# Has anyone tried a Bontrager Satellite fork for CXing?



## MarkG2 (Mar 21, 2004)

This is pretty cheap for a carbon fork with canti studs. Anyone ever used this on a CX bike? Is it up to the rigirs of CXing?
Link to the fork. $69.95.
http://wheelandsprocket.com/itemdetails.cfm?catalogId=39&id=11849

Thanks,
Mark


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## MaestroXC (Sep 15, 2005)

George Hincapie used it for a little race in France a year or two ago.


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## unclefuzzy_ss (Nov 23, 2002)

rrrriiiiggghhhttt.


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## kdiddy (Feb 15, 2008)

That's the fork that comes on the Trek XO's and the Lemond Poprad Cantilever, so lot's of people have probably tried it. I'm not sure the Hincapie was on that exact fork, but I do know that a previous crash in that race had likely cracked it and then the fatigue of the cobbles finished it off.
The Bontrager site has it listed at $250, so that's a good deal.
http://www.bontrager.com/model/06245/en


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## TedH (Jan 1, 1970)

MaestroXC said:


> George Hincapie used it for a little race in France a year or two ago.


That's just flat out wrong; Hincapie was on a traditional road fork with an aluminum, shot-peened steerer from Trek's lower tier road/hybrid group, not a canti-brake fork. You should delete your response.


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## ZenNMotion (May 28, 2004)

*No free lunch-*

The ad's picture shows the Bontrager Tandem fork, listed at 800g on the manufacturer's site. Not 550g as advertised. Still a cheap deal on a fork, I'd hop on it if I needed one. But if you're "upgrading" to carbon to save some grams, this ain't the one, I'd rather have a good steel fork at similar weight. FWIW, I've raced several seasons on the Winwood cheapo carbon sold through Nashbar, I haven't been winning races on it, but I suspect my fork can't be blamed, no complaints.


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## knucklesandwich (Feb 23, 2007)

ZenNMotion said:


> The ad's picture shows the Bontrager Tandem fork, listed at 800g on the manufacturer's site. Not 550g as advertised. Still a cheap deal on a fork, I'd hop on it if I needed one. But if you're "upgrading" to carbon to save some grams, this ain't the one, I'd rather have a good steel fork at similar weight. FWIW, I've raced several seasons on the Winwood cheapo carbon sold through Nashbar, I haven't been winning races on it, but I suspect my fork can't be blamed, no complaints.


Are you sure about that? The photo in the link is a cantilever brake fork, while the tandem fork photo on bontrager.com looks to have a road-style brake attachment. 

The photo in the link looks like an older model of the canti fork on bontrager.com, and is listed at 560g vs. 650g stated by the mfr. Could be the newer forks are heavier, or could be the online store accidentally (on purpose) transposed the 5 & 6…

Irregardless, I ordered one for my Kona Jake. I have never had any carbon bits on a bike and figure $70 is a small price to pay for a "name brand" fork to try out...


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## MarkG2 (Mar 21, 2004)

All - thanks for the input. I never checked what the current Poppy has, A freind has a Poppy with an Alu fork, maybe 3 years old. I did pick one up and put it on the Gunnar Crosshairs. Never weighed it but the "feels like" test has it quite a bit lighter than the Surly fork it replace. I do think it is the same fork as on the Tandem. At leat it looks like it. For $70 I figured I could not go wrong.


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## tekkamaki (Apr 10, 2007)

Any updates on this fork?
they are all over ebay for cheap- looking for a reasonable cx race fork.


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## Ronsonic (Nov 11, 2004)

I haven't raced it, I've got it on my single speed, cross, commute go-ride-for-fun bike and it's good so far. On a steel IRO frame this is one comfy bike, takes cobbles nicely. Got is set with mini-Vs so can't say anything about the canti shudder. It doesn't feel whippy or insecure to me and I'm a very large mammal.

I'm happy with it.


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## BigDweeb (Jun 26, 2007)

I got one and have been "racing" with it on my Poprad this cross season. 

Disclaimer: I am a hack that finishes mid-pack in the master C race. But when you race in Portland you can be mid pack and still beat 70 other guys...!

The challenge with the Poprad is that it is designed for really tall forks (long axle to crown length). The sattelite fits the Poprad appropriately.. Many other carbon forks are too short and will alter the geometry too much (I tried Ritchey Comp and hated it - to twitchy). I can't recall all the specs but check out AC on your current bike and make sure this for k will work for you (perfect for Poprad - might be too tall for many other frames).

Bottom line: I am a hack. Pay attention to axle to crown length. No problems so far for one season. Has not inhibited post race beer drinking.


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## cromo900 (Jul 17, 2008)

I put one of the disc versions of that fork on my Redline Conquest after the stock aluminum fork developed scary cracking noises.

I weigh 235 lb and have raced ~ 10 cross races a year (plus training and road riding with it) for the past 3 years with no problems.


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