I'm a little confused regarding the possibility of fitting oversized, tapered forks on my Lynskey Helix OS. I currently run Enve 2.0 that have 1 1/8 steerer but have read that due to the 44mm oversized head tube it can accommodate tapered forks with up to a 1.5 lower crown. I get this but can't seem to find a headset that does it? I currently have a Chris King Inset and cannot see an Inset model that enables this apart from one with an external lower assembly, Lynskey actually advertise a Cane Creek headset that does what I want but it too has an external lower bearing I think so would surely raise up the front end? Any help in clarifying this would be much appreciated. Anyone with a Helix OS running tapered forks?

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Ti or dye!

The Weenie formally known as CAADHEAD

Yep, they're the headsets you need - internal upper and external lower.

As you mention, this will raise the front end, so you'd have to cut the lower part of the headtube down by the appropriate amount and re-face it.

Personally I'd stick with 11/8, the stiffness gains are made with the frame, with the 44mm headtube you've already got that.

Surely theres an internal option available? Seems to me theres plenty of room to accommodate an internal OS bearing? Heres a quote from Mark Lynskey in an article about the Helix OS, "We added a larger head-tube to accommodate OS tapered fork and bearing systems". They can't really expect you to cut the head-tube down, thats hardly a viable option for anybody but the most well equipped frame builder and then I'm not sure it could be done?

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The Weenie formally known as CAADHEAD

The bottom of the Cane Creek one seems like it has pretty minimal stack?



Maybe a couple mm? I don't think that would have a huge impact on handling/geometry. Is this the one Lynskey is showing?

Here's a link to the one on their website
http://www.lynskeyperformance.com/store/cane-creek-40-zs44-ec44-1-5-1-1-8-tapered-headset.html

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Ti or dye!

The Weenie formally known as CAADHEAD

head tubes can be cut very easily - I've done it myself, just a bit of preparation and planning sharp hacksaw and a facing tool - job done.

But as I said in my original reply - I just wouldn't bother with the tapered fork, you won't notice any difference.
The oversizing of the headtube to accomodate a larger downtube (and perhaps toptube) will provide all the stiffness you need - the tapered fork is just a by-product of this and doesn't add much, if anything.

edit.

Well I for one don't want to cut the head tube on a £2500 titanium frame and I can't imagine for one minute thats what Lynskey intend you to do lol. It maybe that there isn't a significant performance advantage with having a fork with an OS taper, but then why would anybody bother with OS forks in the first place? I'm sure my SystemSix benefits from the 1.5" tapered fork it has and not just from its OS head tube.

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The Weenie formally known as CAADHEAD

The only way to do this is with an external lower bearing. The ZS44 cup that someone posted a photo of is for a 1 1/8" steerer. 44mm is only 1.73" so you can see that there's no room for a bearing and a 1 1/2" steerer within the tube (only 0.23" = 5mm or so left for the bearing...). Even a 1 1/4" steerer will only work with an external cup. The point is that with a "normal" (traditional) headtube the 1 1/2" fork won't even fit in the tube, let alone have room for a headset.

Anyway, the external lower cup on the CC headset adds 8mm in stack relative to an inset one, which would change the head angle by 0.4 degrees or so. Its up to you whether you think that sort of change is acceptable.

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Enjoying my Funk

Ah now thats the info I needed! I probably wouldn't bother if it means running an external bearing cup but the way Mark Lynskey was talking I assumed an internal option was available. Thanks.

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The Weenie formally known as CAADHEAD

I have a Lynskey OS and tried the tapered fork with a CK headset (external lower, internal upper). Very easy to install but went back to standard non-tapered fork because the bike's great handling was substantially slowed down. I had several friends try the bike (without telling them about the fork change) and they all thought the bike was more stable.

No preceived increase in stiffness with the tapered fork (same brands and rake). Sold the tapered fork.

The stiffness gain is in the 44mm headtube, not the tapered fork (I rode a standard Helix for three years before the OS, all with Edge forks).

Well I had to try it! Lyndale or Cannonskey?

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The Weenie formally known as CAADHEAD

and... how does it ride?

do you feel anything different?

Well I rode it around my shop car park, didn't feel especially different but I need to give it a proper ride. I estimate it lifted the front end 8mm, the stack height of the cane Creek 110 minus the stack height of the Chris King internal. Also the Enve forks that were on there were 43mm rake as opposed to the Cannondale ones which are 45mm I believe? I picked up the forks for peanuts and it was dead in the shop today so I thought what the heck! I thought I'd have to adjust the saddle angle but it seems to have hardly changed even though the front has gone up. So I know what the headset has added but not sure what the rake change combined with that has done? I believe the axle to crown of the two forks is almost identical?

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Ti or dye!

The Weenie formally known as CAADHEAD

Enve forks are stiff enough at 1 1/8". A reputable frame builder has told me that the only reason the industry is moving towards carbon tapered steerers is that they are cheaper to make than straight steerers.