# New Strong Custom Steel on the way, fork & kit advice needed



## steel fan (Dec 29, 2006)

I've been off the road for a couple years and missed it, so decided to order a Strong before the price increase for '07. Return customer discount didn't hurt matters either. :idea: 

Since 2003 I've owned a custom Strong 29'r that's been superb.

Now the hard parts - 

1) picking the color and...

2) deciding between a custom steel fork or a lighter Reynolds / True Temper / Easton carbon fork.

Components will be Campagnolo - either Centaur or Chorus.


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## Mike Prince (Jan 30, 2004)

*1 vote for a steel fork*

I've got a steel fork on my Steelman and it rides wonderfully. If I remember correctly, you will have trouble getting a 1 1/8 steerer in steel (I couldn't when I bought mine in '01) nor should you as it really serves no purpose. Nothing wrong with a 1" steerer though, just consider this when specing the frame - if it's built for a 1 1/8", your mind will be made up for you on the fork.

Sorry no experience with Rival, but Ultegra is a fine group. The reviews of Rival/Force have been very positive with the exception of front shifting - the cable pull is very long and apparently you can't trim the FD like with Campy or Shimano. But those who have SRAM say that the RD shifting is better than anything from the other 2. There's a Force review on www.cyclingnews.com, which should apply to rival from a performance perspective.


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## team_sheepshead (Jan 17, 2003)

When I got my latest steel bike (a lugged Zanconato), I had the fork debate, too. I went with steel and have never regretted it. This bike rides better than any bike I've ever owned, and with the flat crown and gently curving blades, it has a classic look that carbon could never match.

I also have a custom steel Curtlo with an off-the-shelf carbon fork. Supposedly same geometry as my Zanc, but it definitely handles differently on the front end.

If it is lugged, paint it to highlight the lugs in some way. Do either contrasting lugs or pinstripes around the lugs. Here's an example of the former on a Zanconato, painted by Toby Stanton.
http://tinyurl.com/ykdb7g


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## steel fan (Dec 29, 2006)

Mike Prince said:


> I've got a steel fork on my Steelman and it rides wonderfully. If I remember correctly, you will have trouble getting a 1 1/8 steerer in steel (I couldn't when I bought mine in '01) nor should you as it really serves no purpose. Nothing wrong with a 1" steerer though, just consider this when specing the frame - if it's built for a 1 1/8", your mind will be made up for you on the fork.


Strong will build it either way - if I decide on a handbuilt steel fork, I guess that'd mean a 1" HT, otherwise a 1-1/8" HT for carbon.

To be honest, it's not very often I buy a custom bike and don't want to regret what I should have gotten. 

I'm leaning toward a matching custom steel fork, and Campy since I've always liked it. Maybe Chorus, but at least Centaur. :thumbsup:


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## Lawrencer2003 (Nov 26, 2006)

*Steel fork & Campi*

Bought a custom Waterford this year. See recent post. If you are going to shell out for custom steel, most builders take pride in their steel forks. I'd let them build you an all steel bike. I personally don't trust carbon.

Having had a bone head tourist town shop owner crack the housing the Chorus shifters on my old bike (and refuse to own up to it), I was heasitant to go with Campi again. My shop however reminded me that my shifters were rebuilt for $150 and that Campi is the only mfg where that can happen. He told me that if I liked Campi, I was being ridiculous to want to switch to Shimano because of one inept mechanic. I went with Centaur and am very happy. I also went compact. Although I live near Chicago, I never missed the triple during a light tour in New England last summer.

PS: If I had it to do all over again, I'd go with polished SS lugs of available from your builder.

Its a very special thing, having a bike built for you and even more amazing when you take your first ride and it feels like you've had it for years!


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## nw60312 (Aug 26, 2005)

*1-1/8" steel forks...*

Hi - The materials to do a 1-1/8" steel fork are available. In fact TT came out with a lighter weight OX platinum steerer tube option as well. The crown options aren't as plentiful as 1" but are available. I have been looking into going with a 1-1/8" steel fork for a new bike as well. I would also vote for talking to CS about it as well, especially so you know the axle to crown height the bike is being built for. Chris King also makes a Devolution headset that will allow you to use a 1" fork in a 1-1/8" frame as well, so you should have lots of options. 

HTH

-Nate


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## steel fan (Dec 29, 2006)

Okay, the plan is to build the frame with 1-1/8" HT and run a 1" steer tube custom steel fork by way of the King Devolution HS. This way I can always add a 1-1/8" CF fork later on. 

Gruppo-wise it'll be either Chorus or Centaur with handbuilt wheels... :thumbsup:


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