Cycling UK Forum

Is it because they are easier and cheaper to make that way ?
To my eye they dont look right, and the lack of curvature suggests that a certain vibration-absorbing quality is missing.
Am I missing the point ? Or are we being sold to ?

Its just a fashion thing; straight forks were all the go fifteen years ago, but not so much in the last few years.

It is as well to remember that whilst straight forks -if built in the exact same material- might be a bit stiffer than curved ones, there is no guarantee that the materials are going to be the same; if they are different, then that may have a dominant effect over and above the details of the shape.

cheers

Back in the 90s there was a fashion for straight MTB handlebars.

They were a gimmick and very uncomfortable.

I thought it had something to do with the adoption of disc brakes - I assumed it was easier and therefore cheaper to make them stronger. But then I'm not an engineer .

I was told it makes no difference. It just depends on the design of the bike.

I understood that they were straight to deal with the extra force of the disc brake around the hub area.

There is the case of the straight metal forks which I dont understand the reasoning for or the much more common case of the straight carbon fibre forks which are straight because with CF you dont need a curve to make them have the required characteristics.

I am not sure which has attracted the OPs attention.

A more interesting question to me is why forks were tapered and curved to begin with! Most bicycles for a hundred years or more had these expensively produced forks. Why? Of course they provide a benefit, but is the benefit enough to justify the cost in price-sensitive markets? Apparently so, but it surprises me.

Straight 853 steel forks were around in the early 90s. Quite comfy as well.

Samuel D wrote:A more interesting question to me is why forks were tapered and curved to begin with! Most bicycles for a hundred years or more had these expensively produced forks. Why? Of course they provide a benefit, but is the benefit enough to justify the cost in price-sensitive markets? Apparently so, but it surprises me.

Maybe it was the last vestiges of real craftsmanship? The bicycle is mostly "pure" form following function with the builder having few opportunities to display any aesthetic skill. Fancy lugwork and head badges aside, the only real differences between makes are in the forks and fork crown.

Surely forks were curved to add a bit of resilience/comfort. Think of the state of the roads in those days!

Forks went straight because it's cheaper.
If you hit a pothole or something, the impact forces on the axle will be directed pretty close to directly towards the fork crown, so if you have a straight fork, you are effectively trying to compress it along its length, which it hard, so you don't get much extra suspension effect over what the tyre gives.

If you have a 50s/60s style fork with a fairly sharp bend, the impact force is at a fair angle to the end of the fork, so you'll get some suspension effect from the fork end bending in addition to the tyre. It won't be much more than a couple of mm, but it may save you from a snakebite. A bend put in after building also allows more flexibility in frame design for smaller builders.

I had a conversation on this very topic in my local bike shop recently by coincidence. I was talking to the knowledgeable shop owner about various things as I am looking at a change in bike (hey, 40 years riding the same bike - I think I'm entitled t look at a change!)

I explained my riding style - I like lightweight but with some comfort and since a lot has come along since my steel bike was made I quizzed him on the merits of steel, titanium (beautiful couple of titanium bikes in his shop), alloy and carbon. I asked about the forks because I remember being on a ride as a teen well Alloy was first emerging and a girl in the group had a catastrophic alloy fork failure. The reply got was that for steel and titanium they can do curved forks, thus giving comfort but with other materials, especially carbon, they need to be straight as they don't 'do' flex. Flexing would cause them to fail rather quickly, so they have to be straight (meaning no flex and meaning more vibration)

Not having a fat enough pocket for the titanium bike I am still on my trusty mount of 40 years. It doesn't get much more tried and tested then 40 years worth of testing...
(Still want to update to brake lever/gear changer combo though)

(hey, 40 years riding the same bike - I think I'm entitled t look at a change!)

No harm in looking. Just dont get rid of the old bike if you buy a new one.

Felt bicycles maintain an archive of their websites each year.

Looking back to 2009, all the road bikes had curved forks;

http://2009.feltracing.com/09-catalog/r ... frame.aspx

You can only assume it's a trend, probably with something like an aero advantage claimed or something obscure.