# Surly Krampus Fork or Salsa Firestarter Fork?



## mdilthey (Dec 15, 2014)

Hi All,

I'm getting a Soma Juice, size L in a week or two.

I'm trying to decide between the Surly Krampus fork and the Salsa Firestarter fork, both steel.

Here are the specs:

Surly Krampus Fork:
483mm axle-to-crown
47mm rake

Salsa Fork:
483mm axle-to-crown
45mm rake

Stock Geometry Fork for the Juice:
485mm axle-to-crown
47mm rake

I take it these little +/- to geometry won't be enough to affect handling. I can't tell if the slightly lower rake on the Salsa fork offsets the slightly shorter length for a "perfect" fit, and I don't know enough to know if I'm splitting hairs.

According to manufacturer specs, the Surly fork is a few ounces lighter than the Salsa fork, but I know Surly uses basic Cromoly while Salsa uses their in-house steel.
*
Is the Salsa Steel worth a slightly higher price and slightly longer wait, or should I just go with the Krampus fork?

Which would you buy?*


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## big_papa_nuts (Mar 29, 2010)

I have a Krampus fork on my Juice. It rides well.

On a related note, I swapped the stock fork from my KM for a Fargo fork. I couldn't tell the difference.


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## Lewy (Aug 23, 2009)

I fitted a Krampus fork to my Superfly and I love it.


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## ru-tang (May 20, 2009)

I have gone back and forth on my El Mar. First I started with the Krampus fork cause I wanted to run a 29+ on the front of a bike. I rode it for a few on the El Mar, but I decided to get the steel firestarter fork, which fits the 29+ wheels just fine. I personally liked the Salsa fork, it was lighter and seemed to have a little more of that magic steel ride that I was looking for. 

Sadly it got bent, I think it was from my shoddy packing job when I mailed the bike this summer, and now I'm back to the Krampus fork. It rides fine, but it doesn't have that quiet magic that the Salsa had.

If I could do it over, I would get the steel firestarter with the 15mm TA dropouts


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