# What is a tapered fork?



## BEETROOT (Nov 28, 2005)

Ok dumb question I'm sure, but what does 'tapered' mean on a fork? What is tapered? 

I need a fork for my 2004 Specialized Epic, and I'm looking at a Fox 32 that just says 'tapered' with no explanation. I guess it's just common lingo but I've been out of the biking world for a while and I've never seen this before.


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## mitzikatzi (Sep 9, 2008)

The steerer tube.
In the past it was 1 1/8 inch the entire length.
A tapered one is 1 1/8 inch at the top and 1 1/2 inch at the bottom.

There are some "special' headsets that allow you to mix and match. They not be cheap.


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## BEETROOT (Nov 28, 2005)

Got it, thanks. So I wouldn't be able to use this fork with the headset I have on the bike now with my normal 1 1/8" fork?


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## mitzikatzi (Sep 9, 2008)

BEETROOT said:


> Got it, thanks. So I wouldn't be able to use this fork with the headset I have on the bike now with my normal 1 1/8" fork?


Yes you wouldn't be able to use. 1 1/8" hole and a 1 1/2' steerer tube.


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## Shark (Feb 4, 2006)

Your frame is older than when tapered forks started coming out, so you need a regular fork.


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## Gasp4Air (Jun 5, 2009)

Tho you didn't ask the why question - the fatter lower portion of the steerer tube makes the fork stiffer. And the tapered head tube that houses it, being wider on the bottom as well, allows for a larger down tube with a bigger joint between it and the head tube, also making the front end stiffer. While you can't use a tapered fork on a regular 1 1/8" head tube, it is possible use an un-tapered fork on a tapered head tube by using a spacer at the bottom to make up the difference, although presumably you'd lose some stiffness compared to a tapered steerer tube.


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## trekracer20 (Jan 9, 2012)

I don't doubt the performance benefit of tapered forks at all, but I hope we're not all screwed in five years when another standard is adopted...


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## DawnVoyager (Jan 28, 2017)

trekracer20 said:


> I don't doubt the performance benefit of tapered forks at all, but I hope we're not all screwed in five years when another standard is adopted...


I went back in time six months before this posting and found this: https://www.pinkbike.com/news/Giant-OverDrive-2-Steerer-tube-sizing-2011.html
So far (7 years later), despite indications in the article, the OD2 standard has not been widely adopted, and may not be, though it does make sense.


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