Tapered headtubes, 1 1/2 lower & 1 1/8 upper cups.
Pros, cons, etc., what are your thoughts?
Pros, cons, etc., what are your thoughts?
Tapered Headtube?
1soulrider
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3,410 Posts
stiffer
It was correctly pointed out to my way back statement about 1 1/8th being plenty stiff as the distance between the cups is not enough for someone to feel the flex..... that most of a single crown fork flex is below the crown race, so that settled it for me, I 'got' it, that is why the tapered exists. Cane Creek makes em, King makes em and lot of imports are available with the 'mixed' bearings. All the advantages of 1.5 with none of the stem and upper head set drawbacks.
I am NOT trying to replace the Highline with this bike. The Highline is gone. Deal with it. If someone wants a monster bike that pedals well buy a 7 Point on sale and laugh off of every 25 to flat. CC will be the distance judge.
DT
It was correctly pointed out to my way back statement about 1 1/8th being plenty stiff as the distance between the cups is not enough for someone to feel the flex..... that most of a single crown fork flex is below the crown race, so that settled it for me, I 'got' it, that is why the tapered exists. Cane Creek makes em, King makes em and lot of imports are available with the 'mixed' bearings. All the advantages of 1.5 with none of the stem and upper head set drawbacks.
I am NOT trying to replace the Highline with this bike. The Highline is gone. Deal with it. If someone wants a monster bike that pedals well buy a 7 Point on sale and laugh off of every 25 to flat. CC will be the distance judge.
DT
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So you're saying the next sultan will have a tapered HT?turnerbikes said:
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How many forks are/will even be available in this format? And how many people would actually choose to run one if the bike had a 1.5" headtube and they could run any of the three options (1 1/8", tapered, 1.5"). Ten percent, if that? Less than those that would run a full 1.5" I'm sure.
So for the sake of not inconveniencing the (small) tapered crowd with having to run a reducer on their top headset cup, the 1.5" crowd gets tossed on the street, just as 1.5 160mm forks are widely available ?
So for the sake of not inconveniencing the (small) tapered crowd with having to run a reducer on their top headset cup, the 1.5" crowd gets tossed on the street, just as 1.5 160mm forks are widely available ?
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1,133 Posts
I don't give a sh!t about tapered headtubes. My Highline has 1.5, my Gruitr has 1.125. Thomson makes their Elite X4 stem in both sizes and that is the ONLY stem I ride. To hell with that "new" standard crap. Pick one or the other. 1.5 gives you the option to run anything you want. Period.
And yes they look terribly ugly.
And yes they look terribly ugly.
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439 Posts
Practically I'm not fussed either way. I currently have a 1.125 160mm fork that I'll be keeping for the forseeable future. If the DWRFX comes with tapered HT I'll just have to buy a lower reducer, if its a full 1.5, then I'll have to spring for a full headset. Not exactly a deal breaker.
Theoretically, I'm more for the full 1.5, as it means every fork option is workable. Having to buy a new headset isn't much of an issue. Having to buy a new fork at £500+ is (or even new CSU for the forks). you're more likely to just buy a different frame.
Although ^^ only applies to guys with 1.5 forks. How many of you out there who want an RFX already have a 1.5 fork?? I guess that's the real question. I suspect not too many (unless you're downsizing from a Highlinesque beasty)
Theoretically, I'm more for the full 1.5, as it means every fork option is workable. Having to buy a new headset isn't much of an issue. Having to buy a new fork at £500+ is (or even new CSU for the forks). you're more likely to just buy a different frame.
Although ^^ only applies to guys with 1.5 forks. How many of you out there who want an RFX already have a 1.5 fork?? I guess that's the real question. I suspect not too many (unless you're downsizing from a Highlinesque beasty)
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321 Posts
tapered headtubes also allow for a larger downtube for greater frame rigidity on bikes that usually only run a 1 1/8. There is no benefit for DH or heavy freeride.
Does rockshox make taper?
Does rockshox make taper?
Tapered steertubes on forks is fine, but why taper the headtube on the frame? Put 1.5 on everything ( well maybe just the sultan, spot, rfx and dhr) and let the user go wild with the myriad of headset combinations.
The argument of " people will try to run a fork that is too big for the frame" is null because I could easily mount a Dorado to a current spot. Adding a 1.5 headtube doesn't change that.
The argument of " people will try to run a fork that is too big for the frame" is null because I could easily mount a Dorado to a current spot. Adding a 1.5 headtube doesn't change that.
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Ugly
As we learned with the proto RFX, tapered head tubes are ugly, at least in the top and bottom configuration I did with the proto. With a bigger top like ZS it may not so bad, but I will never know.
DT
As we learned with the proto RFX, tapered head tubes are ugly, at least in the top and bottom configuration I did with the proto. With a bigger top like ZS it may not so bad, but I will never know.
DT
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3,384 Posts
To each his (or her), I guess.the-one1 said:
Not a big fan of the Ibis design, from a visual standpoint. And I don't think the Pivot is any better (or worse) than the Turner. Though, I think the Pivot's (at least the 429) design makes it harder to work on (esp. the front derailleur).
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321 Posts
A tapered frame, not fork gives the benefit. Your favorite bikes would be just as good with the tapered headtube and the 1.5 steerer is no better than the 1-1/8. The only way to get stiffer fork response is stanchion size.fox 40's are prolly the stiiffest.
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Sorry, you are wrong.taletotell said:
1.5 forks are undeniably stiffer than 1 1/8. I have run on the same bike an 1 1/8 fork back to back with the same fork in a 1.5 (or tapered really no difference) and the 1.5 was noticeably more rigid. A tapered headtube may increase frame stiffness, as would a 1.5, but you really notice the more robust crown steerer interface on the trail.
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I've heard several people say the same thing, who have run both back to back. I believe one was either Airwreck or ebextreme.1soulrider said:
This is the major reason I want a new fork for my Highline, currently running an older 1 1/8th Marz 66.
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321 Posts
I forgot to consider the headset when I said that. A large headset undoubtedly allows more flex from bearing play.
I want to see a frame test that stress tests a 1.5 and a tapered by the same company until they fail.
Also the welds on a tapered would be more triangular when considered from a cross section. That suggests to me less flex when twisting.
In the end I just got a tapered with a fox float 32 RL, and no complaints yet.
I want to see a frame test that stress tests a 1.5 and a tapered by the same company until they fail.
Also the welds on a tapered would be more triangular when considered from a cross section. That suggests to me less flex when twisting.
In the end I just got a tapered with a fox float 32 RL, and no complaints yet.
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1,654 Posts
No. What bearing play? Is that even flex?taletotell said:
The biggest gains are going to be gained from the insertion of the 1.5 tube through the fork crown (go look at your current fork, the steerer goes all the way through the crown). The larger diameter tube is going to be less apt to bend.
It's that simple.
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