Carbon fork for cross/gravel build (mind made up, but now the other parts...)

The spirit of Grav-lo-cross. No but seriously, cyclocross and gravel go here!

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Casati
Posts: 33
Joined: Thu Jan 31, 2013 10:09 am
Location: Drenthe

by Casati

wheelsONfire wrote:A pity that you could not get 15*100.
Why didn't you go for 3T Luteus II fork?
I have that and it's 15*100. You can also fit very wide tires and even 650B wheels with 55mm tires!

Yeah, that Ryde rim is very light! Hope you share some pictures once the bike/ frame is ready :wink:


I will definitely put some pics up when it's ready! :D Will still take a while, though, as the course will not take place until August. But I need to have the wheels ready before building the frame, which is why I'm already getting parts together.

The reason that I chose for the Enve fork is that the framebuilder I'm going to work with was enthusiastic about Enve and that it is lighter and (looking at internet prices) even a bit cheaper than 3T. Enve also has a crash replacement policy, which I think is an added bonus for forks this expensive. :wink: You can run 45mm on 700c and 50 on 650b, so also pretty wide, even though I will only use it with 700c.

Why would you choose 15*100 over 12*100, though? I wouldn't think that that makes so much of a difference and I get the feeling that 12*100 is going to be the standard for road/cx/gravel disc hubs.

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wheelsONfire
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by wheelsONfire

I am not sure that will be the new standard front!?

I use No tubes Avion Pro, these are 15*100/ 12*142.
I love these wheels.
Throw on a Schwalbe S-One tubeless (30mm) for fast tarmac riding, use a fatter G-One or Hutchinson Black Mamba CX for better traction, grip and comfort riding gravel and they are really working great.

I don't even think you can get them as 12*100.
Even so, this must be considered the latest tech for gravel/ road.
I wouldn't change this set for any Enve, Zipp, Easton, Ax lightness or such for this type of riding.

As you seem to favor Enve, i can only say that Enves CX wheels is not available in 12*100, but only 15*100.
Which seems odd if the Enve CX fork is 12*100!
Bikes:

Ax Lightness Vial EVO Race (2019.01.03)
Open *UP* (2016.04.14)
Paduano Racing Fidia (kind of shelved)


Ex bike; Vial EVO D, Vial EVO Ultra, Scott Foil, Paduano ti bike.

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Casati
Posts: 33
Joined: Thu Jan 31, 2013 10:09 am
Location: Drenthe

by Casati

I don't know if 12mm front is going to be a new standard either, it's just something I read in a few places, that for road use it's going towards 12mm. I wouldn't think it'll make the bike any less strong than with a 15mm, would it?

It does seem odd that the Enve fork is 12mm and its CX wheels have a 15mm axle... According to Enve the fork is optimized for cx and road use, so perhaps that is the reason? But as I'm going to build the wheels myself, that is not too much of an issue. I'm going to use DT 350 hubs and they can be adapted to both 15mm and 12mm.

For the rims I've now asked my lbs for quotes (and availability) for the following rims:

- Ryde Pulse Comp Disc OS 2016 (21mm inner width, not sure if they are available yet)
- Pacenti SL25
- DT Swiss 460DB and 511DB (this is a brand that he always has in stock)
- H Plus Son The Hydra

Tamu8104
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Location: US

by Tamu8104

You can get the ENVE wheels in 12x100 at least in the DT Swiss builds. The end caps were originally hard to find but they are pretty easy to get now.
Firefly Ti Road Disc
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Casati
Posts: 33
Joined: Thu Jan 31, 2013 10:09 am
Location: Drenthe

by Casati

You've got a point there. I don't want carbon rims, though. Aluminium is good enough for this project (and loads cheaper...).

reippuert
Posts: 120
Joined: Sat Apr 23, 2011 9:18 am
Location: Copenhagen, Denmark

by reippuert

Casati wrote:So, I've made my mind up about the fork: It's going to be an Enve CX, as this has a 12mm thru axle, proven quality and my framebuilder has worked with these forks before. I briefly considered the new GRD, but can't see how a carbon fender and a flat mount brake option merit the extra 250 euros. Axle to crown is also a bit shorter on the GRD, but I suppose I won't notice that that much...

Anyways, the bike will get a Rival groupset (or a Force if money allows and there are good reasons for spending the extra cash), but at the moment I'm looking at the wheels. I'm going to build those myself too, but am in doubt about hubs and rims.

For the hubs I'm looking at DTSwiss 350, but should a bike like this have a 135mm or 142mm rear hub? And are the 350s a good option, or are there better options (Hope, for example)?

Same thing goes for the rims. I've been looking at DTSwiss, but am open to other suggestions. They need to be aluminium, though, and preferably not too exotic.

What I want to build are wheels that are both strong and light. All suggestions are highly appreciated! :D


DT Swiss 350 hubs on DT swiss R460db rims w. Sapim D-light spokes, polyax nipples and HM washers.

IMHO - sapim spokes & nipples are just so mucher nicer to build with than DT's. BTW D-light's are just a easy to bulid with as Race or DT competitions. No problems with winding spokes as when you use Lasers, Revolutions, Arolights or CX-Ray's.
--
mvh. Morten Reippuert Knudsen @Merlin Works CR, Chorus 15, Reynolds 46/66

reippuert
Posts: 120
Joined: Sat Apr 23, 2011 9:18 am
Location: Copenhagen, Denmark

by reippuert

Casati wrote:
wheelsONfire wrote:A pity that you could not get 15*100.
Why didn't you go for 3T Luteus II fork?
I have that and it's 15*100. You can also fit very wide tires and even 650B wheels with 55mm tires!

Yeah, that Ryde rim is very light! Hope you share some pictures once the bike/ frame is ready :wink:


I will definitely put some pics up when it's ready! :D Will still take a while, though, as the course will not take place until August. But I need to have the wheels ready before building the frame, which is why I'm already getting parts together.

The reason that I chose for the Enve fork is that the framebuilder I'm going to work with was enthusiastic about Enve and that it is lighter and (looking at internet prices) even a bit cheaper than 3T. Enve also has a crash replacement policy, which I think is an added bonus for forks this expensive. :wink: You can run 45mm on 700c and 50 on 650b, so also pretty wide, even though I will only use it with 700c.


I wanted a through axle disc fork and initially i only forund the Enve and Whisky forks - until i noticed that TRP had put one out - i like the idea that a large disc brake manufactor stands behind the fork, additionally it was developed by Nick Riddle who's ex Easton. Additionally it comes in a unfinished OEM version which is only hal the cost of the Enve fork + i noticed that several custom builders have chosen the TRP fork for their gravel/cross builds.
--
mvh. Morten Reippuert Knudsen @Merlin Works CR, Chorus 15, Reynolds 46/66

Libraio
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Joined: Mon Jul 04, 2016 5:31 pm
Location: Den Haag, Netherlands

by Libraio

Casati, where are you doing the course? With Martin?

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spookyload
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by spookyload

Lynskey has one or two that meet your needs as well. I ride one on my procross

Casati
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Location: Drenthe

by Casati

@Libraio: Yes, I'm doing the course with him. Really looking forward to it! [emoji2]

I still had to change my fork plans a bit, though. I couldn't get hold of the Enve (or 3T, Whisky, Linskey etc. Seems these forks are permanently out-of-stock), so decided to go for the one that was available: the TRP Carbon CX. Beautiful fork with a 15mm thru axle.

The frame is going to be built with Zona tubing, Loco Machine headtube and Paragon flatmount rear dropout. Groupset will be a Rival 22 with hydraulic disc brakes and a Cane Creek 40 headset. The wheelset are DT Swiss R511 DB rims on 350 DBCL hubs. Further finishing kit will be Pro PLT and a Brooks or Ergon saddle. Not really weightweenie material, I know, but pretty bomb-proof and affordable.

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spookyload
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by spookyload

Enve went the 12mm direction for a good reason. DT and every other company can't put a 15mm thru axle in their standard hub body. Yes there is a 15mm version of the 240, but unless you get that version of the hub, there is only one aftermarket kit to adapt it. 12mm works all day long in a conversion. Way too ironic that Enve went 12mm the same time a 12mm conversion kit came out for DT

thprice
Posts: 252
Joined: Sun Jul 17, 2011 6:34 am

by thprice

I have been using Stan's Grail rims on a gravel grinder for the past 15 months.
I have been pretty harsh with them, ~6000 km, but no issues to date (fingers crossed), not even alignment.

Libraio
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Joined: Mon Jul 04, 2016 5:31 pm
Location: Den Haag, Netherlands

by Libraio

@Cassati: Cool, I'm going to Apeldoorn next week to build a frame with Martin myself. Fast road 650b bike. Zona tubing, Paragon low mount dropouts, Ritchey WCS disc fork. Clearance for 42-45mm slick tyres. Basicly a steel Slate without the bouncy bit up front.

Casati
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Location: Drenthe

by Casati

Sounds good! Have fun and pics or it didn't happen! ;-)

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Casati
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Joined: Thu Jan 31, 2013 10:09 am
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by Casati

Image

And the result of my hard work.[emoji2]

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