Originally Posted by
TenGrainBread
If you really must put on a carbon fork, the best option would be a Wound Up composite fork. They will do a steel threaded 1-inch steerer for you so you can use your original headset if desired.
Close 2nd would be a 1" Columbus carbon fork. These are very nice. You'll have to change the headset to a 1" threadless because these only come in threadless (I used a 1" threadless Cane Creek 100 when I did a similar conversion on a 90s Litespeed).
If you want my true opinion, it's leave the steel fork on there. Whatever "absorptive" properties carbon has I really highly doubt it will make a perceptible difference in ride quality. Pretty much marketing speak. I've never noticed being any more comfortable on the 3 carbon forks I've had (a Wound Up with steel steerer, a Columbus with full carbon steerer, and a Salsa with alloy steerer).
The rest of it should be compatible with modern components. Make sure your rear dropout spacing is at least 126mm if you want to use a new 130mm cassette hub. A 1984 bike might have narrower spacing and need to be spread. You will probably also have brake mounting holes for nutted brakes instead of recessed nut, so that will also need to be changed if you want to use modern brakes, unless you get a Tektro with nutted mounting.
Thanks for the info.
For the fork, it's a mix between wanting things to be a bit more solid as well as comfortable. I used to weigh 145-155lbs in college in 'race' weight and weigh 170-180 right now depending on how much I've been lifting. The reynolds 531P tubing is a bit... errrr... squishy. I guess I can always use it for now.
So these are the options:
1)
https://www.performancebike.com/ritc...59-630/p310356
2)
http://www.henryjames.com/minimal-ca...r-painted.html
I've fit a 10 speed rear in there before. It requires spreading things a bit, but I never had any issues doing so myself. I never got the rear triangle respaced.
I also already have 'modern' 105 brakes on there circa mid 2000 level kit so I should be good for brakes.
I've also semi toyed with the idea of selling the bike either as is or as a frame, but I feel like it would be really nice to set it back up as a geared bike for distance riding again.
On the note of tires, I have 28's on now. It looks like I could still go bigger so maybe a 30 or 32 would fit as well depending on the tire. 28 is decent enough though!