.

Get the fork if you want. It is a decent fork for $50. If anything, hold on to it till you happen to get a better frame.

Forgot to mention, for $50 new, I'd def buy that fork. I've checked it out in person and it seems pretty nice. I almost bought one myself for $80 but decided it wasn't worth it (for me) on my cro-mo bike.

i tossed it on my kilo tt after i bent the stock fork. I like how it dampens vibrations a tad more, looks a bit more aero, and its lighter than the stock kilo tt fork by a noticeable margin.

hook it up with the coupons, bro. i want a carbon fork for $50, too.

I needed a threadless fork for my steel bike with a stock threaded aluminum fork, and this fork was pretty inexpensive. But the frame was Reynolds 853...

I haven't had any problems with the fork.

If this is the Performance Bike in Cary (Near Cary Town Center) don't let them install it.. One of their mechanics installed my headset bearings upsidedown (it was pretty obvious, there was a .75 cm gap between the top race and the cap and in turn didn't cut the steerer tube long enough. He also busted the crown-race (with a seal on it), and replaced it with one without a seal, and also put in the star-nut crooked. I didn't bother to take it back to have them fix it, and did it myself. I haven't anything against Performance Bike, but some of their mechanic's methods (in NC, at least) are not exactly orthodox and clean for a paid service, besides that, though the store is fine. The fork, by itself, is worth the money. Perhaps not on your frame, though. But if you are looking to swap your frame, it is for sure worth it, in my opinion.

Yeah, care to share the coupon code/s with us? It's currently on sale for $79 by itself on Performance's site.