[Closed] Inspire me! Rigid fork for a picky b*gger

Meh. I just bought a generic carbon fork off ebay and it's been fine.

Was there not death and destruction and small children screaming?

I am leaning towards the eXotic monocoque as one of the (hopefully) more trusted generic carbon brands

This Kona any good?

https://shop.bikesandbuddies.co.uk/p2-cromoly-fork-for-29-275-plus-110mmx15mm.html

Was there not death and destruction and small children screaming?

Not yet. And what's more, I'm still alive* 😅

* bit of a hostage to fortune there, eh?

Kinesis Maxlight Boost? Full carbon. I've got a non-Kinesis version which is missing a couple of features, for example the Kinesis one comes with a set screw to hold the through axle nut in place.

I had the Selcof one as part of the Whippet deal from last year. It was an awesome fork tbh and looked good to boot.

Didn't really give it much stick beyond woods and fire road rides, but it felt very secure in the few rides I used it for. Sold it on as I went with suspension but half wish I didn't.

Wouldn't buy second hand carbon forks myself, although I did of course sell some so know there are decent ones out there.

RideFarr – Really cheap, looks great IMO, steel gives me that bit of trust but nearly 1.6kg!!!

More like 1.7kg with the 300mm steerer uncut. I bought a set for a future project. They seem nice. For comparison, the Surly Instigator 26" 447mm A-C forks I've been using for the last 14 years weigh 1.4kg with a 265mm steerer and no axle.

I have Kinesis maxlight. 490mm a to c and 55mm off set. I think it's great but it has internal brake routing, might not appeal to some.

Kinesis Maxlight Boost?

They aren't sold any more as far as I can see. I had the QR version on my previous rigid SS. I was told (second hand information) that some of the Boost forks cracked around the dropouts so had to pull them from sale, but that may be bobbins

Wouldn’t buy second hand carbon forks myself, although I did of course sell some so know there are decent ones out there.

I have the same hang up. I am sure it is all mental with these all carbon forks but a lingering doubt isn't something you want all the same!

This Kona any good?

Getting close for sure. It is hard to find nice looking steel forks and they look alright! The 470mm AC height is getting a bit low though as I reckon 490mm would be spot on.

FWIW, the ones I bought were new, from Taiwan.

They aren’t sold any more as far as I can see.

They are on the Kinesis website. Through axle, £320

Not in stock though and haven't been for quite a while

Procaliber with rigid forks

Think it’s a kinesis, looks quite nice

Twangy (in the correct way) steel forks give me a bit more piece of mind.

https://flic.kr/p/2kGBC9A

I thought you'd say that about the Konas 🙂
Shame you can't do an external lower headset cup on the Trek to gain 10-12mm because the taper blade design looks really nice and Kona have a decent rigid fork history.

There is a Soma fork but not boost.
https://southerndistributors.co.uk/product/mtb-fork-29er-for-sale/

http://carverbikes.com/parts/forks/trail-490/

Pretty hard to find though in the US let alone uk.....
I imported a Popeye about 18mknthd ago as there were none in the UK.

Simworks Doppo fork, claimed 680g Tange butted steel but $260-300 from Japan.

https://www.sim.works/products/simworks-doppo-mtb-fork?variant=35040572211366

Brother do a Carbon MTB fork big clearances will run big discs.

Or A Whisky fork come to mind as I’ve been looking too!

I run a Exotic Monocoque Boost fork. I think it looks lovely. I've been riding it for a year and it's been fine.

I really can't believe that steel Simworks fork is 680g. No other long, disc brake Tange forks are anywhere near that weight.

I would stop being picky and just get the Exotic Monocoque Boost fork which looks good.
You can then spend the time you have now saved worrying about having a frame with a tensioner which would be a much bigger concern for me 🙂

Quite a few of us on the bearbonesbikepacking forum with Travers Prong forks. Very well regarded

Carver

They always get recommended on MTBR/ US boards. Look very similar to the eXotic/ Kinesis/ Norton Shores/ etc forks so I am getting led more towards going for the eXotic

I really can’t believe that steel Simworks fork is 680g

No chance that weight is anywhere near right 😀

Twangy (in the correct way) steel forks give me a bit more piece of mind.

I think steel would give my mind reassurance and the ride quality should be nice but I am struggling to find a fork with the right AC height that doesn't have a ton of mounts and bosses on every surface and is a bit more in the 1.1-1.2kg region.

Brother do a Carbon MTB fork big clearances will run big discs.

Or A Whisky fork come to mind as I’ve been looking too!

Brother is non-Boost and generic Chinese carbon with a surcharge unless I am mistaken. If someone can say they have abused one of these over mega miles that would be all the reassurance I need 😀

Whisky is mega money and very hard to find in Boost. I'm not too keen on having to spend extra money on a new hub/ new front wheel on top of the high fork cost

Quite a few of us on the bearbonesbikepacking forum with Travers Prong forks. Very well regarded

How do you find the axle? I have nightmares from DT Swiss RWS I had before and just want an easy life (yeah you wouldn't think that reading all this fluffing around 🙂 )

Do you have any pics on bikes as I'm not sure on the looks of the mahoosive size. Is it a bit better in the flesh?

I run a Exotic Monocoque Boost fork. I think it looks lovely. I’ve been riding it for a year and it’s been fine.

I would stop being picky and just get the Exotic Monocoque Boost fork which looks good.

The Kinesis QR similar fork I had took me across Sweden and various other places so I don't know why I am fannying around.

Would anyone know if the QR bolt thru axle could be replaced by a normal bolt thru? I would guess the length and threads are something a bit odd but that would be the extra cherry on the cake

You can then spend the time you have now saved worrying about having a frame with a tensioner which would be a much bigger concern for me

Yeah, let's not go there 😀 The choice seemed to be £650 3kg steel frame (eg Brother/ Sherpa) or £2000 light XC carbon frame (eg LES) as I am set on avoiding an EBB as well. Mega money for what I would ideally like much like these forks. First world problems and all that
https://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/inspire-me-finding-a-niche-ss-frame/

I've had an Exotic monocoque for over 3 years and walloped it with everything and it's been fine. I can't see anything to compete with it as if you want a 'name' fork then they are significantly more ££

^ That is what that lingering doubts in my mind wanted to hear. Sold 🙂

Do you know if it is feasible to replace the QR bolt thru axle with a normal bolt thru?

I really can’t believe that steel Simworks fork is 680g. No other long, disc brake Tange forks are anywhere near that weight.

No chance that weight is anywhere near right 😀

I know, I've asked someone who has it repeatedly but they've never got back to me. FWIW that's the weight quoted in various press releases and the circles.jp web store. I fired them an email to confirm either way.

Orbea Spirit was another fork on my radar just as something interesting and a bit different but I haven't been able to find one

The Kona P2 is a remarkably comfortable and capable fork.
It’s what came as standard on my Unit.
To be honest I bought the bike on a whim about three years back and it’s ended up being ridden more often than any other mountain bike I own. The only thing I’ve upgraded is the bell.

I got a Whisky in boost from the Trailhead in Shrewsbury - price bit steep as like QBP stuff is made by Carbontech.

Just after i bought and had it painted... found Triton were selling Trek 1120 forks which would have suited by build better and saved cash!

https://www.tritoncycles.co.uk/frames-forks-c6/rigid-forks-c51/trek-1120-adventure-touring-fork-p20815/s62638

But see you found those...

Bombtrack options?

Steel:
https://bombtrack.com/parts/forks/bps-fork/

Carbon:
https://bombtrack.com/parts/forks/bpc-fork/

found Triton were selling Trek 1120 forks which would have suited by build better and saved cash!

They have a massive 510mm AC height if the specs are to be believed. I find it a bit hard to believe in some respects as the 1120 frame has a 70.4 HTA so it must be steep with a "normal" fork on!

Bombtrack options?

Bit tall but I did like the look of them. Where can you buy Bombtrack stuff in the UK?

Orbea Spirit was another fork on my radar just as something interesting and a bit different but I haven’t been able to find one

Direct order isn't it?

I saw the Orbea fork on some UK web shops for around £400 but £539 now on the Orbea site 😬

Where can you buy Bombtrack stuff in the UK

www.lyon.co.uk

but their website doesn't list any of their items. maybe worth a call?

On sale

https://www.bike24.com/p238036.html

QR and not shipping to the UK ☹️

Has anybody broken a mountain bike specific carbon fork? I hear lots of people taking sharp intakes of breath, but is that because older generations of carbon road forks were poor?

@DanW

Keep Pedalling in Manchester are Bombtrack stockists.

https://keeppedalling.co.uk/bikes/bombtrack/

Has anybody broken a mountain bike specific carbon fork? I hear lots of people taking sharp intakes of breath, but is that because older generations of carbon road forks were poor?

I remember about 10 years ago someone broke a Niner fork. Had one myself at the time. Gave me no cause for concern because it felt reassuringly much less flimsy than a steel one, and also rode quite smoothly.

Keep Pedalling in Manchester are Bombtrack stockists.

The LBS are a Bombtrack dealer too and they said they can't get hold of anything from them at the moment.

I'm looking in to Kinesis/ Niner/ ENVE availability with them and if there is no joy will go eXotic

Has anybody broken a mountain bike specific carbon fork? I hear lots of people taking sharp intakes of breath, but is that because older generations of carbon road forks were poor?

If you look hard enough you can find failures of most things on the web and there will always be some things that fail. What happened to cause the failure is always debatable of course and you would hope to spot a crack or something before it gets catastrophic. It is mostly in the mind I think- an inherent distrust of 600g of a very important component! All that said, I am jaded by a local legend having a really nasty crash and a heck of a lot of time of the bike with a MTB fork failure at speed.

I tend to agree with this write up...
https://www.yellowjersey.co.uk/the-draft/carbon-bicycle-weak/

I've got not doubts as to CF as a material and its properties. It is just a bit less resistant to constant knocks and anyone working with CF parts would acknowledge that. Lots of money get invested in impact resistance in applications far more critical that a pesky hobby 🙂 As another example, not many (any?) CF bars snap out of the blue with normal use but (anecdotally) there do seem to be many more crash related total failures. I've had 2 or 3, one really annoying one was a crack several cm long under the grips from clipping a tree. Not many people may have checked with such an innocuous feeling knock to the end of the bar but I whipped the grip off to be extra cautious and I'm glad I did. More useless internet anecdotal nonsense 🙂

... but this is getting OT 😀

I bought the Kinesis Max light.
It's nice and has a bit of flex for a carbon rigid fork.
Routed the brake cable with an old M-part guide externally and blanked off the exposed holes.
Looks neat and works well.
I swap forks around a lot so couldn't stick to full internal!
I have seen various similar forks on eBay which could be the same.
I put my trust with the Kinesis as I would hope it would not snap with Kinesis on it!
I think Shand use the same fork on their mtbs.
Thanks,
Max.

Does the fork have to be 490mm? 480 or 475 would replace a 100mm 29er fork well enough unless you wanted the front a bit higher up and laid back.

I tend to agree with this write up…
https://www.yellowjersey.co.uk/the-draft/carbon-bicycle-weak//blockquote >

I wouldn't.. I'd agree that most broken carbon stuff probably has had prior damage but not always. There's a lot that gets put down to prior damage but when the resulting break is a mass of splinters, who knows. Voids causing delaminations after some use are another cause. The article hints at carbon not having the fatigue issues that metal has yet it does fatigue in a way, just through different causes, and it mentions how good carbon is in aerospace - majority of bike industry carbon is so far from aerospace processes though.
Mode of failure and lack of warning sign visibility is what causes legitimate concerns about carbon.

 

100mm fork with a 505mm AC height running 15-20% sag, so yes 470-490 would be fine.

510mm like the Trek 1120 or 500mm like the Whisky Boost is pushing things because although you can drop the stem down to compensate, the Procaliber has quite a slack STA and I already struggle to get the saddle forwards enough.

Similarly 470mm would be ok with some extra spacers under the stem and probably isn't that far off the actual ride height but 460mm like the Kona is a step to far for a steeper HTA like the Procaliber.

480-490mm is what I reckon would give me a bit more descending fun without messing things up too much. 490mm is what I have had in the past so feel it works but am flexible 470-490mm

Travers. Work of art. Super strong, super light.
Sonder. Heavy but cheap in aly.

I asked before but didn’t get a reply...

@nowad how is the axle to live with. It looks very similar to a DT Swiss RWS and that was a finicky nightmare. Or at least more of a faff than needed

Absolutely no issue at all. Not once has it ever broken lose or needed nipping up. I share the fork in two bikes also so its literally used permanently.
I have the XC prong with triple mounts as pack with it but use it more for fast trail use as so light.
Big investment which is reduced over 2 bikes but possibly the best one item I have ever purchased over the years.
The ride quality also is plush.
Also the guy is a joy to deal with it.

I have a Travers Prong

Have not even given the axle a second thought tbh, I just sort of put the wheel on and ride away. Can’t quite see what the issue could be tbh?

I prefer the hand winding type axle rather than the Allan key type. Slots in 1st time every time.

Oh, I also had a very similar if not identical fork to ScotRoutes. The only issue I had with that was it required a bit of PTFE tape to stop coming loose. Aside from that it was a good fork.

I just wanted something shinier, and with cage mounts, and a warranty.

How about Soma?

https://southerndistributors.co.uk/product/mtb-fork-29er-for-sale/

Little update if anyone else is after a similar rigid fork.

Niner seems PITA to get hold of in the UK
ENVE available May all being well
Kinesis fork should also be available in May
Whisky available to order but not delivery dates given
Bombtrack availability a mystery to the LBS and they don't have any hope of anything coming soon
Trek 1120 available for delivery now if a 510mm AC height works for you
Haven't checked the Orbea Spirit availability
Travers may or may not have something different coming
eXotic... two available so still plenty of time to fanny around with all of this 😀

I weighed the tange prestige forks on my charge filter, which was a sort of cx/tourer type of thing.
905 grams.
I doubt that steel forks for an mtb are 680grams, maybe for a pre cen road bike, butnot an mtb.
I haven’t weighed those though, so I could be wrong.
The surly forks on my karate monkey are sort of twangy, in a good way.
Personally, I wouldn’t get too hung up on which ones, just buy from a reputable source, and they’ll probably be fine.

I went for the Whisky non Boost forks in the end.

Pricey, but incredible I have to say!

Mine are 615g cut which was a pleasant surprise after reports they were closer to 800g. I replaced the DT Swiss axle that I had so many hang ups about, with a Whisky bolt thru that was very hard to find and I had to source from the States (38g).

The supplied expander is also a really nice design (quite unique I would say) and doesn't budge around like so many light expanders can do.

I completely disagree with people who feel all rigid forks are the same. These are head and shoulders above the steel, Exotic and Kinesis forks I had previously in terms of comfort, damping and handling. Same bike, same tyres, same pressures... they are genuinely hard to tell apart from my SIDS (set up with 15% sag) on all but the very roughest, fastest descents (of which there are not too many and are short lived around me). That sounds like a bold claim, but for for the type of riding I have locally then are incredible an no where near as jarring or harsh as other rigid forks I have had. I can see what all the hype is about now 🙂

Just putting that out there in case anyone else was fannying around with over thinking rigid forks like I did 😀

👍👍

Hiya @DanW,

Yep nice fork - here is mine (boost) with custom paint- few experiments..:
[img] [/img]
[img] [/img]

That looks awesome!

Don't start me on fannying around with custom paint jobs now 😀

@rootes1 those matched forks make the bike look brilliant!