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First post and I'm asking for advice. I have a 2015 Carrera Kraken that I bought to get back into cycling after too many years away, it has cheap suntour coil sprung forks that aren't terrible but also aren't great. It also has a straight 1 1/8" steerer. Pretty much all of the forks I can find in 650b with 120mm travel have tapered steerers. My headset bearings are getting a little notchy so I was thinking that as it's time to replace them, and also with one eye on a fork upgrade, what would my options be? I'm thinking of getting the rockshox 30 gold TK and a headset adapter but I am unsure of what to go for. My only local option is Evans so if there's anything they carry that would be preferred. I was thinking either cane creek or hope would be pretty solid options but I really don't know which models to go for.
Thanks for any advice.
the standard answer to all component options is: buy the most expensive you can afford. You tend to get better tolerance, better quality materials, and better quality bearings.
I thought as much, I'm trying to avoid the "buy cheap, buy twice" trap. I guess the other option would be to go for a new 1 1/8" fork but I can't really find anything that fits with the 650b/120mm travel other than more suntour stuff. Are there even any current forks that come with a straight steerer these days?
I would imangine there aren't an awful lot of forks in that category?
does the frame have a 1.5' headset with a reducer, or is it 1 1/8'?
does the frame have a 1.5' headset with a reducer, or is it 1 1/8'?
Likewise, perhaps it is a straight 44 mm head tube (that will take a tapered fork)? 1 1/8 seems very unlikely on a 2015/650b bike.
It's a 1 1/8" semi integrated, without taking the existing bearings out it looks to be around a 44mm headtube. I guess my best option will be to just take it in to Evans, I live near their Gatwick warehouse so parts are pretty much all in stock there.
For a Halfords bike it's not all that bad really, the frame geometry fits me nicely, I've already upgraded the brakes and mechs/shifters to XT/XTR parts as the Altus kit it had as stock was pretty shocking in terms of actual shifting, even bearing in mind that my last MTB was a 1990s Marin rigid and before that a Raleigh Yukon with biopace. I just look at it as a rolling project at the moment, much like my motorbike and my old cortina (I like to tinker with stuff!)
it looks to be around a 44mm headtube.
It will probably take a tapered steerer then, get the bike checked out if you're unsure, but like timmys suggested, it seems unlikely not have a taper compatible headtube these days.
If the lower headtube is 44mm internal diameter then you'll need a Hope EC44 lower headset, or equivalent, to fit a tapered fork.
Thanks guys, I'll pop it in to Evans at some point to check it out.
I'm interested in this.. I was under the impression it's more complex than its worth to run a tapered steer in a straight tube?