Hi,

What is the difference between all the carbon forks? I have a BRC on my current bike, came with it at LBS recommendation. My friends are now telling me that this is not that great of a fork and to up grade. Do different carbon forks change the ride quality that much?

My bike set up is a Torelli Spada Al. with Campy Chorus and Ksyrium SSC's

They have given me multiple suggestions as to their favorites. I would like you input.

Should I stay away from a carbon steer tube and use an alloy? Some guys say yes, some say no?? A couple of guys are also telling me to not go with too light of a fork (gm. wt.). How light is too light for my size, I am 6' 205lbs?

Any other thoughts?

Thank you,
Griff

Hi,

What is the difference between all the carbon forks? I have a BRC on my current bike, came with it at LBS recommendation. My friends are now telling me that this is not that great of a fork and to up grade. Do different carbon forks change the ride quality that much?

My bike set up is a Torelli Spada Al. with Campy Chorus and Ksyrium SSC's

They have given me multiple suggestions as to their favorites. I would like you input.

Should I stay away from a carbon steer tube and use an alloy? Some guys say yes, some say no?? A couple of guys are also telling me to not go with too light of a fork (gm. wt.). How light is too light for my size, I am 6' 205lbs?

Any other thoughts?

Thank you,
Griff
If you are happy with the weight and handling of your bike, there is no reason to change. I have read some reviews of the lighter Easton forks and they seem to flex a little with big guys. I like the Reynolds Ouzo Pro and I am bigger than you. I used it to replace a Columbus Max steel fork and noticed no difference in stiffness. The Woundup forks are stiff if you like the way they look. As far as steerers, don't worry about it. The fork you have now is a quality fork and you will only lose 150-200 grams by switching to a higher zoot fork. Lance rides a bontrager fork on his trek and it has an alloy steerer.

My friends are now telling me that this is not that great of a fork and to up grade.

When you start beating your friends in a few sprints or are first over a couple of climbs, all this "upgrade" talk will stop. Like magic, the stuff you ride on now will be perfectly fine in the eyes of your friends. For a real improvement, consider spending your money on a trip to the mountains, a stack of training books, or a couple of days at a training camp.

Yes....forks make a big difference; I'm not familiar with the BRC, but if it feels stiff enough and is dependable on high speed descents, keep it. If your buddies are talking about weight only, forget it;
A fork that is stiff enough, handles road anomalies well, and is dependable in high speed situations
is far more important than saving 100 g.
The questions are: will it make a big difference on your present frame?; should you just wait until you get a new frame /fork? , or, if you would like to upgrade, how much are you willing to spend?
Depending on how the rake will affect your frame geometry; the best forks are likely the Fondriest (Mizuno) Top Carbon; Mizuno MC Full and the Look HSC 5. These are expensive forks, but they are amazing. The Mizuno MC Full may be the best fork available for the $; However, a Reynolds Ouzo pro can be found for a subtantial discount and is probably the way to go to save $. Easton has mixed reviews.
Lightweight forks are great if you are willing to pay $500; but if you are on a budget, make sure your choice is tried and true for someone of your size.
The best option would be to try an Ouzo pro or similar on your frame (maybe one of your buddies has a frame/ fork lying around and you can swap out the fork for a day)

I replaced my Ouzo Pro with the Profile BRC. I had lot's of miles on the Ouzo and there were some clearcoat/corrosion issues with the carbon/dropouts junction area and I didn't want to chance anything. I got a great deal on the BRC. Anyway going to the BRC was better for me. Even though that fork is a "down grade", I find it rides better for me. It's stiffer and tracks better because of that (my BRC has an alloy steerer and crown). It's also a "harsher" ride. It probably weighs more, but I can't tell that. I'd say if you don't have issues with the fork, leave well enough alone.

Hi,

What is the difference between all the carbon forks? I have a BRC on my current bike, came with it at LBS recommendation. My friends are now telling me that this is not that great of a fork and to up grade. Do different carbon forks change the ride quality that much?

My bike set up is a Torelli Spada Al. with Campy Chorus and Ksyrium SSC's

They have given me multiple suggestions as to their favorites. I would like you input.

Should I stay away from a carbon steer tube and use an alloy? Some guys say yes, some say no?? A couple of guys are also telling me to not go with too light of a fork (gm. wt.). How light is too light for my size, I am 6' 205lbs?

Any other thoughts?

Thank you,
Griff

The difference in road "feel" of different carbon forks can often be difficult to detect and is a debateable subject (reality or a placebo effect?). I can say that I probably wouldn't be able to tell the difference between 2 CF forks.

I would keep the fork, it is probably decently light. A good 300-350 gram fork from Easton et al will usually run you $300-400. If you're a weight weenie and looking to get your bike to the UCI limit, then you can sometimes save 1/3 to a half pound if you have a tanky fork to begin with. But this doesn't seem to be the case. Too much money and too much hassle, that's why I would take a pass on it. Is your current fork painted to match the color of the frame? Another reason I'd keep it.

-R

Hi,

What is the difference between all the carbon forks? I have a BRC on my current bike, came with it at LBS recommendation. My friends are now telling me that this is not that great of a fork and to up grade. Do different carbon forks change the ride quality that much?

My bike set up is a Torelli Spada Al. with Campy Chorus and Ksyrium SSC's

They have given me multiple suggestions as to their favorites. I would like you input.

Should I stay away from a carbon steer tube and use an alloy? Some guys say yes, some say no?? A couple of guys are also telling me to not go with too light of a fork (gm. wt.). How light is too light for my size, I am 6' 205lbs?

Any other thoughts?

Thank you,
Griff
I know what I am going to do regarding upgrading my fork. I am going to ride my bike more. After I get many more miles under my wheels then I can look to change my set up. I need to concentrate on improving my aerobic base, become more comfortable controlling the bike when riding with others and most of all have fun.

Thanks to all of you for your info.
Regards,
Griff