Rigid forks.

[kipperthedog]

I am thinking of fitting rigid forks to my 2009 Gary Fisher, along with 27.5" wheels. I don't want to spend a lot and have seen plenty of aluminium ones on ebay for around £50. Has anyone tried them? Or can anyone suggest anything else inexpensive? I don't want carbon, need a disc mount and yes, I would rather have Salsa Cromotos but they are more £s. Use will be more gravel (in trendy modern terms) not hard-core mtb.

 

[CassidyAce]

I wouldn't trust a £50 aluminium fork. And I'd trust a sub-£50 aluminium fork even less. I would trust steel more, so I'd look for a suitable donor bike with a steel disc fork: a hybrid bike in 27.5 wheel size. I expect you could pick up a Carrera Subway or similar with a disc fork for not a lot. The fork will be heavier than an aluminium one but it's a case of: strong, light, cheap; pick two.

 

[Imlach]

Cheap aluminium forks should be overbuilt like hell and heavy as **** for me to trust it. I'd definitely stay away from anything cheap and supposedly lightweight. Does not go hand in hand. I personally don't like alu forks much, my last excursion with one was a P bone and I didn't like it at all. I do run cheap generic steel ones, as Cassidy says, they're heavy but feel solid as a panzer.

Look for a P2 disc fork?

 

[geddy1972]

I have a set of rigid alloy forks on my commuter bike.

i got them from a company called airbike and they are good quality but they do creak a bit.

the steerer tube is alloy aswell.

i would only use them on the road and never off road.

i only got them to replace a really cheap nasty and very heavy suspension fork i was using.

 

[bikeworkshop]

I wouldn't trust cheap amazon rubbish whatever it was made out of.
We see it all broken.

You ought to be able to get a used pair off ebay, check the axle/crown measurement on your current fork first - the rigid fork will probably want to be 20mm+ shorter than the sus fork at full extension.
perhaps 440/460 on a 27.5

Steel is superior if it's high quality.
Aluminium is lighter but harsher than decent steel.
Cheap steel is harsh and heavy.

 

[muddytreker]

Got 3 bikes running on Exotic Aluminium rigid forks in a number of configs to suit bikes.
There site gives plenty of fork options to suit all wheel sizes, brakes, steerers etc, have been using
them for the past 8yrs without issues, the leg diameter on them is 34mm, stock steerer length approx 260mm,
perhaps give them a lookin, they have an Ebay site or for slightly cheaper directly see linky below.

CarbonCycles.CC :: Components :: eXotic Shop

Store for eXotic Carbon Fiber bicycle parts. Mountain Bike, 29er, BMX, Road. Free Shipping on all orders to over 150 countries world wide. Visit CarbonCycles.CC, the Carbon Fiber Specialist for a vast range of carbon and alloy forks, seatposts, stems...

www.carboncycles.cc

 

[Imlach]

Got 3 bikes running on Exotic Aluminium rigid forks in a number of configs to suit bikes.
There site gives plenty of fork options to suit all wheel sizes, brakes, steerers etc, have been using
them for the past 8yrs without issues, the leg diameter on them is 34mm, stock steerer length approx 260mm,
perhaps give them a lookin, they have an Ebay site or for slightly cheaper directly see linky below.

CarbonCycles.CC :: Components :: eXotic Shop

Store for eXotic Carbon Fiber bicycle parts. Mountain Bike, 29er, BMX, Road. Free Shipping on all orders to over 150 countries world wide. Visit CarbonCycles.CC, the Carbon Fiber Specialist for a vast range of carbon and alloy forks, seatposts, stems...

www.carboncycles.cc

Their carbon offerings have an amazing reputation as well, been meaning to give them a go sometime, thanks for the reminder.

 

[bikeworkshop]

Quite light,
quite strong,
quite cheap,
quite ugly

 

[hamster]

+1 for Exotics, had them on my main rider (singlespeed) for 6 winters now, still look immaculate. They are no lighter than a decent steel fork (replaced a TB P2) but they have a bit more bump and buzz absorption.

 

[ishaw]

Exotics are nice imo. I don't think they are ugly myself.

What sort of steerer length are you looking for? I've got some steel rock star forks I've not got a need for.