Favorite forks?
07-24-11, 08:14 PM
#1
Vain, But Lacking Talent
Thread Starter
Favorite forks?
Kind of random, but I find that a fork can make or break a bike for me. I'm into the road bikes, so my fork preference usually lands me just outside of the "vintage" range.
For some strange reason, I just can't find myself liking a flat crown fork on an otherwise sleek roadbike. I really, really like the sloped crowns and pretty much can't stand a uni-crown fork. Kind of deadlocks me into 80's steel, which I don't really mind.
Now if the flat crown fork is on an older 3-speed or touring bike, I don't mind at all. But I also don't see myself buying one anytime soon.
So do you have a preference, or does it depend on the bike, or what?
For some strange reason, I just can't find myself liking a flat crown fork on an otherwise sleek roadbike. I really, really like the sloped crowns and pretty much can't stand a uni-crown fork. Kind of deadlocks me into 80's steel, which I don't really mind.
Now if the flat crown fork is on an older 3-speed or touring bike, I don't mind at all. But I also don't see myself buying one anytime soon.
So do you have a preference, or does it depend on the bike, or what?
07-24-11, 08:34 PM
#2
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Pretty much what you said, minus that I'm OK with flat crowns. I just prefer a slopped crown. I do think that a flat crown does just look "right" and good on some builds/frame-sets. And it helps a lot if there's a nifty little painted symbol on a flat crown to make it not look like it's just a random protrusion from the bottom of the head-tube.
07-24-11, 08:46 PM
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To me, the bend of the fork is a determining factor. I love a nice curve. Straight forks just don't look right to me. I also like chrome forks, but not on all bikes. I agree with the above for the most part in regards to flat crowns. Although I had a Bridgestone Kabuki Submariner that had a flat crown, chromed and it looked fine on the bike.
07-24-11, 09:27 PM
#4
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I love sloping crowns, though I like flat crowns. I dislike unicrowns or whatever they're called when the blade just goes up to the steerer tube.
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07-24-11, 09:52 PM
#5
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I do like myself a nice biplane fork crown. I've never actually had one myself, but I do like to look at them.
07-24-11, 09:55 PM
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How's this? 
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07-24-11, 11:32 PM
#7
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I love the look of sloped crowns, like the one on my PSV:
Not really into flat corwns, just looks too old fashioned to me and totally don't like unicrowns.
Chombi
Not really into flat corwns, just looks too old fashioned to me and totally don't like unicrowns.
Chombi
Last edited by Chombi; 07-24-11 at 11:36 PM.
07-24-11, 11:44 PM
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That is gorgeous, it's definitely my favorite style. I like the Cinelli sloping crowns found on the older Raleigh Pros, the one on your peugeot looks really similar.
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|^^^^^^^^^^^^^^| ||
|......GO.BROWNS........| ||'|";, ___.
|_..._..._______===|=||_|__|..., ] -
"(@)'(@)"""''"**|(@)(@)*****''(@)
|^^^^^^^^^^^^^^| ||
|......GO.BROWNS........| ||'|";, ___.
|_..._..._______===|=||_|__|..., ] -
"(@)'(@)"""''"**|(@)(@)*****''(@)
07-24-11, 11:45 PM
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I like flat crowns a lot, but lately I've begun to like sloped ones as well. Unicrowns are nasty. With modern forks, it really just depends, since there are so many different types.
07-25-11, 12:03 AM
#10
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I like the fork on my Mercian a lot. It has a sloping crown with nice long points, I haven't seen this style on other Mercians. The fork blades have a very attractive bend and round tubes. The generator tab is a little unsightly, but it's cool in it's own way.
My Raleigh Gran Sport also has a nice bend to the fork. The blades on the Raleigh are oval and look larger from the side. I think the flat crown fits the bike, it looks older to me.
The forks on my Raleigh Pro are a different beast. The fork blades look much smaller in diameter to me and are round like my Mercian. The bend is more of a kink at the end and the fork crown is semi-sloping I suppose.
My Raleigh Gran Sport also has a nice bend to the fork. The blades on the Raleigh are oval and look larger from the side. I think the flat crown fits the bike, it looks older to me.
The forks on my Raleigh Pro are a different beast. The fork blades look much smaller in diameter to me and are round like my Mercian. The bend is more of a kink at the end and the fork crown is semi-sloping I suppose.
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|_..._..._______===|=||_|__|..., ] -
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07-25-11, 09:38 AM
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Well, it depends... For my Merckx or DeRosa (neither of which has shown up yet), it'll definitely be a flat-top crown. If and when my Eisentraut A comes along, it'll definitely be full sloping. It's the ubiquitous semi-sloping crown that leaves me cold - neither fish nor fowl, if you will. And don't get me started on unicrowns: just another "improvement" that only benefits the manufacturer.
SP
Bend, OR
ps - and yeah, the diameter and bend of the blades matters too: slim, with a low bend on a rando or classic road bike, beefy and gradual bend on a crit or track bike. Either way, the bend goes all the way to the drops - no straight tubing at the bottom.
SP
Bend, OR
ps - and yeah, the diameter and bend of the blades matters too: slim, with a low bend on a rando or classic road bike, beefy and gradual bend on a crit or track bike. Either way, the bend goes all the way to the drops - no straight tubing at the bottom.
07-25-11, 10:20 AM
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Funny this thread would pop up, I am working on my Jetter road bike and while I was test fiting the front wheel I am going to run I noticed my front fork was bent way over to the left at the bottom of the head tube. I went through all of my forks that are hanging around and the only one that I was able to make work is a unicrown fork off of a Panasonic ATB ( fitting a 700 wheel in a 26" tired fork to boot, it's the same height ). I really like sloping crown forks and would even like a flat crown fork but for now I have to run what I got.
The bike had 27" wheels originally but 700's fit the stock fork like a glove with the stock Dia-Compe 500 brakes even fitting. I am stripping a Trek 1000 SL with a damaged frame & moving all the parts over to the Jetter frame making a few upgrades as I go like STI's, Dual Pivot brakes & better triple crank. This is a budget build using what I have on hand because I am 1- broke 2- don't know if I will like it when done 3- did I say I am broke lol. Anyone have a sloping or flat crown fork that will fit a 700 wheel and has at least 185mm head tube they would consider trading something for.
I am taking this,
Plus this,
and using the fork from this,
The bike had 27" wheels originally but 700's fit the stock fork like a glove with the stock Dia-Compe 500 brakes even fitting. I am stripping a Trek 1000 SL with a damaged frame & moving all the parts over to the Jetter frame making a few upgrades as I go like STI's, Dual Pivot brakes & better triple crank. This is a budget build using what I have on hand because I am 1- broke 2- don't know if I will like it when done 3- did I say I am broke lol. Anyone have a sloping or flat crown fork that will fit a 700 wheel and has at least 185mm head tube they would consider trading something for.
I am taking this,
Plus this,
and using the fork from this,
07-25-11, 01:12 PM
#14
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This is my Favorit fork...
But there is something to say for the good old flat crown also, if you're looking at the right one...
Semi-sloping has its place in the vintage road bicycle world, also, in my opinion...
And there is so much the artist/craftsperson/framebuilder can do with the boarders defined by a nice crown...
And this is the fork crown (?) on the best riding bicycle in my humble collection...
Though I never really thought much about a favorite style of crown, I do like fork crowns and the opportunity they present to add a little extra to a bicycle. The same goes for lug style and presentation and, I like head badges for the same reason. Attention to detail for the sake of appearance, coupled with function optimized.
All that said and showed, I really hate the looks of the unicrown fork!
But there is something to say for the good old flat crown also, if you're looking at the right one...
Semi-sloping has its place in the vintage road bicycle world, also, in my opinion...
And there is so much the artist/craftsperson/framebuilder can do with the boarders defined by a nice crown...
And this is the fork crown (?) on the best riding bicycle in my humble collection...
Though I never really thought much about a favorite style of crown, I do like fork crowns and the opportunity they present to add a little extra to a bicycle. The same goes for lug style and presentation and, I like head badges for the same reason. Attention to detail for the sake of appearance, coupled with function optimized.
All that said and showed, I really hate the looks of the unicrown fork!
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07-25-11, 02:35 PM
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This one:
image courtesy bhovey.com
image courtesy bhovey.com
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Sono più lento di quel che sembra.
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07-25-11, 02:41 PM
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Favorite fork on any bike is always the same...
The segmented fork known as a "new england fork" a "Fat Chance" style.
Waltworks makes my favorite version of this custom for any bike/headset/cyclist. At $275 probably the best deal going in cycling.
The segmented fork known as a "new england fork" a "Fat Chance" style.
Waltworks makes my favorite version of this custom for any bike/headset/cyclist. At $275 probably the best deal going in cycling.
07-25-11, 02:53 PM
#17
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I like this one... but I'm kind of partial to the bike.
07-25-11, 05:43 PM
#18
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Here's my fave fork only because I have no idea what it is other than it's old and track. Good old chrome, beefy drop outs. The uni-style crown has a flat area at the back.
Any thoughts? I'll give a prize for a positive ID
Any thoughts? I'll give a prize for a positive ID
07-25-11, 07:17 PM
#19
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I used to dislike flat crowns also, but I've come to love them since acquiring a Super Course. I don't have a strong preference for one to the exclusion of others, I don't even detest unicrowns.
+1
The crowns that Rawland uses are pretty over the top, but I like them.
I do like myself a nice biplane fork crown. I've never actually had one myself, but I do like to look at them.
The crowns that Rawland uses are pretty over the top, but I like them.
07-25-11, 07:40 PM
#21
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I like semi sloping, Columbus Max, sloping, aero, and in the right case, CF. As for the bend, I like the aesthetic of fork that resemble the sweep of a katana.
07-26-11, 09:17 AM
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Colnago Precisa.
Last edited by bbattle; 07-27-11 at 09:29 AM.
07-26-11, 06:02 PM
#24
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I don't care much about the fork as long as there is a nice medium rare peice of filet mignon on it.
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07-26-11, 06:13 PM
#25
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