Kurt wrot: """ In my intuitive opinion a curved fork should distribute the bending moment more evenly along the length of the fork blade allowing for more compliance all else being geometrically equal. Any engineers or fellow dilettantes care to weigh in? """ OROBOYZ@aol.com writes: << I really, really like the look and the idea of soaking up some bumps but all the theories would say that it would ride like poo poo. >>
Ooooof!
Nope. Intuition does not an engineer make. Discussed to death on RBT and other lists, but a curved fork still bends at the crown, not along the blade. Different styles of crowns (or lack there of) will effect the plushitude of the fork much more.
Here is a link for your browsing pleasure:
http://tinyurl.com/
Meaning you could make a hirose or even an e-richie ride the same with a straight fork and the same geometry. Some (e-richie) would tell you this is a souless bike, but it still would ride the same. many would tell you that it is inherently uglier, but again, the ride is in the geometry not the shape of the fork.
I could go on about this alot, but suffice to say it is all at the link above along with other threads of the like.
Just remember that a beautifully raked fork is a
means to putting the hub in a very specific place in
relation to the steering axis and the steering
geometry is 1million bazillion times more important
than whether you are getting there linearly or
curvedly. For some geometry lessons on what rake
trail etc. is and means check out:
http://www.phred.org/
Later
Tarik
=====
Tarik Saleh
PO Box 1326, Knoxville, TN 37901
tsaleh at rocketmail dot com
Bicycles, bicycles, bicycles:
http://www.engr.utk.edu/
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