Are All Rigid Forks Created Equal?

[danthebugman]

First post here so first off hey everyone! Now down to business...

First off I decided to post this here cause it seems more SS riders use rigid forks than folks in the XC section...so apologies if this belongs somewhere else. I have decided to swap out my Rocks Shox Psylo XC fork for a rigid one. Just don't hit the trails like I used to and will be using the bike more for commuting around town (save some money on gas ). The added simplicity of a rigid is pretty appealing also. I've been looking at a few options, but have come down to liking either the Surly 1x1 or Surly Instigator. Price wise I like the 1x1. However I did find a rigid on Ebay (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...=p5197.c0.m619) for way cheaper. Let's be honest I'd like to save as much money as possible, though selling my Psylo would help cover some of the cost. It's not like there's a crap ton of technology that goes into a rigid fork right? It's basically a piece of metal so the only real concern should be welds or something like that failing, but it's not like I'm going to be jumping off buildings or anything. I guess basically I'm just looking for some input to help me decide to spend the coin on one of the Surlys...

Thanks,
Dan

[demo9pro]

My two cents: It may be "only" rigid, but the type of material will certainly affect the fork's amount of deflection under stress (braking and rocks, etc) and level of shock transmitted to the rider. Personally, I like rigid carbon forks on my singlespeeds, exotic cycles is about $175, 215 lb weight limit (my weight), and I've had a few on different bikes for several years without incident.

[OGRipper]

Short answer is no, they are not equal.

You must first make sure the fork you are talking about is the correct size and offset. The height can vary considerably, especially since some forks "correct" for front suspension height. The amount of offset can also have a big impact on handling. So you can't just get a fork for a 26" wheel and be good to go.

Assuming it's the right size, like demo said, the material will have a big impact on the feel, as will the style of construction. Generally, straight-blade forks will be stiffer and less forgiving, while curved (older style) forks will have a little more flex.

EDIT: Make sure it has disc tabs if you plan to use disc brakes!!

[JRogers]

If you just plan on riding the bike around town and for short distances, I doubt that even the cheapest fork would really be that much worse than others as long as it is suspension corrected or the proper length for your frame. If you plan on doing trails and stuff, I'd spend the extra few bucks and get a decent one. One because it will probably ride better, but mostly because I wouldn't trust such a cheap fork to hold up well. You definitely don't need to get a carbon fork. The Surly ones are just fine. I used a Kona Project 2 fork for a while and it did fine as well.

[danthebugman]

Thanks for the input. I ended up opting for the Surly. Been riding on it for a couple of months now and love it!

Dan

[martin]

i would say buy my rigid forks! they are aaaawesome and will give them to you for cheap! I have them posted in the classifieds. Under bmx and also under forks. Just search Identiti.