Bicycle Strait fork vs curved fork?

Question

I see some road bikes with a strait front fork like this http://www.trossachscycles.co.uk/images/etb/bikes/0812.jpg

and I see others with a curved fork such as this http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/motobecane/images/lsl_wht_2100.jpg

I am wondering if one is better then the other, and what the general characteristics of each one is. Any knowledgeable answer would be greatly appreciated.

Answer 1

Straight forks are more easily made stiff and strong. Curved forks are more easily made compliant and soft. With modern materials technology, bike makers can achieve soft or firm with either geometry through the use of appropriate advanced materials technologies.

I prefer a curved fork as I am a kind of traditional/retro bike fan. I like steel frames and slender structures. Curved steel looks better to me than thick aluminum. I think it handles better too.

You and most riders can be plenty happy with wither design.

Astrobuf

Answer 2

A straight fork gives you a much more agile-handling bike, what with the shorter wheelbase and the front axle won't be too far off from the line of the head-tube. You must also be careful of toe overlap though. *Generally speaking* you mainly see straight forks on Track Bikes in the veledrome as they don't have to worry about the above issue as they only have to turn in slight increments.

Answer 3

i'm not sure if it has any aerodynamic difference, but i do know it affects the Toe Angle in some cases. Imagine that your pedals are leveled and you have your right foot forward. Now if the fork is straight, the wheel might actually touch the tip of your toe if you turned it left.

I have a track bike with a straight fork and this can happen if i turn the wheel too much, like in a tight low speed U turn. The thing about the track bike is that I can't stop pedaling...so this makes the toe strike more likely to happen.

Look at how the wheel is really close to the top tube...and how the foot sits in relation to the wheel: http://www.feltracing.com/08/image.asp?p...

There might be more to it than just toe strikes. That's just how i learned about fork rake

I don't think you'll have any of those problems with a road bike, however