# Carbon forks: monocoque vs alloy steerer



## 73Chaz (May 18, 2014)

Hello

Looking to finalise spec for my Lynskey build and I'm wondering if I should bite the bullet and go for a full cf fork as oppose to the Columbus tusk which has an alloy steerer. 

Is the benefit of full cf mainly weight or other factors as well. I guess the cf fork options will be Easton or Enve (££!). 

Grateful for any thoughts.


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## Mr Evil (Aug 12, 2011)

Weight is the big one, but full carbon forks are also stronger and much more resistant to corrosion. You have to be more careful installing them though.


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## bikerector (Oct 31, 2012)

Weight is the biggest benefit but it can be a pretty noticeable difference. Biggest thing to watch out for with a carbon steerer is getting the pressure plug insert thing figured out as if you tighten too much you could break the steerer but not enough and you can't tighten the steerer/headset down enough with the top cap. The fiber grip is you friend in this situation. The star nut in the metal steerer has never been a problem for getting the fork steerer/headset tensioned properly.

can't say I've ever had a steerer on a fork corrode that badly, even with winter riding on salty roads. Grease it up while installing and it should be good for a while, at least until you need to service he headset bearings.


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## atpjunkie (Mar 23, 2002)

as I was doing a high speed descent down gravel washboard last weekend the thought of the Alloy / Carbon junction separating crossed my mind more than a few times. There was enough chatter to make the hands numb


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## twinkles (Apr 23, 2007)

The newer Easton's have ITT, which is internal threading, so the plug threads in, so no need for those wedgie-expanders any more.


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## twinkles (Apr 23, 2007)

I don't know about the Enve forks, but a buddy of mine just changed out his Moots (full carbon) for an Easton EC90 (full carbon), and finds the Easton to provide a more comfy ride.


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## serious (May 2, 2006)

Weight difference? I doubt anyone can tell the difference of maybe, 50 grams, in a blind test.


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## Trek_5200 (Apr 21, 2013)

Weight is the advantage of the monocoque fork , but not materially so. Also it is cheaper for the manufacturer to build an all carbon fork or all carbon anything for that matter. The hybrid solution offers the benefit of increased strength. Interestingly two high quality builders Colnago and Serotta would mix Carbon with Aluminum or Carbon as they were big believers in durability.


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## mjduct (Jun 1, 2013)

Trek_5200 said:


> Weight is the advantage of the monocoque fork , but not materially so. Also it is cheaper for the manufacturer to build an all carbon fork or all carbon anything for that matter. The hybrid solution offers the benefit of increased strength. Interestingly two high quality builders Colnago and Serotta would mix Carbon with Aluminum or Carbon as they were big believers in durability.


I disagree...

All carbon forks more expensive than their hybrid counterparts in every case with every manufacturer... Don't believe me try Easton EC70 vs. EC 90 or any other company.


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## Kerry Irons (Feb 25, 2002)

serious said:


> Weight difference? I doubt anyone can tell the difference of maybe, 50 grams, in a blind test.


Sure they can. Just take a swallow of water and feel the difference! That is how zero feels.


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## Ventruck (Mar 9, 2009)

I had a Cervelo Wolf CL fork which uses a steel alloy steerer. Thing rusts like crazy if not treated/maintained. I now have a 3T Funda Pro. It's generally well-received and OEM on a few brands. It's weight isn't leading class but it's still in the mix and solid. I've heard the Easton EC90 forks are flexy, and the general "I want one" when it comes to Enve. 

There's not much to fret about full carbon unless it came defective and/or you over-torqued the stem. Most composites are typically most vulnerable against transverse forces, so yeah the steerer is a point of concern but then again it's a round tube meant to challenge such. This vid shows a fork taking several blows in that manner from a solid hammer. Steerer takes more than the blades, unsurprisingly. 






There's also vids out there of alloy/cf forks being broken. As expected they can fail at the junction, but again it takes quite a concentrated blow, and rather unlikely one at that. It really just take a whole lot of stupid or a defect.


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## 73Chaz (May 18, 2014)

Thanks all for your comments.

As it turned out, the shop had already ordered the Lynskey Sport fork (which is carbon / alloy), so I will go with that for the time being and maybe save my pennies for an Enve 2.0 at some later time.

As an aside - Columbus Tusk is 550g, Lynskey Sport 542g, Enve 2.0 350g so that is a worthwhile difference imo. 

I'm sure the Sport will be a fine fork for the time being - I will report back once I've done a few miles on it.


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## saifix (Apr 12, 2014)

i'll post a question that worries me.
i've read some issues about carbon blade with alloy steerer forks,that may fail after 5-6 years or are prone to fail due to aging of the epoxy glue etc..
is that a real world issue or just a theoretical concern?

also ridden from a large guy lets say about 200lbs is that a reason to put an alloy-cromo fork instead?


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## twelvepercent (Nov 7, 2004)

Hincapie snapped an alumnum fork tube in paris-Roubaix some years ago (& was severely injured!)
Try beating the crap out of carbon steer tube cuts, then do it with the alumninum one....
The real, high end laminations like TIME are impressive....
I'll never go with alu steer tube!!!


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## Maximus_XXIV (Nov 10, 2008)

saifix said:


> i'll post a question that worries me.
> i've read some issues about carbon blade with alloy steerer forks,that may fail after 5-6 years or are prone to fail due to aging of the epoxy glue etc..
> is that a real world issue or just a theoretical concern?
> 
> also ridden from a large guy lets say about 200lbs is that a reason to put an alloy-cromo fork instead?


It is possible. I would use an all carbon fork.


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## saifix (Apr 12, 2014)

Maximus_XXIV said:


> It is possible. I would use an all carbon fork.


an alu-cromo (as mentioned from the maker) fork wouldn't be even more consistent and trustworthy?


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## BCSaltchucker (Jul 20, 2011)

good discussion. as a clyde-ish rider, this is my number one worry. I sold my last bike as it had all-alu kinesis fork I did not trust any longer

my frame is an 07 S works tarmac, but the prev owner replaced the fork with a specialized fork w /alu steerer - replaced on warranty as the all carbon fork steerer failed on him.


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## saifix (Apr 12, 2014)

BCSaltchucker said:


> good discussion. as a clyde-ish rider, this is my number one worry. I sold my last bike as it had all-alu kinesis fork I did not trust any longer
> 
> my frame is an 07 S works tarmac, but the prev owner replaced the fork with a specialized fork w /alu steerer - replaced on warranty as the all carbon fork steerer failed on him.


kinesis also is the frame-fork im talking about.as a matter of fact,probably is,cause it's rebranded and sold as "ideal" across europe.as far as i know.
now youre saying-if i got it right-that an alu-fork isnt trustworthy and you've put a carbon-alu instead?
were you aware of the bonding materials used to hold these two materials together?they say that have a 5-6 years lifetime,depended also from use and exposure to UV sunlight etc.

so taken this into account,why is it better a plastic-metal fork instead a metal-metal one?


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## Gregory Taylor (Mar 29, 2002)

twelvepercent said:


> Hincapie snapped an alumnum fork tube in paris-Roubaix some years ago (& was severely injured!)


The fork that Hincapie went with in that race was an interesting choice. According to the mavens at Trek before the race, it was a fork that essentially came from their commuter line. 

www.cyclingnews.com presents the 104th Paris-Roubaix

The fork was selected because it had a longer axle to crown dimension, and it had a longer rake than the normal Bontrager Race Lite fork that they were running.

In fairness to the fork, George biffed rather heavily in the race before the fork failed. There's a decent chance that the first accident damaged the fork and caused the second accident. Pictures of where the fork failed look like it sheared at the junction of the top bearing on the headset and the stem. This would suggest (to my non-engineer eye) that George exerted a lot of downward pressure on the stem, either during the race or when he biffed the first time. It didn't fail where I would expect it to - at the lower crown race, where the stress is the highest.


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## Trek_5200 (Apr 21, 2013)

edited.


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## oldcannondale (Jul 23, 2011)

Theres lots of discussion by would be engineers, but the truth is that aluminum carbon, carbon/carbon, aluminum/aluminum, or steel/steel are all very robust if taken care of and not abused/neglected??? I would stick with reputable builders??? and not give it another thought?

Now the only reason to upgrade would be weight, aesthetics, Kool factor??? I would make it a point to give your whole bike a preflight on each ride as things do "loosen up"?? paying attention to skewers, stems, bars?? etc, etc,???


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