# Straight fork on the Z series



## deviousalex (Aug 18, 2010)

Has anyone tried this? I have another bike with a straight fork and I prefer the way it handles around turns.

I'm going to use my Z85 for crit racing since cat 5s apparently have a lot of crashes


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

deviousalex said:


> Has anyone tried this? I have another bike with a straight fork and I prefer the way it handles around turns.
> 
> I'm going to use my Z85 for crit racing since cat 5s apparently have a lot of crashes


Straight or curved blades isn't what matters, fork rake is. On straight bladed forks, rake is built into the fork/ steerer interface rather than the blades themselves.


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## deviousalex (Aug 18, 2010)

I realized that after I said it. The Z series has a 43mm rake. My other bike is an 08 Bianchi 928 SL. Unfortunately it doesn't say what the rake is on Bianchi's website.


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

deviousalex said:


> I realized that after I said it. The Z series has a 43mm rake. My other bike is an 08 Bianchi 928 SL. Unfortunately it doesn't say what the rake is on Bianchi's website.


You could always measure it. Pretty easy to do.
View attachment 260873


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## deviousalex (Aug 18, 2010)

Felt says 50mm for rake under their Z85 geometry and rough estimates on the Bianchi put it at about 40mm.


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

deviousalex said:


> Felt says 50mm for rake under their Z85 geometry and rough estimates on the Bianchi put it at about 40mm.


A 40mm rake isn't unheard of, but is fairly uncommon. If you're estimating to get that number, I'd err on the side of 43mm.

That aside, if your goal is to determine which bike theoretically handles quicker/ slower, you need to calculate trail. Below is a link to a calculator. You'll need to know head tube angle, fork rake and wheel size. The higher the trail, the slower the steering will be, so a trail of 60mm's will be slower than a bike having a trail of 55mm's.

Bicycle Trail Calculator | yojimg.net


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## Camilo (Jun 23, 2007)

My guess is that the two bikes are fairly siginficantly different in several aspects, not just the fork. Angles? wheel base? position on the bike and how it affects center of gravity up and down and distribution of weight over front and rear wheels? The Z is built for a pretty specific ride and handling, and my guess is that it's more than the fork.


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

Camilo said:


> My guess is that the two bikes are fairly siginficantly different in several aspects, not just the fork. Angles? wheel base? position on the bike and how it affects center of gravity up and down and distribution of weight over front and rear wheels? The Z is built for a pretty specific ride and handling, and my guess is that it's more than the fork.


I agree. _All_ of the geo numbers along with rider fit/ position (and even tire construction/ size) will tell the tale. Can't just segregate out one aspect of bike geo and draw reliable conclusions re: handling.

That said, assuming proper sizing/ a good fit, steering response is _primarily_ dictated by trail, so knowing that difference will (IMO) provide the OP with some useful info.


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## deviousalex (Aug 18, 2010)

PJ352 said:


> I agree. _All_ of the geo numbers along with rider fit/ position (and even tire construction/ size) will tell the tale. Can't just segregate out one aspect of bike geo and draw reliable conclusions re: handling.
> 
> That said, assuming proper sizing/ a good fit, steering response is _primarily_ dictated by trail, so knowing that difference will (IMO) provide the OP with some useful info.


I've ridden both bikes with the same wheelset. Unfortunately that leaves only the fork I can swap out to get the handling similar.


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

deviousalex said:


> I've ridden both bikes with the same wheelset. Unfortunately that leaves only the fork I can swap out to get the handling similar.


Understood. Depending on just how important 'corrective action' is to you, I guess that might be an option. But FWIW when I crashed and needed to replace my OE fork, I went from a rake of 47 to 43 and couldn't tell a difference. Keep in mind, all other facets stayed constant (frame geo, fit), so the only change was trail.

Some cyclists are more sensitive to a certain change than others, but I'd weigh the expense with the potential 'gains' before swapping out the fork, especially considering you're not sure of the rake on the Bianchi.


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