Replacing alloy fork with carbon

245

I've got a 2009 Giant TCX 2 which has an alloy fork (weighs over 900g). I want to fit a carbon fork to make the bike a bit lighter and because I find the alloy fork a bit harsh. I found this fork but I'm not sure if it's suitable or not:

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/columbus-tusk-light-full-carbon-fork/

The TCX has an internal headset (Cane Creek) and is listed as 1 1/4 to 1 1/8 threadless.

Can anyone tell me if the fork is suitable for the bike?

Lumen

Sounds like the TCX has a tapered head tube, and I don't think that fork is tapered.

500g is heavy too, and it's not full carbon.

245

Lumen wrote: »

Sounds like the TCX has a tapered head tube, and I don't think that fork is tapered.

500g is heavy too, and it's not full carbon.

Thanks Lumen - I'll keep on searching so

Mr. Skeffington

The other thing about that Columbus fork is that it has no bosses for the cantilever brakes. The best option might be to get an original Giant TCX carbon fork.

245

Mr. Skeffington wrote: »

The other thing about that Columbus fork is that it has no bosses for the cantilever brakes. The best option might be to get an original Giant TCX carbon fork.

Cheers - I'm planning to switch to a V brake at the front because there's a lot of judder from the existing ones.

I enquired in one Giant dealer about getting A fork for a Defy Composite 1 as it's the same colour as my bike but he told me that Giant didn't supply them. Mind you, he also told me that there was no weight saving with a carbon fork.... It seems difficult to get any info on the weight of Giant components so I thought it might be easier & cheaper to buy an aftermarket fork but there's a surprising lack of choice out there for a tapered fork with those measurements.

Lumen

Oh yeah, ignore my comment about the weight. Cyclocross forks are heavier.

If you want a smoother ride maybe fit wider tyres.

Lumen

245 wrote: »

Cheers - I'm planning to switch to a V brake at the front because there's a lot of judder from the existing ones.

Not sure that's a good idea. V-brakes with integrated shifters require travel agents.

A crown-mounted hanger might sort out the judder.

245

Lumen wrote: »

Oh yeah, ignore my comment about the weight. Cyclocross forks are heavier.

If you want a smoother ride maybe fit wider tyres.

I'm using it solely as a road bike so I can get away with the lighter road bike fork. I had Schwalbe Marathon Plus 700 X 32 tyres and still found the fork harsh on Kildare backroads. I've since changed to 25mm Gatorskin Hardshells which are surprisingly comfortable but I still get some numbness - when I cycle in Dublin I don't have that problem so I reckon it's the poor surfaces to blame.

The only tapered fork in the right size that I can find is made by Edge and this is the only one that I can find on sale:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Edge-2-0-carbon-fork-1-1-8-1-1-4-tapered-43mm-rake-NEW-uncut-enve-350grams-/261027637224?pt=Cycling_Parts_Accessories&hash=item3cc675a7e8#ht_2944wt_856

The customs and handling charges would be hefty - does anyone know of an Irish or UK supplier?

The other alternative is to cut my losses and sell the TCX and buy something on the lines of a Defy 2 - I've a couple of other mods planned and an expensive fork is making a fresh start more sensible costwise.

Mycroft H

245 wrote: »

I'm using it solely as a road bike so I can get away with the lighter road bike fork. I had Schwalbe Marathon Plus 700 X 32 tyres and still found the fork harsh on Kildare backroads. I've since changed to 25mm Gatorskin Hardshells which are surprisingly comfortable but I still get some numbness - when I cycle in Dublin I don't have that problem so I reckon it's the poor surfaces to blame.

The only tapered fork in the right size that I can find is made by Edge and this is the only one that I can find on sale:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Edge-2-0-carbon-fork-1-1-8-1-1-4-tapered-43mm-rake-NEW-uncut-enve-350grams-/261027637224?pt=Cycling_Parts_Accessories&hash=item3cc675a7e8#ht_2944wt_856

The customs and handling charges would be hefty - does anyone know of an Irish or UK supplier?

The other alternative is to cut my losses and sell the TCX and buy something on the lines of a Defy 2 - I've a couple of other mods planned and an expensive fork is making a fresh start more sensible costwise.

Decent handlebar grips? And I would chance putting as wide a tyres as you can fit on there.

245

BX 19 wrote: »

Decent handlebar grips? And I would chance putting as wide a tyres as you can fit on there.

I've tried 700 x 32 Schwalbe Marathon Plus with no benefit - I've got gel gloves on the way but I'd really like to take a little weight off the bike as well so a light fork would tick two boxes for me

Mycroft H

245 wrote: »

I've tried 700 x 32 Schwalbe Marathon Plus with no benefit - I've got gel gloves on the way but I'd really like to take a little weight off the bike as well so a light fork would tick two boxes for me

What pressure are you using? There is a point where putting the max pressure in the tyre reduces comfort and for performance gain.

Running 32mm tyres on my commuter, I would be only using 70-75psi on my front tyre and it was rather comfortable.

Another thing to bear in mind is that the Schwalbe Marathon, while ultra tough, is not the lightest tyre round.

Lumen

You can't put v-brakes on a road fork like that Edge/Enve one. Do you mean calipers?

This might do very odd things to the steering geometry.

With respect, I'm not sure you know what you're doing.

245

Lumen wrote: »

You can't put v-brakes on a road fork like that Edge/Enve one. Do you mean calipers?

This might do very odd things to the steering geometry.

With respect, I'm not sure you know what you're doing.

You're right . I had thought about replacing the brakes on the cyclocross fork before I considered replacing it but didn't stop to think that the road fork wouldn't have the same mounts...