Leader i806A - NEEDED!
 

Hey,
My bike is stuck on a bench, lacking one silly part...

The LEADER i806A Aluminum Fork in Matte (Flat) Black.

If anyone knows anyone with one they want to offload, please let me know. Every single dealer I've called is out and Leader isn't re-upping until August.

Thanks.

You're screwed.

Get the carbon/aluminum I05TR for only 40 bucks more. It's a much better fork.

Some people mentioned to me that the rigidity could be an issue, hitting a pothole and possibly snapping part of the fork. You think they are on to something or just over-thinking it?

Over thinking.

You're over thinking it. I swear by carbon. My road bike is entirely carbon. Last time I checked I'm still here.

Does that apply to wheels, too, in your opinion? I was turned away from Aerospokes for the same reason. To be fair, they were a completely aesthetic consideration, but the dude told me one good shot and I'd have an unfix-able rim. In the interim I bought H+Son SL42's, which I LOVE, but I was just curious to know your thoughts.

Yup. I run reynolds SDVC66's on my track set up and sram s80's on my roadie as of currently.

Aerospokes are not even carbon, they are carbon composite, aka plastic, which is even more sturdy and rigid. Bomb proof. Trade off is weight, that's what you should worry about much more.

A shot up alloy rim is unfixable aswell.... paying attention and avoiding potholes/ cracks/ road sh*t is where it's at.

Thanx peep-holes. I'm going for it. Sick.

Great choice! You would like to hear this too: aluminium forks provide a much harsher ride than say that of a steel or carbon fork, the latter being the most absorbent of road vibration and shock. AND that carbon has a higher tensile strength than steel; and strength of steel > aluminum. Ride with confidence.

This is OT, but, pics please?

Whats the consensus on CF's ability to take abuse? Like getting metal things knocked into it, scratched, and smashed in lockup, crashes, ect...

CF is hardly ever used in BMX and downhill, so that leads me to believe it's not the toughest.

s808's price pretty marked up because it's SRAM; Boyd, Williams, Reynolds, EDGE/ENVE would probably perform the same.

CF is very common in BMX racing.

Hey guys have you heard how carbon is so totally not good for potholes?!?

Metal never breaks but carbon always breaks.

Scrod-

What're your thoughts on putting an s805 on a 725 (Leaders): http://coghouse.com/images/products/...eel_fork_1.jpg

Wrong. It's not common at all. And the ones that are CF are not for street/park use, but rather for closed courses.

It won't really work because the standard size crown will create a gap when paired with the oversized head tube on the 725 frame and the bottom bearing will be slightly exposed. Don't do it.

Typical carbon fiber has roughly 6 times the tensile strength of 4130 steel, and Roughly 12 times that of alu. However, carbon fiber is brittle, more susceptible to fracturing from shock. Generally multiple minor fractures can be sustaned before total part failure in the case of Carbon fiber, which is a high tensile strength but brittle composite.
Now my real world experiences stem from automotive and aerospace applications, but the same basic principles of physics and mathematics are applicable (on a small scale) to like materials used in bicycles.

Which is racing...

ultraspontaneous doesn't understand carbon fiber.

or bikes.



the fact of the matter is... people have been riding carbon fiber for over a decade and they only get rid of it for the same reasons they get rid of metal... it breaks or they think it's going to break.

if you don't want to ride carbon don't ride carbon.

just don't ask for advice or help when other people who do ride carbon clearly know that carbon is perfectly fine to ride on as long as you don't do stupid stuff like stair drops or whatever.

i hop curbs on carbon nearly every day. my cross bike's fork steerer and stays is made out of it. i am harder on my cross bike than any of my other bikes.

Truth.

Maintenance, inspections and proper care. Regardless of any material.

Treat it right, it will last. Beat it up and thrash it, on the other hand, and it will reciprocate. Though, likely to your face and extremities.

Ah since you own some carbon fiber, you are the worlds scientific authority on the subject now. Looks like I can throw out all of the evidence out there that suggests CF is not ideal for situations of abuse or heavy loads due to the brittle nature and susceptibility to failure from dents, shears, ect.

I never said it sucked. I said it wasn't as tough as metal and cannot cope with abuse as well as metal thus not being popular among freestlye and downhill circles.

I'm sure it makes a fine material for most uses, but not everyone likes having to baby their bike and worry about dents, ect...

Reap what they sow.

Care goes a long way.

Which is wildly off-topic in this thread. We're so glad your back.

I didn't really consider it as such because no one has a fork that practically doesn't exist yet.