New forks, fed up with SFNs. (Star Fangled Nuts before you ask)

Simple question: what’s the best value?

I’ve had a head doctor in the past and found no problem with it.

Are ones that run from the bottom more secure? But require the threaded rod cutting to size? Will stop me from using a crown mounted mudguard?

I use the longer rod type on both bike, and find it serves it’s purpose. For storage, I have to rotate the bars on each bike 90 degs, so I can be sure the whole stack is correctly compressed when I have to keep moving the stem back and forth.

i use SFNS and find it serves the purpose of preloading my headset bearings …….

if it keeps coming loose on you you need to look at your stem !

All any of the designs do is allow you to preload the headset bearings. Once the stem is bolted in place you could remove the (whatever) if you felt like it. As trail rat says, if you’re having problems with things coming loose it’s (most likely) because the stem isn’t correctly fitted.

I have no problame with the use of SFNs, they stay correctly preloaded thankyouverymuch.

I just hate fitting them. I don’t have a work bench with a vice. For the price of a fitting tool (which is still only the impact tool, still don’t have a bench/vice) I could get a head doctor and not have to worry about it.

Lovely shiny new forks, lots of expensive technology, cut to length and then fit the SFN *BANG BANG BANG BANG* 🙁

you think you put more stress on your shiny new forks by bang bang bang than riding fast ?

so its more a feel good factor thing really ….

i have a headdoctor on my TT bike as thats what the previous owner put in …. works fine

headlocks on the otherhand are just overkill

you think you put more stress on your shiny new forks by bang bang bang than riding fast?

Pretty much the opposite. Without doing any sums, I wouldn’t guess that the top end of the steerer is very highly stressed compared to the bottom junction at the crown, despite any gouges left by the SFN.

If I want to fit SFNs properly it’ll cost me. I’d rather avoid the problem (simple but inelegant solution, though it is) full stop.