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Fog cutter steel fork?

Old 09-20-21, 06:03 PM
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Fog cutter steel fork?

Curious if anyone has tried the Soma Fog Cutter with the steel fork option. If you have also tried the CF fork I’d love to hear your comparison.

I’ve been riding a FC for a few years now with the CF fork and its OK, but I don’t love it. The steel fork on my old Salsa Casseroll felt more lively and smooth. This fork feels a tad stiff and dead in comparison.

I see the color-matched steel one for a decent price and am tempted to give it a shot.
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Old 09-21-21, 12:46 AM
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I have the v1 fog cutter, but with the cromo fork. I haven't ridden the carbon fork to compare, but never thought of the steel fork as dead and stiff. It does feel a bit heavy when lifting, but I don't feel it when riding. I do wish the fog cutter's fork was a higher grade than Tange infinity, but at least they offer one.


I don't have any bikes with a carbon fork as I like and stick with steel

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Old 09-21-21, 07:43 AM
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I would be surprised if Prestige blades would be meaningfully lighter than the Infinity blades on a prodcution fork like this. Since its a production fork, and disc, it will almost for sure be spec'd with a tubing profile that is for sure able to pass testing and that means not going too thin on the butting.
Columbus Cromor and SL tubing both use .9mm blades, for example.
Since this is a production disc fork, it probably has something like 1.2/.9 tubing to resist flex and thats regardless of what tube set it comes from.

Prestige would get you heat treated tubing, for what thats worth.
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Old 09-21-21, 10:18 AM
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Originally Posted by mstateglfr
I would be surprised if Prestige blades would be meaningfully lighter than the Infinity blades on a prodcution fork like this. Since its a production fork, and disc, it will almost for sure be spec'd with a tubing profile that is for sure able to pass testing and that means not going too thin on the butting.
Columbus Cromor and SL tubing both use .9mm blades, for example.
Since this is a production disc fork, it probably has something like 1.2/.9 tubing to resist flex and thats regardless of what tube set it comes from.

Prestige would get you heat treated tubing, for what thats worth.
But it shows an Infinity sticker vs Prestige I know the weight savings won't be much.

Some of Soma's first disc bikes had Prestige forks so I'm sure it was a cost cutting decision.
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Old 09-21-21, 11:35 AM
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Originally Posted by katsup
But it shows an Infinity sticker vs Prestige
No argument from me on this. My gravel frame is has 853 tubes for the main triangle, it isnt really any lighter than some 631 options, but it has that 853 tag!
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Old 09-22-21, 10:48 AM
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"feels dead" = damping accomplished by the CFRP. But it's really stiff.

"feels lively" = flex, when you have thinner stronger steel there's less of it, the extra strength lets it flex further before it bends. So it's springy but the damper is you.

Pick your poison, right?
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Old 09-22-21, 12:08 PM
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Originally Posted by Darth Lefty
"feels dead" = damping accomplished by the CFRP. But it's really stiff.

"feels lively" = flex, when you have thinner stronger steel there's less of it, the extra strength lets it flex further before it bends. So it's springy but the damper is you.

Pick your poison, right?
No, not necessarily. Damped vs springy CAN be a choice between two decent options.

Well executed CF is damped but also smooth. They can be damped without feeling dead (it is a matter of degree).

Steel can be too noodley, too stiff, or just right.

Unfortunately, when looking at a cheap CF or steel steel forks, you don't really know what you are going to get. In the case of my Casseroll, I got a good steel fork. In the case of something like my old Karate Monkey, I got a steel fork stiff as hell. On my FC, I got a somewhat stiff, dead CF fork. On my wifes old Windsor Road bike, the CF fork felt pretty nice. All (relatively) cheap forks.
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Old 09-22-21, 12:17 PM
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I can certainly agree there's more to it. One of the things I learned from various cut-up-the-chinarello articles is that a cheap CF frame or fork is basically the CF equivalent of hi-ten... put constant thickness of good enough fiber everywhere and call it a day. A really nice carbon frame or fork has a complicated layup schedule to flex just-so and no material where it's not needed
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Old 09-23-21, 03:35 AM
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Maybe the fork isn't the huge factor everyone thinks. Assuming geometry and wheel stay the same. I swapped a steel fork for a carbon fork on a roadbike and i really didn't notice a difference.
But i later swapped the alu bars for a carbon bar and that really was noticeable.
The carbon bar has a controlled springiness that really transformed the ride quality.
​​​​​​A different bike and parts than yours but still worth thinking about.
Having tried both i would choose a carbon bar over carbon fork any day.
That's my two cents.
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Old 09-23-21, 05:15 AM
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Originally Posted by blamester
Maybe the fork isn't the huge factor everyone thinks. Assuming geometry and wheel stay the same. I swapped a steel fork for a carbon fork on a roadbike and i really didn't notice a difference.
But i later swapped the alu bars for a carbon bar and that really was noticeable.
The carbon bar has a controlled springiness that really transformed the ride quality.
​​​​​​A different bike and parts than yours but still worth thinking about.
Having tried both i would choose a carbon bar over carbon fork any day.
That's my two cents.
In my experience (from doing frame-set swaps with the same components), the fork can make a big difference. And while steel and CF have different ride characteristics, it is the specific execution of each that really determines whether it is a good ride. I think it is possible that if both a steel fork and CF are overly stiff, there is going to be less difference between them.
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Old 09-28-21, 06:51 PM
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Funny, I'm rocking the steel FC fork and am curious if the CF fork would give a smoother ride.

The FC is my randonneuring bike, and I'm always in pursuit of increased comfort for all-day rides. I don't know how a lively fork vs dead fork feels. My cross bike has a carbon fork; compared to the FC it feels smoother on dirt trails. Maybe more controllable, but it's hard to say what's fork and what's bike.

I hope you buy the steel fork and report.
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Old 10-26-21, 09:23 AM
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Well I saw a good deal on the steel fork and decided to give it a shot. Can't ride it yet due to a broken shifter, but here are my first 2 observations:

The color match is just a tad off. The fork is a bit more fire engine red as compared to the blood red of the frame and CF fork. Par for the course with what I have come to expect from Soma's lax QC in the past.

Weights (both with steerers cut to the identical length):
  • CF:760g
  • Steel:1,038g
So, a 278g difference. Not as big a difference as I thought it would be.
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Old 10-26-21, 06:03 PM
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Originally Posted by Kapusta
Well I saw a good deal on the steel fork and decided to give it a shot. Can't ride it yet due to a broken shifter, but here are my first 2 observations:

The color match is just a tad off. The fork is a bit more fire engine red as compared to the blood red of the frame and CF fork. Par for the course with what I have come to expect from Soma's lax QC in the past.

Weights (both with steerers cut to the identical length):
  • CF:760g
  • Steel:1,038g
So, a 278g difference. Not as big a difference as I thought it would be.
Thanks for the weights, I was always curious the weight savings if I had bought the CF fork.

I don't notice any difference with the red on my frame and fork, but I had bought mine together at the same time. I wonder if at some point the red slightly changed.
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Old 10-26-21, 06:30 PM
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Originally Posted by katsup
Thanks for the weights, I was always curious the weight savings if I had bought the CF fork.

I don't notice any difference with the red on my frame and fork, but I had bought mine together at the same time. I wonder if at some point the red slightly changed.
Yeah, i bought the frame and CF fork something like 4 years ago. They didn’t even offer a steel fork then. Surely a different run and may have used a different painter.
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Old 10-26-21, 07:01 PM
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Speaking of Soma and paint.

The Fog Cutter Russo Red touch-up paint is nowhere close to matching the frame/fork. Given the FC paint chips off if you look at it sideways, my new bike is becoming quite mottled.

I keep meaning to take it to a automotive paint place to get some matching paint mixed, but can never get around to it. I imagine one day I'll end up getting the frame - which I love - repainted.
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Old 11-20-21, 05:31 PM
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I got the shifter fixed, and have about 4 rides on the steel fork.

The difference is noticeable. Not sure I can say which I think is “better”

It seems like the CF fork is a little more smooth in terms of vibration and the small stuff, but the steel fork has more give on the rough stuff. The steel just feels a little…. springier.

The steel fork definitely looks better.

Last edited by Kapusta; 11-22-21 at 11:34 AM.
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