# Will tapered steerer forks become the new standard?



## jocko (Apr 29, 2005)

I'm about to start a new project (29er hardtail) and am trying to decide if an oversize steerer is worth it. So decided to get a feel from the group, will tapered steerer forks become the new standard?

1. No, 1 1/8" won't die that easily
2. Yes, within 2 years
3. Yes, but will take more than 2 years


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## Tim-H (Mar 20, 2010)

If you're worried about it, buy 1.5'' and a headset to match what you want. That's all I can say. I don't think anyone knows what direction the "standards" or people who make them will go. Even if they do it will change again in a year.


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## TigWorld (Feb 8, 2010)

We're already seeing certain forks only being offered with tapered steerers (eg. SID WC 120mm 15mmTA with its carbon steerer/crown is tapered only). So it looks like the manufacturers are already conspiring to force us down that path. Big manufacturers like Giant have already converted entire product lines to tapered headtubes. That must account for a pretty big proportion of new frames.


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## pvd (Jan 4, 2006)

Are you living under a rock?

They are the standard. The only folks using 1.125" straight still are downhill triple clamp forks. Everything else is optimised with tapered steerers, road or dirt.


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## jocko (Apr 29, 2005)

pvd said:


> Are you living under a rock?
> 
> They are the standard. The only folks using 1.125" straight still are downhill triple clamp forks. Everything else is optimised with tapered steerers, road or dirt.


Production bikes definitely are there. But surfing the online bike stores, very few aftermarket tapered steerer forks offered. And they tend to be noticably more expensive than straight steerers at this point. My sense is that we're headed that way, so was more curious for opinions on how long it will take.


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## Adam_M (Aug 8, 2008)

I agree with PVD. Tapered steerers already are the standard. All manufacturers will have to convert, even if only to keep up with the marketing hype.


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## FireLikeIYA (Mar 15, 2009)

What about the 44 mm? Doesn't it allow you to have your cake and it it too?


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## customfab (Jun 8, 2008)

the nice thing about the tapered setup is that the frames are backwards compatible. 44mm head tubes seem to be the best solution for people like us.


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## j-ro (Feb 21, 2009)

Go with the 44 on your build, Best of both worlds IMHO. inset top for lower stack ht. (which is almost always an issue on niners anyway and the cane creek external lower 44mmx1.5 cup comes with a crown race for either a tapered or 1.125 fork


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## buffefly (May 22, 2011)

Hello mtbr community!


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## IBBW (Mar 24, 2006)

*Um*

The "new" tapered head tube is seriously the most retarded thing I have seen since they went nuts years ago with the new spline BB interfaces. A few tried to get together on that one while clearly most wanted to do their own thing for obvious reasons ($$$) Those things are still a mess. "Fixing" things that work, brilliant. :idea:


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## jay_ntwr (Feb 15, 2008)

IBBW said:


> The "new" tapered head tube is seriously the most retarded thing I have seen since they went nuts years ago with the new spline BB interfaces. A few tried to get together on that one while clearly most wanted to do their own thing for obvious reasons ($$$) Those things are still a mess. "Fixing" things that work, brilliant. :idea:


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## IBBW (Mar 24, 2006)

Like I said..........


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## pvd (Jan 4, 2006)

Some folks don't seem to understand why tapered steerers have been brought to the marked. I'm sure that upon close reflection they will see clearly that it is a major improvement for bike design in many many ways.


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## jay_ntwr (Feb 15, 2008)

pvd said:


> Some folks don't seem to understand why tapered steerers have been brought to the marked. I'm sure that upon close reflection they will see clearly that it is a major improvement for bike design in many many ways.


Folks that still like square tapered BBs will never understand tapered forks--ironic huh?

I hope mine is done before the 1-1/8" fork becomes completely worthless.


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## boostin (Apr 21, 2008)

jay_ntwr said:


> Folks that still like square tapered BBs will never understand tapered forks--ironic huh?
> 
> I hope mine is done before the 1-1/8" fork becomes completely worthless.


My new bike has a tapered fork with a 1.5" Head tube AND a square taper BB so whats that make me?


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## mickuk (Jul 6, 2007)

I understand the mechanical reasons why tapered steerers exist. They have a definite place for certain materials / bikes / forks / riders. But for some applications they are overkill.

Me and my wife have been riding mtbs for +20 years (and she raced at 2 UCI world champs). Yet we've never come in from a ride thinking - that was awful, if only I'd had a tapered steerer and it would have been so much better. Or - damn, not another snapped steerer tube - why won't somebody invent something stronger


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## jay_ntwr (Feb 15, 2008)

boostin said:


> My new bike has a tapered fork with a 1.5" Head tube AND a square taper BB so whats that make me?


Open minded and someone I like to sit and talk with after a ride.

Buddy of mine that I also talk with after a ride:


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## shoo (Nov 11, 2008)

I rode Klein bikes with tapered steerers from 94 to 2001 I always felt they made the bike feel more precise. Every year from 2001 till two years ago I asked Trek why they never used it on a mountain bike(they reluctantly used an inferior bearing setup on some of the road bikes), they always said there was no need. I argued that it had a similar effect on the handling as a thru axle front hub. My argument is that everyone can benifit from better steering not just racers. 

Cheers,
Steven


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## boomn (Jul 6, 2007)

mickuk said:


> Me and my wife have been riding mtbs for +20 years (and she raced at 2 UCI world champs). Yet we've never come in from a ride thinking - that was awful, if only I'd had a tapered steerer and it would have been so much better. Or - damn, not another snapped steerer tube - why won't somebody invent something stronger


Can you say that about most single changes on your bike? 31.8mm bars, larger BB spindles, thru axles, etc? No, but add all the little improvements together and you can get a stiffer, more precise bike


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## boostin (Apr 21, 2008)

jay_ntwr said:


> Folks that still like square tapered BBs will never understand tapered forks--ironic huh?


alright... I don't know if I am sold on the square tapered since I went on 1 hard (jumpy) ride and bent a WI spindle. Going to replace it with a different brand but if I keep bending spindles the square taper has got to go!


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## IBBW (Mar 24, 2006)

I still don't get why we seem to think we need a tapered steerer tube.

About the broken steerer on the rigid carbon fork (pic above).......................
not suprising but I doubt it had anything to do with the fact it was a 1 1/8 steerer tube. I have seen snapped frames due to rigid fork use. No surprise there. I promise if you couple a rigid fork to one of these new tapered steerers you will find someone who can either snap the frame or fork steerer and it will have nothing to do with the steerer. 

I can not ( and other I know as well) get one year out of one of these new hollow-spindle, spline-o-shafted, outboard bearing bottom brackets but I have frames with taper spindle bottom brackets that are more than 5 years old and still going strong. How is that an improvement? :skep:

I have seen new splined crank arms that had obvious movement on the shaft, when they were supposedly tight. Improvment? :skep:

New is not always an improvement. I base my opinions on fact and field tested tough, not fads.


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## JaquesN (Sep 14, 2009)

Is anyone selling a tapered steerer in crmo, or a special head tube (do you even need a special head tube)?

Checked Paragon, Nova.

Pardon my ignorance here if these questions don't make sense.


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## jay_ntwr (Feb 15, 2008)

IBBW said:


> I still don't get why we seem to think we need a tapered steerer tube.
> 
> About the broken steerer on the rigid carbon fork (pic above).......................
> not suprising but I doubt it had anything to do with the fact it was a 1 1/8 steerer tube. I have seen snapped frames due to rigid fork use. No surprise there. I promise if you couple a rigid fork to one of these new tapered steerers you will find someone who can either snap the frame or fork steerer and it will have nothing to do with the steerer.
> ...


Ok, so I've got you down for a larger tube with more surface area to distribute the stress and make a cooler Von Mises plot is all witchcraft and nonsense.

FWIW, I have outboard bearings going on 4 years that are working well still--CK, but still. It's a GIGO thing I suppose.


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## IBBW (Mar 24, 2006)

Wow, you told me. :thumbsup: Ah progress, get on board or get out of the way. Good enough for me.......not.


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## merk (Jan 12, 2004)

IBBW said:


> I still don't get why we seem to think we need a tapered steerer tube.
> 
> At 275#, tapered steerers and 20mm axles have been a godsend for me. Much more confidence inspiring on rutted, rooty off-camber terrain. Sure it is less noticeable for a lighter rider but for me the stiffness is undeniable.
> 
> ...


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## IBBW (Mar 24, 2006)

I do see a use for the AM/free ride crowd for the tapered steerer. Your standard cross country rider....no. A friend recently popped down 4500 for a new bike and the fork loosened up on him every time he rode it. I had a look at it and the bottom race would not seat properly on the _tapered steerer tube_. With some work we managed to get it to seat right. I wouldn't call that a good start. Fork manufacturers are going to make what the bike manufacturers want so that's that

The outboard failures were exclusively single speed riders, When it took CK many years to finally release an outboard BB then there were problems with durability. Tapered spindles and crank arms worked with no issues, that cannot be argued.

I hate it when I get stuff rammed down my throat and many times these days they rush to get things out there before it is really ready for release.

Done with this.


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