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Fork Offset..

by DanTe
Fri, Mar 07, 2014 10:25
4

Quick one for the techies..

This is where I start to get a bit lost.

I've been told that the slacker your head tube angle then the more offset is required on the fork? Is this correct?

Looking at swapping the fork out from the supplied re-branded Deda Black Rain to something a bit lighter and firmer.
Been looking at Easton's EC90, some places are advertising particular models as 'curved'. Does this just meen maximum offset?
They would appear to mirror the shape of the one I have.
Would a straight fork improve the handling of my bike making it more direct and quicker or is that a more complex matter of geometry?

Ta

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4 comments

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Malaconotus | 10 years ago
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Don't be misled by the shape of a fork. Some straight forks (which always angle out from the crown) have more offset that some curved ones. The shape is more a matter of aesthetics than handling.

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cavasta | 10 years ago
0 likes

I've been after similar advice. You might find the following threads I started useful:

http://forum.ctc.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=82375

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php/925787-New-forks-advice-on-rake...

http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=40042&t=12951542

http://www.cyclingforums.com/t/499355/new-forks-advice-on-rake/0_50

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DanTe | 10 years ago
0 likes

Thanks for that. Good link, it's in plain English too which is handy.

I'd say the handling of my bike is neutral-slow but not offensively so.
If the fork I'm looking at has 1mm less offset, it's not really going to make much difference?

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wellcoordinated | 10 years ago
0 likes

You should be careful when buying new forks that don't have the same geometry as the ones they are replacing. Bike handling is a complex area, but probably the most important (in respect of forks) is a term called trail. More of it and the bike is more stable or sliggish, depending on your point of view. You can read about trail and other factors here:

http://calfeedesign.com/tech-papers/geometry-of-bike-handling/

Also if you go for straight forks, you may find that your toes collide with the front wheel when the crank arms are horizontal.

Good luck

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