Carbon Track Fork Recommendation

(SkyAli) said:

I would like to upgrade my nine year old custom sprint track bike (steel) with a carbon track
fork...straight blade.

The perfunctory first requirement for any rbt reply is to cross-examine your motives for the change.
So let's get this out of the way first: is there a problem with the existing fork that you're trying
to cure, or is this only an exercise in styling?

Quoted message said:

Can anyone recommend a carbon fork that is track specific?

Apart from replacement forks for Corima's Cougar frame or for the BT track frame from Australia
(neither of which will be inexpensive), you will find few options for a carbon fork designed
specifically for track use. A recent poster in another thread concerning track forks mentioned the
oft-rumored Reynolds track fork, but to my knowledge the Reynolds model does not yet exist.

Quoted message said:

What range of rake is recommended?

There is no absolute standard, of course, but dedicated sprint frames in steel will typically have
offsets in the range of 28 to 35mm. You should measure the fork you have and try to find a
replacement that is as close as possible to it not only with regard to offset, but also effective
blade length (fork crown race seat to axle). Even if you find a fork with an appropriate offset,
it's the effective blade length of your steel fork that may be the hardest to replicate with a
carbon fork. Most carbon forks have a more massive crown than a classic steel track model and will
therefore be more likely to have a longer effective blade length.

Quoted message said:

Is it possible to convert to threadless, and is there a preference to either 1 inch vs 1 1/8 inch?
I'm guessing mine is an inch.

A steel track frame of the vintage you mention is almost certainly for a 1" steerer, but if you find
a fork that meets your other needs, you can go to a threadless design with a simple change in
headset and stem.

Quoted message said:

I've looked on web sites, and every fork is made for the rode.... with a drilled brake hole.

Don't think of the brake hole as a disqualifying feature. With luck, the empty hole will whistle as
your speed goes over 50kph and impress anybody within earshot of how fast you're going.

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SkyAli said:

I would like to upgrade my nine year old custom sprint track bike (steel) with a carbon track
fork...straight blade.

Straight blade or curved makes no difference.

Quoted message said:

Can anyone recommend a carbon fork that is track specific? What range of rake is

recommended?

I would recommend matching the fork you have, unless you want to change the handling.

Quoted message said:

Is it possible to convert to threadless,

Yeah, but no reason to

Quoted message said:

and is there a preference to either 1 inch vs 1 1/8 inch?

If I were you, I would prefer what fits your frame.

I'm guessing mine is an inch. I've looked

Quoted message said:

on web sites, and every fork is made for the rode.... with a drilled brake hole.

The hole will not slow you down.

But track gear tends to be designed for strength, not light weight. Are you sure you want to do
this? Especially on a sprint bike, it would be good to keep a margin of safety.

I imagine there are carbon track forks, but I haven't seen any.

--

David L. Johnson

__o | There is always an easy solution to every human problem - neat, _`\(,_ | plausible, and
wrong. --H.L. Mencken (_)/ (_) |

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by Skyali
I've looked on web sites, and every fork is made for
the rode.... with a drilled brake hole.

A lot of track forks have the hole for the road, because some people like riding fixed gear bikes during winter, but also like to have brakes.

Unless you have too much cash, I'd question why you want a carbon fork. One smash and there goes a couple of hundred bucks. Unless it's a matter of winning races, is it really worth it?

[email hidden] (SkyAli) wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

I would like to upgrade my nine year old custom sprint track bike (steel) with a carbon track
fork...straight blade. Can anyone recommend a carbon fork that is track specific?

Trackcycling.co.uk as some made under the name "4ZA". I'd give you more of an opinion on mine, but
it's just a fork!

www.pavebikes.com

In australia - sells a carbon track fork with strong steel steerer (haven't got mine yet). They
aren't any lighter that a steel one, but are probably stiffer (I hope). Less rake.

Cheers

Gemm

"SkyAli" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I would like to upgrade my nine year old custom sprint track bike (steel) with a carbon track
fork...straight blade. Can anyone recommend a carbon fork that is track specific? What range of
rake is recommended? Is it possible to convert to threadless, and is there a preference to either
1 inch vs 1 1/8 inch? I'm guessing mine is an inch. I've looked on web sites, and every fork is
made for the rode.... with a drilled brake hole.

Thanks for any information, Ali

"SkyAli" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I would like to upgrade my nine year old custom sprint track bike (steel) with a carbon track
fork...straight blade. Can anyone recommend a carbon fork that is track specific? What range of
rake is recommended? Is it possible to convert to threadless, and is there a preference to either
1 inch vs 1 1/8 inch? I'm guessing mine is an inch. I've looked on web sites, and every fork is
made for the rode.... with a drilled brake hole.

Thanks for any information, Ali

I like my Ouzo Pro, but it ain't a track fork...

Mike

skyali wrote-<< I would like to upgrade my nine year old custom sprint track bike

Quoted message said:

(steel) with a carbon track fork...straight blade. Can anyone recommen .

I would have to agree with J. Dacey(alert the media!!) about looking into the need of a carbon track
fork for sprints..A well made steel one works really well, I hear, as I don't have much time on a
track, just with some track bikes...As J. Dacey will probably remind me-

Peter Chisholm Vecchio's Bicicletteria 1833 Pearl St. Boulder, CO, 80302
(303)440-3535 vecchios.comvecchios.comOpen ↗ "Ruote convenzionali costruite eccezionalmente bene"

(Qui si parla Campagnolo) said:

skyali wrote-<< I would like to upgrade my nine year old custom sprint track bike

Quoted message said:

(steel) with a carbon track fork...straight blade. Can anyone recommen .

I would have to agree with J. Dacey(alert the media!!) about looking into the need of a carbon
track fork for sprints..A well made steel one works really well, I hear, as I don't have much time
on a track, just with some track bikes...As J. Dacey will probably remind me-

Peter, I'm cut to the quick to learn that you'd think that. It's true that I've made some gentle
suggestions here that I thought would make a couple of your posts regarding track gear even more
correct. If anything I wrote seemed more belligerent however, perhaps you just caught me on a bad
day. I've been a little cranky lately since I haven't yet received my 2003 catalog from ShelBroCo.

John

-------------------------------
businesscycles.combusinesscycles.comOpen ↗ John Dacey Business Cycles, Miami, Florida 305-273-4440 Now in our
twentieth year. Our catalog of track equipment: seventh year online
-------------------------------