Pete,
As far as I know Signore Colnago would be the correct person to point the finger (you choose which one) at for introducing the modern straight fork. I built a straight fork for myself several years ago just to see how it felt and what I thought of it. I found that a fork with an equal amount of rake seems to steer quicker with straight blades as opposed to bent blades. It most certainly rides harsher. I personally don't like the ride of straight forks and I don't like the look of straight forks any more than extended head tubes. I guess I'm just a bit old fashioned. If you're currently racing, knock yourself out (pun intended) with a straight fork. You might as well, otherwise you might look like a freak in the pack with a bent fork. I predict within a few years one of us "old fashioned" types will show up at an event and all the riders are going to say "wow, look at that thing; is that something new?". Just wait.
Brian Baylis
La Mesa, CA
Forks with chatacter; who needs 'em?
>
> Saw this little blurb on the GiroPoste website on the fork page:
> http://www.interlog.com/
>
> "Originally conceived and made famous by the great Ernesto Colnago, the
> Straight Road fork is now available in satin-silver anodized aluminum from
> VITUS."
>
> So is it true? Can we "thank" (blame) Ernesto for helping to kill off forks
> with any charactor?
>
> Pete Geurds
> Douglassville, PA