# 1 inch carbon forks?



## melusive (Sep 18, 2008)

I'm looking to restore an early 90's litespeed classic where the headtube is a 1 inch steerer. Can you recommend any carbon fork manufacturers that fit the bill?


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## QuattroCreep (Nov 30, 2009)

What type of headset are you going to be using? threaded or thread less?


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## paredown (Oct 18, 2006)

Nashbar? Search the old threads--lots of positive comments and it is cheap--only $89.00. No personal experience with this

Specify 1", available threaded or not.

Some others are no longer available in 1" but I believe Ritchey still is--someone has this one on eBay. He's also had these at $149 for Buy it Now


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## rx-79g (Sep 14, 2010)

For a moderately priced fork that doesn't weigh too much, take a look at the Ritchey Comp for around $150. 400g-ish

Many of the Easton forks were available in 1". The EC90 series are quite light - $300 on up.

Kinesis sells some mid-weight forks around $100 on Ebay. Lighter (sub-500g) than what Nashbar offers.

This: http://cgi.ebay.com/Used-Look-HSC2-...Cycling_Parts_Accessories&hash=item19c2641da2

Those are all threadless. If you want threaded I'd look for a low miles (good finish) used Kestrel EMS, Time or Look fork. You may even find one painted for Litespeed.


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## Lab Worker (May 31, 2004)

I have a Classic of similar age with an AlphaQ 1" threadless fork. The 55cm and up sizes use a 40mm rake fork so keep that in mind when looking.


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## bikerjulio (Jan 19, 2010)

go threadless for sure. lighter, and no annoying creaking from the quill. this was an unbranded fork, yet seems pretty good. I have used for about three years.


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## paredown (Oct 18, 2006)

I see the AlphaQ GS 320 is a 1", but I can only see 43mm rake on this website for $380

I can't find a general listing for True Temper /Alpha Q to see a catalog of what is generally available...


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## oily666 (Apr 7, 2007)

I've seen them around lately on line. Most are being blown out. Google what you want. and check Bonk.


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## misterdangerpants (Oct 23, 2008)

Wound Up.


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## tarwheel2 (Jul 7, 2005)

I picked up a very lightly used (take off) 1" Reynolds Ouzo Pro for $60. They don't make them any more, but they were the standard for many years and still available on eBay. Torelli also sells a nice 1" carbon fork for a reasonable price.


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## Peter P. (Dec 30, 2006)

I'm with misterdangerpants; Wound Up, because it has a steel steerer. Carbon and aluminum steerers in 1" diameter are not stiff enough. Aluminum steerers in ANY diameter are just unsafe.


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## rx-79g (Sep 14, 2010)

Peter P. said:


> I'm with misterdangerpants; Wound Up, because it has a steel steerer. Carbon and aluminum steerers in 1" diameter are not stiff enough. Aluminum steerers in ANY diameter are just unsafe.


If that's your reasoning, might as well just buy one of the cheap Kinesis forks. They're heavy because they have steel steerers.

When you say they're not stiff enough with carbon steerers, what are you feeling? I have two that seem fine. I just wonder how flexible a tube under tenstion (stretched between the fork crown and stem) could be.


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## bikerjulio (Jan 19, 2010)

rx-79g said:


> If that's your reasoning, might as well just buy one of the cheap Kinesis forks. They're heavy because they have steel steerers.
> 
> When you say they're not stiff enough with carbon steerers, what are you feeling? I have two that seem fine. I just wonder how flexible a tube under tenstion (stretched between the fork crown and stem) could be.


Agreed. My Merckx has been fine. And I'm big, and there's a 130mm stem on it.


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## Peter P. (Dec 30, 2006)

When I say 1" carbon or aluminum steerers aren't stiff enough I'm talking more in terms of the leverage of the fork under braking and over bumps. It WILL flex the steerer between the headset cups. And the fact is, 1" steerers in aluminum and carbon don't match the bending stiffness of steel, which is why the 1.125" standard became the norm. You don't have to perceive the flexing for it to be a long term fatigue issue.


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## kbiker3111 (Nov 7, 2006)

Easton makes the EC90 SL in 1"


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## rx-79g (Sep 14, 2010)

Peter P. said:


> When I say 1" carbon or aluminum steerers aren't stiff enough I'm talking more in terms of the leverage of the fork under braking and over bumps. It WILL flex the steerer between the headset cups. And the fact is, 1" steerers in aluminum and carbon don't match the bending stiffness of steel, which is why the 1.125" standard became the norm. You don't have to perceive the flexing for it to be a long term fatigue issue.


Have you heard of a lot of failures on carbon or aluminum 1" steerers?


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## stickboy71 (Jul 13, 2005)

kbiker3111 said:


> Easton makes the EC90 SL in 1"


That's what I used on my Litespeed when I rebuilt it several years back.


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## laffeaux (Dec 12, 2001)

paredown said:


> I see the AlphaQ GS 320 is a 1", but I can only see 43mm rake on this website for $380
> 
> I can't find a general listing for True Temper /Alpha Q to see a catalog of what is generally available...


True Tempe is no longer making the forks due to financial issues with the company. You'll need to find an older catalog to find the available specs. eBay is the best place to look for them being sold off.

I have a 1" Alpha Q Sub3 fork (43mm rake). I like it but it's pretty stiff. I also own older 1" forks by Look, Wound Up, and Mizuno. The Sub3 is the stiffest of them all. The Mizuno is really nice and available in 1" via Excel Cycles in Boulder but only comes with 45mm rake and is not cheap.


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## jordan (Feb 2, 2002)

*Second the Nashbar*

I have used the Nashbar 1" alu. threadless and threaded steel for years without any noticible flex or fatigue issues.Frequently available on sale w/ 20% off codes for $60-70.It is made by Martec which makes frames/forks for Orbea and Kestrel among others.


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## tarwheel2 (Jul 7, 2005)

*fork*

I've got a used Serotta F-1 carbon fork with steel steerer and ti dropouts that I no longer need. Send me a PM if interested. It has a relatively long steerer tube but it's threaded. Very comfortable and nice handling fork, but it only has clearance for 23 mm tires, which is why I replaced it.


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## twinkles (Apr 23, 2007)

I love the way my 1" easton ec90sl rides on my clark kent ti frame, which is similar to your litespeed classic. It rides much smoother than my old Time CF fork with a steel steerer. Mine doesn't feel flexy under braking and I ride in the mountains damn nearly every day of the year. I would get the new internal threaded steerer, because those plugs are a pain in the butt. An ec90sl will keep your bike's magic carpet ride, which I'm guessing is part of the reason you've got that old itespeed.


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## Cbookman (Jul 2, 2009)

Peter P. said:


> When I say 1" carbon or aluminum steerers aren't stiff enough I'm talking more in terms of the leverage of the fork under braking and over bumps. It WILL flex the steerer between the headset cups. And the fact is, 1" steerers in aluminum and carbon don't match the bending stiffness of steel, which is why the 1.125" standard became the norm. You don't have to perceive the flexing for it to be a long term fatigue issue.


First of all, no company, in the US or otherwise, would design a product as critical as a fork that would ever reach it's fatigue limit while in service. That would be akin to burning money in a fire pit in front of all the employees of said company until it was all gone. 

Second of all, if the steerer tube is flexing, you will have binding in the headset, causing steering issues while braking or riding over bumps, none of which I have experienced in the last year on a Ritchey Comp fork. The issue you refer to regarding flex is a function of the tube cross section in reference to the material. If you are flexing the steerer on this fork, you are gargantuan. Any substantial flex is going to occur in the much more compliant fork blades, minimizing the resulting effects at the headset. I would suspect any mode of failure would be in the bonding of the fork blades to the aluminum crown, not a failure of the steerer tube/crown intersection. The corners there are radiused, to further reduce the possibility of stress risers from becoming an issue.

Third, I'd suffice to say I'm larger than a lot of guys here at 225lbs, and at only 5'11". The fork isn't as stiff as I would like when sprinting, but that is completely different loading, and the deflection is visible in the fork blades, considering you can watch the tire move (slightly) in relation to the brake caliper. I have mistakenly run into large potholes on this fork with no issue whatsoever, and will continue to ride, maybe race this fork this year. It isn't all that light, but beats a steel crown fork by at least 200 grams.


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