Darby
sage
Reged: 08/03/06
Posts: 441
Loc: Orange County California
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My Calfee Luna has carbon fiber forks with titanium steer tubes. Would I notice much improvement in ride quality with all carbon fiber forks? If so, any recommendations on which forks?
Thank you,
Bruce
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Dave_Thompson
prophet
Reged: 12/19/03
Posts: 720
Loc: Spokane, Washington
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Quote:
Darby wrote:
My Calfee Luna has carbon fiber forks with titanium steer tubes. Would I notice much improvement in ride quality with all carbon fiber forks? If so, any recommendations on which forks?
Thank you,
Bruce
What fork is on the bike now? The steer tube has little to do with the 'ride quality' of the fork. The quality of the fork itself; the construction and the materials, will be the determining factor in the ride quality of a fork.
A carbon steer tube can be problematic if not treated correctly, i.e. some stems are designed to clamp on carbon steer tubes while others are not, etc.
Tire choice will make the biggest difference in how your bike feels, with wheels being the second biggest factor.
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Steel lover, but then I like Ti with carbon too.
Licensed bike geek.
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dfcas
contributor
Reged: 12/19/03
Posts: 143
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No. I can percieve no difference in steerer tube material on the forks I've had including steel,aluminum and carbon. The carbon steerer tubes will save a small amount of weight-maybe 50-100 grams.
dan
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no signature
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Darby
sage
Reged: 08/03/06
Posts: 441
Loc: Orange County California
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What fork is on the bike now?
I am not sure whose forks are on the bike now. I bought the bike used and they are the stock forks that Calfee put on the bike in 2001.
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Umlungu
contributor
Reged: 03/04/05
Posts: 189
Loc: Plano, TX
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If you can take a picture of the fork and post it, we might be able to help you identify it just from it's shape.
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Dave_Thompson
prophet
Reged: 12/19/03
Posts: 720
Loc: Spokane, Washington
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Quote:
Darby wrote:I am not sure whose forks are on the bike now. I bought the bike used and they are the stock forks that Calfee put on the bike in 2001.
Calfee *generally* specs an Alpha Q fork although they also supply Easton forks, all of which are very good forks and don't require any upgrade. Those forks are at the top of the food chain.
Ride the bike for the rest of the season. Then you can spend the winter figuring out what your bike needs for the next season. 
Depending on your weight, a switch to 700X25 tires (if they're not already on now) will make a much bigger difference in how the bike rides than any fork change will.
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Steel lover, but then I like Ti with carbon too.
Licensed bike geek.
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Lon
sage
Reged: 12/20/03
Posts: 595
Loc: Pittsburgh, PA
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I can't remember for sure who made the Ti steerer but you could drop Craig a note. It was one of the top notch companies.
I don't think you would notice any difference at all. With the ti you have the added advantage of strength.
I'd save my money for upgrades (wheels for example) where you can tell big differences.
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Darby
sage
Reged: 08/03/06
Posts: 441
Loc: Orange County California
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Quote:
Lon wrote:
I can't remember for sure who made the Ti steerer but you could drop Craig a note. It was one of the top notch companies.
I don't think you would notice any difference at all. With the ti you have the added advantage of strength.
I'd save my money for upgrades (wheels for example) where you can tell big differences.
Lon,
Thanks for the feedback. It is greatly appreciated.
Bruce
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skuke
captain
Reged: 12/22/03
Posts: 323
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Quote:
Lon wrote:
With the ti you have the added advantage of strength.
I'd save my money for upgrades (wheels for example) where you can tell big differences.
An argument for an all carbon fork (no Ti/Al/Cro-mo... steerer) is that there is no joint between different materials and thus no inherent weak spot. There is no spot for electrolysis between dissimilar materials and no difference in expansion rates. The all carbon fork can be made homogenous and the carbon weave can be continuous from the fork blades, thru the crown and into the steerer.
But, I agree that money is better spent elswhere.
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Skuke
95 Carbonframes Tetra Pro
92 Bridgestone MB-1
90 Moser 51.151
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Darby
sage
Reged: 08/03/06
Posts: 441
Loc: Orange County California
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I did talk with Craig Calfee about my forks. My forks have a 1" steel steering tube rather than titanium. I believe that everything from Calfee now has a 1 1/8" carbon tube.
Thanks to all that have responded
Bruce
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Darby
sage
Reged: 08/03/06
Posts: 441
Loc: Orange County California
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The fork on my 60CM Calfee Luna is cracked and need replacing. It has a 1" Steering tube which for the most part is obsolete. There are still a few companies that make a fork with 1" steering tube, but I don't think many.
So, I can either buy a fork with 1" steer tube or I can send my bike back to Calfee and have the head tube upgraded to 1 1/8" with a 1.5 CM extension. I have been told that this upgrade would be much more stable than the 1" tube and fork, but will cost more.
I actually have two questions:
First, is there a fork with a 1" steer tube that can be as stable as the 1 1/8"?
Second, any recommendations on whose fork to buy?
I was told by my bike mechanic that I want a fork that is made to Calfee specs to eliminate potential speed wobble.
Thanks,
Bruce
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Dave_Thompson
prophet
Reged: 12/19/03
Posts: 720
Loc: Spokane, Washington
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Quote:
Darby wrote:
The fork on my 60CM Calfee Luna is cracked and need replacing. It has a 1" Steering tube which for the most part is obsolete. There are still a few companies that make a fork with 1" steering tube, but I don't think many.
So, I can either buy a fork with 1" steer tube or I can send my bike back to Calfee and have the head tube upgraded to 1 1/8" with a 1.5 CM extension. I have been told that this upgrade would be much more stable than the 1" tube and fork, but will cost more.
I actually have two questions:
First, is there a fork with a 1" steer tube that can be as stable as the 1 1/8"?
Second, any recommendations on whose fork to buy?
I was told by my bike mechanic that I want a fork that is made to Calfee specs to eliminate potential speed wobble.
Thanks,
Bruce
Both Reynolds and Alpha Q offer their forks with a 1" steer tube. Calfee offers the Alpha Q, check their website.
Regarding the 'stability' of a 1" vs 1 1/8", I'm not buying into that a whole lot. I don't think the forks are unstable, it's more of a function of the bike. Is your 1" equipped Calfee unstable? If not, I wouldn't spend the money to have it converted to a larger steer tube.
I've owned 3 Calfees, an early CarbonFrames, a Tetra Pro and a Luna Pro, all with 1" forks. As a 200# rider, living and riding in a hilly/mountainous region and doing lots of pretty fast descents down our many passes, I thought the bikes were just dandy, as equipped.
As we speak, I'm preparing to purchase another Calfee, yes with a 1" fork.
No problems.
--------------------
Steel lover, but then I like Ti with carbon too.
Licensed bike geek.
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Darby
sage
Reged: 08/03/06
Posts: 441
Loc: Orange County California
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As we speak, I'm preparing to purchase another Calfee, yes with a 1" fork.
No problems.
Thanks for the feedback. Not replacing the head tube would save me a lot of money.
I just bought the bike used and have ridden it very little. The fork was cracked when I bought it so the stability is probably affected. I had heard that because I weigh 230 lbs and the frame is a 60CM, a 1" head tube might be undersized.
Thanks,
Bruce
Edited by Darby (09/30/06 12:56 AM)
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rnhood
friend
Reged: 12/18/03
Posts: 42
Loc: NC
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If you don't need that 1.5cm extension then I would get an Ouzo Pro or Alpha Q with the 1" steerer assuming these are readily available. These bikes and forks are stiff and and straight and, do not wobble or shimmy at any speed. If you need or want the 1.5cm extension then send the frame back and get in modified. The workmanship?on modifications and/or repairs is beyond reproach with Calfee. Just first rate. You can't tell that it was touched.
I believe the Calfee frames sit at the top echelon of carbon fiber frames. My Tetra has the 1&1/8" head tube with 1.5cm extension. I love it. Since installing larger tires (28mm vs 23mm), I am totally hooked on it's outstanding ride and road manners. You would struggle to convince me there is a better modern bike.
In the end you should not feel that you are compromising on anything. It's not worth it so go with what you think will be best and don't look back. You will be happier in the long run ( you have an excellent ride either way).
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dfcas
contributor
Reged: 12/19/03
Posts: 143
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I agree with Mr Dave.I'm 200,ride ~ 60cm bikes,and I've had no problems with 1" steerer tubes..Be sure to get the correct rake,as rec'd by Calfee.
dan
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no signature
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Dave_Thompson
prophet
Reged: 12/19/03
Posts: 720
Loc: Spokane, Washington
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Thanks for the feedback. Not replacing the head tube would save me a lot of money.
I just bought the bike used and have ridden it very little. The fork was cracked when I bought it so the stability is probably affected. I had heard that because I weigh 230 lbs and the frame is a 60CM, a 1" head tube might be undersized.
Thanks,
Bruce
Bruce:
Contact Craig Calfee this next week. Ask him what he thinks WRT what fork would be suitable for you. Calfee have Alpha Q forks in both 1" and 1 1/8" for sale. They have been mneasured and checked to meet Calfee's criteria for symmetry and trueness.
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Steel lover, but then I like Ti with carbon too.
Licensed bike geek.
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Darby
sage
Reged: 08/03/06
Posts: 441
Loc: Orange County California
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If you need or want the 1.5cm extension then send the frame back and get in modified.
I don't think I really need an extension, it was just recommended by my mechanic if I was going to change the head tube.
I am in agreement with you that the bike is awesome and I would spend the money to change the head tube if it really made a difference.
Bruce
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Darby
sage
Reged: 08/03/06
Posts: 441
Loc: Orange County California
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Quote:
dfcas wrote:
I agree with Mr Dave.I'm 200,ride ~ 60cm bikes,and I've had no problems with 1" steerer tubes..Be sure to get the correct rake,as rec'd by Calfee.
dan
Dan, thanks. It is great to hear from someone that has a 60CM Calfee. My ideal weight is 200 lbs, but my bike will have to suffer with my extra 30 lbs until I get in shape.
Bruce
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Dave_Thompson
prophet
Reged: 12/19/03
Posts: 720
Loc: Spokane, Washington
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Quote:
Darby wrote:
Quote:
dfcas wrote:
I agree with Mr Dave.I'm 200,ride ~ 60cm bikes,and I've had no problems with 1" steerer tubes..Be sure to get the correct rake,as rec'd by Calfee.
dan
Dan, thanks. It is great to hear from someone that has a 60CM Calfee. My ideal weight is 200 lbs, but my bike will have to suffer with my extra 30 lbs until I get in shape.
Bruce
My last Calfee was a 60CM, as will be my next one.
If you eat right and use your bike fairly consistently, you will be surprised at how fast the weight comes off. Last year my wife and I spent two weeks cycling in Germany and Austria, eating and drinking *well* and I lost 10lbs! Next year, two weeks in Italy!
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Steel lover, but then I like Ti with carbon too.
Licensed bike geek.
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Dave_Thompson
prophet
Reged: 12/19/03
Posts: 720
Loc: Spokane, Washington
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Bruce:
I was just in contact with Craig Calfee and he said they have plenty of forks in stock.
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Steel lover, but then I like Ti with carbon too.
Licensed bike geek.
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Darby
sage
Reged: 08/03/06
Posts: 441
Loc: Orange County California
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As we speak, I'm preparing to purchase another Calfee, yes with a 1" fork.
No problems.
Dave, if memory serves, I think you ride a 60CM frame. Is there a reason that you are choosing another Calfee with a 1" and not the 1 1/8" fork?
I want to do my homework before I make the decison on which upgrade option to go with. Replacing the head tube will cost me at least $650 for the work and a new headset. Then I still need to buy the fork.
If there isn't really much of a difference between the 1" and the 1 1/8" fork, I might as well save my money. However, if ride characteristics with the 1 1/8" are better, I will absolutely spend the money. The upgrade may also increase the resale value of the bike If for some reason I ever wanted to sell my Luna and buy a Dragonfly.
Bruce
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Lon
sage
Reged: 12/20/03
Posts: 595
Loc: Pittsburgh, PA
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A major reason for the 1 and 1/8 inch headset way back when was when large manufacturers wanted to standarize with mountain bikes. There really was never anything I read that ever said there was a need for it on on road bike. Contrary to that strong willed and often smaller manufacturers held out including Calfee and Colnago. Eventually the buying public almost forced them to build with the larger size because the publicity machines convinced them they needed the larger size. You would be throwing your money away to change your headtube size. I expect if you reach Craig and talk to him he would tell you there isn't a need for a larger headtube. I weigh about 210 said to say and my inch is just fine.
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Dave_Thompson
prophet
Reged: 12/19/03
Posts: 720
Loc: Spokane, Washington
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Quote:
Darby wrote:
Dave, if memory serves, I think you ride a 60CM frame. Is there a reason that you are choosing another Calfee with a 1" and not the 1 1/8" fork?
I want to do my homework before I make the decison on which upgrade option to go with. Replacing the head tube will cost me at least $650 for the work and a new headset. Then I still need to buy the fork.
If there isn't really much of a difference between the 1" and the 1 1/8" fork, I might as well save my money. However, if ride characteristics with the 1 1/8" are better, I will absolutely spend the money. The upgrade may also increase the resale value of the bike If for some reason I ever wanted to sell my Luna and buy a Dragonfly.
Bruce
The reason I'm choosing a bike with a 1" fork, as opposed to an 1 1/8" fork, is that is what is available. It's what the dealer has hanging on his wall. It's that simple.
The ride characteristics of a bicycle are determined *much more* by the geometry and quality of frame construction than by steer tube sizes. Heck, tire selection and pressure will make much more of a difference that will fork choice.
Regarding the resale value: think about spending the $650 dollars you stated it will cost for the headtube change. Do you think that your Luna would sell for $500 more than if it didn't have the change? I seriously doubt it. In fact I would posit that it would sell for about the same price that it would in it's stock configuration.
The introduction of the 1 1/18" headtube is fairly recent to the Calfee. Calfees had been around for over 10 years with 1" headtubes, and in all the time that I've been riding them and talking with other Calfee owners, I don't ever recall any speaking about how crappy or whippy their 1" front end was.
--------------------
Steel lover, but then I like Ti with carbon too.
Licensed bike geek.
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Darby
sage
Reged: 08/03/06
Posts: 441
Loc: Orange County California
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Thanks to all that responded. Your feedback confirmed what I already thought, that the 1" fork should be stiff enough for a 230 lbs rider.
How I started looking at changing the head tube is when I found out my fork was cracked I sent it back to Calfee to have them match the paint to a new fork. Craig recommended the Alpha Q GS 10, a nice fork but I exceed it's weight capacity. Since Craig doesn't stock any other 1" fork, he recommended changing out the head tube. Since then I found out that Alpha Q makes a CS 20 and Reynolds makes the Ouzo Pro. Both are available in a 1" configuration.
The Reynolds Ouzo Pro is the fork that I like if it will work with my bike's geometry. I think the rake on the Ouzo Pro is 43mm. Craig likes Alpha Q because they are built to Calfee specifications. Reynolds may hand select a fork that meets craig's specs but the Reynold's technical staff are not back from Las Vegas yet.
Bruce
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bfd
journeyman
Reged: 12/22/03
Posts: 77
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I believe both AME (before they were bought out True Temper and are now Alpha Q) and Kestrel once offered ti steerer tube forks.
Once carbon steerer tube became the standard, it was a good, but expensive way to go.
Its interesting, that at one point, Kestrel was "THE" name in carbon fork. Its failure to come out with a carbon steerer tube, even today they don't have one, has caused it to lose market share and has now fallen to, at best, OEM status. Sad.
Btw, you will NOT notice any additional comfort with a carbon steerer tube. If you really want more comfort, put on 700x25 tires pumped to 90-100psi.
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Darby
sage
Reged: 08/03/06
Posts: 441
Loc: Orange County California
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Quote:
bfd wrote:
Btw, you will NOT notice any additional comfort with a carbon steerer tube. If you really want more comfort, put on 700x25 tires pumped to 90-100psi.
Thanks for the feedback on the forks.
I will probably be putting a 1" Alpha Q fork on my bike. I spoke with True Tempers techical guru and he said that a 1.125" fork was about 10% stiffer than a 1" fork. Where I would benefit from the increased stiffness is when I stand in the saddle and really start working the pedals. I tend to stay seated when I ride so the stiffness might not benefit me as much.
As for the the tires, that is the next thing I need to get. I have a set of Topolino C19s sitting in a box waiting for new tires.
Bruce
Edited by Darby (10/02/06 09:16 PM)
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flythebike
captain
Reged: 08/26/04
Posts: 272
Loc: N. Virginia, USA
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I have a Luna with a one inch fork and a Dragonfly with a 1 1/8. I bought both bikes used, so I just took what was available. I can't really tell any difference between them. Certainly the Luna, which is a fixed gear and has a Wound Up for, and the Dragonfly with an Easton EC90SLX, both ride great. I'm a cat 2 sprinter guy so if anybody was crying about whippy stuff, it would be me. I've raced the Luna to a regional championship medal on the track in Senior Open competition. It is totally fine.
Incidentally, my tt bike, which is a Cervelo P3SL, has a 1 inch fork too.
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Darby
sage
Reged: 08/03/06
Posts: 441
Loc: Orange County California
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Quote:
flythebike wrote:
I have a Luna with a one inch fork and a Dragonfly with a 1 1/8. I bought both bikes used, so I just took what was available. I can't really tell any difference between them. Certainly the Luna, which is a fixed gear and has a Wound Up for, and the Dragonfly with an Easton EC90SLX, both ride great. I'm a cat 2 sprinter guy so if anybody was crying about whippy stuff, it would be me. I've raced the Luna to a regional championship medal on the track in Senior Open competition. It is totally fine.
Incidentally, my tt bike, which is a Cervelo P3SL, has a 1 inch fork too.
I decided to save my money and bought a new but discontinued 1" Alpha Q Pro fork for $100 and it is on its way back to Calfee to be painted.
Because you regularly ride both a 1" and a 1 1/8" fork, you would certainly know the difference, in stiffness; so I really do appreciate your feedback. I was wondering if I made the right decision. Now I know I made the right decision.
Bruce
Edited by Darby (10/08/06 06:10 AM)
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flythebike
captain
Reged: 08/26/04
Posts: 272
Loc: N. Virginia, USA
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I decided to save my money and bought a new but discontinued 1" Alpha Q Pro fork for $100 and it is on its way back to Calfee to be painted.
Because you regularly ride both a 1" and a 1 1/8" fork, you would certainly know the difference, in stiffness; so I really do appreciate your feedback. I was wondering if I made the right decision. Now I know I made the right decision.
Bruce
Good deal, glad I could help.
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