Weight Weenies

I'm building a rugged crit/do-everything bike. I really intend to disrespect this bike, curbs, gravel roads, grass shortcuts, skateparks, etc. Plan is a Nashbar aluminum frame... But what fork? I want a Steel Nashbar fork (40º rake) because they look awesome. Would you trust it? What else would you recommend?

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I've seen forks fail in every material, but strangely enough more often in steel than others. Not sure why, perhaps fatigue? They've always failed at the steerer just above crown, leaving the person hospital-bound.

Anyway, carbon will be fine for what you want to do with it. Personally I'd go with a full carbon fork.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNKe0idF7EM

I commute on the Nashbar (grey) aluminum frame, I used the Nashbar Steel Road Fork for a bit, but the low rake gave the bike a super twitchy feel, so much so, that it was very difficult to ride without my hands on the bars. After a little crash (don't text and ride, kids), I put an old carbon fork with 45mm rake on the bike, now it behaves much more manageably. Of course, the short top tube means it still has mad toe overlap (on a 58 btw), but it is rather pleasant to ride now.

Also, I have completely abused this bike for the past year, it gets left out in the rain, freezing temperatures, rode down small flights of stairs, and hopped off curbs. It is a tough frame.

I have not broken a steel fork (the one I had briefly before replacing it with carbon). But I have also not broken a carbon fork, even when impacting an off-road terrain that broke my ti frame at the headtube. That particular one was alloy steerer, but I agree with prendrefeu that full carbon sounds just fine.

I broke a carbon steerer (really thick one at that too) when a car hit my handlebars at excessive speed (got T-boned), the steerer got twisted apart right above the alu reinforcement at the crown. The alu frame was just fine...

I think it's, as usual, pointless to make generalisations among materials. It's a matter of construction, not material.

Thanks for the replies. I'd still like more information if anyone has something to add. DFM makes a good point:

DMF wrote:I think it's, as usual, pointless to make generalisations among materials. It's a matter of construction, not material.

I'm also confident a carbon fork will meet my needs, but it's not what I want. I want the straight blade Nashbar steel fork because it is going to compliment the rest of the build.

DMF's point was echoed in the earlier comment of "forks fail in every material"

But, anyway, get whatever works for you. There are straight-blade carbon forks around as well, and this is weight weenies. A lighter fork does make things feel a bit more nimble in the steering department.

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Bling wrote:I'm building a rugged crit/do-everything bike. I really intend to disrespect this bike, curbs, gravel roads, grass shortcuts, skateparks, etc. Plan is a Nashbar aluminum frame... But what fork? I want a Steel Nashbar fork (40º rake) because they look awesome. Would you trust it? What else would you recommend?

Did the same thing for the same reason on my Serotta titanium cx bike. Check it out here http://www.flickr.com/photos/quality_vintage_bikes/sets/72157636789945366/. I ended up buying a Traitor Cycles steel fork though.

A proper steel fork will handle pretty much everything you can throw at it. The same goes for most (modern) carbon stuff, but obviously these don't handle crashing a bike nearly as good as a steel fork does. That said, you should note that a steel fork is much heavier (approx. 700g) than a carbon fork and it is not nearly as stiff compared to a carbon fork. The latter will definitely result in brake shudder and lesser cornering ability of your bike.

Good luck with the build!