![]() ![]() Particularly while riding at high speeds. The extra stiffness of aluminum forks does make the bike handle predictably and responsively. Aluminum tubes need to be thicker to achieve sufficient strength. The problem is that they would flex excessively under load and fatigue and fail too quickly. If aluminum fork arms were the same thickness as steel, they would be even more compliant. You feel every bump more.Īluminum forks need to be stiffer to maintain their strength. Bumps and vibrations are transmitted through the rigid aluminum fork to the handlebars. They don’t flex enough to absorb bumps or road noise. They offer a nice combination of compliance and rigidity.Īluminum forks are much more rigid than steel. At the same time, steel forks don’t flex excessively. Many riders find that the flex of steel forks gives the bike a lively ride feel. When you use a steel fork, you’ll also feel less road buzz. When you hit a bump, steel forks flex slightly to smooth out the ride. Steel forks are more compliant than aluminum. If there is too much fork flex, handling and efficiency suffer. Ideally, the fork should have some vertical compliance as well as torsional rigidity. Vertical fork flex is desirable because it allows the fork to absorb some shocks and vibrations from the road. The amount of flex depends largely on the material that the fork is made of. When you hit an obstacle, the fork blades flex a bit. Compliance/StiffnessĬompliance refers to the flex that occurs in the fork’s blades when you hit an obstacle such as a pothole or bump in the road. In this section, I’ll outline the differences and share some pros and cons of steel vs aluminum forks. Steel and aluminum can both be used to build responsive and durable forks for a wide range of bikes. ![]()
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