from Rookie’s keyboard
Hello, friends
Another lonely evening, another post on RJ.com.
The topic?
Titanium bikes and the somewhat unexpected material of the forks they are paired with.
Can you guess what it is?
Well…it’s composite or carbon to be specific.
The main reasons behind this material choice are:
Easier Customization
Engineers and designers love carbon because the fibers can be arranged in a way that compliments the function of the component.
When we are talking about forks, the goal is to find the perfect balance between lateral stiffness and vertical flex so that the fork offers stability but also compliance in the needed directions.
And of course, carbon components can easily be shaped in a unique way. Producers take advantage of this property by making the fork and/or frame in a teardrop shape to reduce drag.
Titanium and steel do not offer the same degree of customization.
Road Bike Friendly
Road bike forks have to be light but also stiff and somewhat compliant – a difficult task to accomplish by using titanium while also keeping the final product slim.
Cheaper Than Titanium
Titanium components are not cheap. By using a carbon fork instead of a titanium one, a manufacturer can offer a bike with a titanium frame at a more bearable price.
If the fork was made out of titanium too, the final cost will climb significantly.
Carbon Manufacturing is Well Developed
Carbon dominates the high-end cycling segment. Consequently, the entire industry subsidizes the production and distribution of carbon. The greater demand results in more opportunities and lower prices.
Titanium is more of a niche material when it comes to cycling. The smaller demand creates lower availability and higher prices.
Weight To Strength Ratio
Titanium forks cannot offer the needed strength without extra material and thus weight.
It makes more sense to equip a bike that’s meant to be light with a fork made out of carbon.
Trend
Carbon is considered a futuristic material enjoying a high status. Titanium is also high in the hierarchy, but it’s not “mainstream” cool.
A bike that has a titanium frame and a carbon fork combines the best of both exotic worlds and fills a lucrative niche.
Fork Flex
The stiffness of a frame can be adjusted via the frame’s geometry. The same is hard to do with forks due to the fewer variables that can be changed.
All forks have the same basic structure – three tubes attached to one another.
Manufacturers have a hard time producing a stiff titanium fork without using extra-large tubing or significantly changing the shape of the fork.
This is one of the reasons why you see titanium forks with an unorthodox design.
The goal is to make the fork perform as needed without making it beefier. However, those forks are expensive to mass-produce.
Other Materials?
A titanium frame can technically be combined with a steel or aluminum fork. However, this is rarely the case for the following reasons:
Aluminum is light but not compliant. Alloy forks transmit road regularities and make for a harsher ride. Hence they’re absent from the vast majority of high-end bicycles.
Steel is compliant and offers a high degree of comfort, but it’s not light. Therefore, people who want to have a light but also comfortable bike go for carbon.
As I alrady said 1000 times, carbon is a trendy material.
IMO, carbon is often an overrated material when compared to steel because:
- Components made out of carbon require frequent inspection. A small crack can cause failure.
- When carbon fails it often does so fully and unexpectedly. Hence many people consider carbon a dangerous material.
- Carbon can’t handle external abuse. If a carbon component is hit, it can break or at least crack. Conversely, steel is tough and elastic. It’s more likely to bend than to fail completely.
Until next time,
Rookie
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