Originally Posted by
Redbullet
Grateful if somebody can explain me:
What are the advantages of tapered 1 ⅛ – 1 ¼ inch carbon fork over non tapered 1 ⅛ for road bike? I saw that tapered is usually more expensive.
Can I use (adapt) 1 ⅛ fork instead of 1 ⅛ – 1 ¼ tapered? How can I do this and what would be the disadvantages (if any)?
Thanks
The advantages of 1 1/4" at the bottom of the head tube are that (i) the strength of the fork/crown junction is increased (higher resistance to shearing forces) and (less crucially) (ii) vertical forces through the bearing surfaces are distributed over a greater area and among more bearings. The upper bearings usually undergo much lower stress and last much longer, so it makes sense to stick with the smaller-diameter 1 1/8" standard there.
Why are you replacing the fork, by the way?