# Best value rigid carbon 29er fork?



## chumbox (Jan 9, 2008)

Hey all 

I understand the term value is subjective but what are the best rigid carbon forks for the money these days? Cheaper the better naturally but looking for reliable well tested options not just cheap. 

Probably straight steerer in the 480-490 range. 

Thanks!


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## Driverfound337 (Sep 1, 2008)

I'd rather buy a good brand that's lightly used, I can vouch for a bontrager Bowie, never owned a carbon part but it came on my 2015 Superfly SS and it is outstanding, 5,000 rough ass miles and it hasn't flinched. Theres a chisel fork on the classified on pink bike, ad was from august but 150$


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## jcaiii (Feb 7, 2009)

chumbox said:


> Hey all
> 
> I understand the term value is subjective but what are the best rigid carbon forks for the money these days? Cheaper the better naturally but looking for reliable well tested options not just cheap.
> 
> ...


I've been racing the Ritchey fork this past year and it hasn't flinched yet.










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## *OneSpeed* (Oct 18, 2013)

Flinching: the new measure of carbon fork quality.


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## santabooze (Oct 14, 2010)

chumbox said:


> Hey all
> 
> I understand the term value is subjective but what are the best rigid carbon forks for the money these days? Cheaper the better naturally but looking for reliable well tested options not just cheap.
> 
> ...


I've ridden 24hrs of op on this, plus thousands of hours training in every season. I'll do another solo with this, and it won't flinch.

Trail 490 - Carver Bikes


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## chumbox (Jan 9, 2008)

Thanks all so far. Some good suggestions in there. I hadn't come across the Carver Trail 490 and I can get a pretty good deal on it shipped to Australia, so it's looking like a good option, and looks pretty un-flinching.


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## tk1971 (Aug 10, 2007)

Why does it have to be carbon?

I've got a J&L titanium fork on my 29er. It's been a while. Light and strong.










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## jestep (Jul 23, 2004)

tk1971 said:


> Why does it have to be carbon?
> 
> I've got a J&L titanium fork on my 29er. It's been a while. Light and strong.
> 
> ...


Do you like the feel of it? Last ti fork I used was flexible as all get out and this is coming from someone who rides 28mm forks on several bikes.


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## tk1971 (Aug 10, 2007)

jestep said:


> Do you like the feel of it? Last ti fork I used was flexible as all get out and this is coming from someone who rides 28mm forks on several bikes.


I love the feel. Not as flexy as my last fork which us a carbon Nashbar straight tube fork, which I think I broke because just before I replace it my caliper adjustments would be perfect on the repair stand, but when I'm on the bike I can hear rubbing.

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## NeonRyder (Feb 21, 2017)

I'm pretty happy with my full carbon chinese fork. Been on there almost a year with no issues. I'm pretty much an ultra clyde and riding a SS.
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/bra...32650470761.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.tuJUDC
Even cheaper now! My only complaint is that the TA is a little clunky looking and its prob not the lightest fork.


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## MudderNutter (Oct 23, 2014)

jcaiii said:


> I've been racing the Ritchey fork this past year and it hasn't flinched yet.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


BRUNSWICK?!?

I'm a wilmintonian myself

(not to derail the thread)


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## Ryder1 (Oct 12, 2006)

chumbox said:


> I hadn't come across the Carver Trail 490


I'm in the market and have decided on the Carver Trail 490. Good specs, good price, not ugly, and choice of 100 or 110 axle.


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## chumbox (Jan 9, 2008)

NeonRyder said:


> I'm pretty happy with my full carbon chinese fork. Been on there almost a year with no issues. I'm pretty much an ultra clyde and riding a SS.
> https://www.aliexpress.com/item/bra...32650470761.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.tuJUDC
> Even cheaper now! My only complaint is that the TA is a little clunky looking and its prob not the lightest fork.


This has tweaked my interested for a cheap throw on for my current ride. Hmm. Can't find the weight on the page, do you know roughly what it is?


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## MudderNutter (Oct 23, 2014)

Review on the page says 540g


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## jcaiii (Feb 7, 2009)

MudderNutter said:


> BRUNSWICK?!?
> 
> I'm a wilmintonian myself
> 
> (not to derail the thread)


Just part time. My S-I-L lives in Monkey Junction and I always take a bike when I visit. I'm north central, between Raleigh and Greensboro.



santabooze said:


> I've ridden 24hrs of op on this, plus thousands of hours training in every season. I'll do another solo with this, and it won't flinch.
> 
> Trail 490 - Carver Bikes


I'm told we're not allowed to say they don't flinch...


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## evoracer (Feb 26, 2008)

I've been on the Carver for the past 11mo. Can't complain.


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## economatic (Apr 18, 2006)

I'm surprised nobody mentioned the Niner RDO. You can find them used for a good price and if you're patient they do go on sale once in a while. I've done a couple thousand miles on mine and like it a lot.


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## rob1035 (Apr 20, 2007)

I just snagged a Specialized Chisel, used, for $120 shipped. Hopefully its decent, but its only a few bucks more than a steel rigid.

The original Niner fork was the best riding rigid I ever ran, but those are pretty spendy (relatively).


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## santabooze (Oct 14, 2010)

economatic said:


> I'm surprised nobody mentioned the Niner RDO. You can find them used for a good price and if you're patient they do go on sale once in a while. I've done a couple thousand miles on mine and like it a lot.


I have one as well, it's on my giant XTC that I ride exclusively in the winters. It's a great fork, and the lightest and stiffest I have ever used. But, that's the problem, 0 compliance, it will rattle your teeth out of your head.

For me its great for training but nothing too long or I'm hurting.

But that's me.


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## economatic (Apr 18, 2006)

santabooze said:


> I have one as well, it's on my giant XTC that I ride exclusively in the winters. It's a great fork, and the lightest and stiffest I have ever used. But, that's the problem, 0 compliance, it will rattle your teeth out of your head.
> 
> For me its great for training but nothing too long or I'm hurting.
> 
> But that's me.


Interesting, I didn't realize the Niner is that stiff and unforgiving. I always thought it was pretty good but I run it on a Ti frame so maybe that's confounding the overall ride characteristics.

I also have a Planet-X/On-One (or whatever the branding is) monocoque fork on an old aluminum GF Rig with AL bars that I run in the wet months. That's my benchmark for teeth-rattling stiffness but I don't mind it for fun JRA days. I have no complaints with that fork for the price but I don't think they make it anymore. I suspect it would be a much better choice than those sketchy no name Chinese options.


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## pulsepro (Sep 13, 2007)

I’ve been very happy with my Whisky No9 fork. Not exactly inexpensive, but great quality and great value....and it rides awesome. It absolutely rides/feels way better than the Karate Monkey fork I’d been riding.


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## santabooze (Oct 14, 2010)

economatic said:


> Interesting, I didn't realize the Niner is that stiff and unforgiving. I always thought it was pretty good but I run it on a Ti frame so maybe that's confounding the overall ride characteristics.
> 
> I also have a Planet-X/On-One (or whatever the branding is) monocoque fork on an old aluminum GF Rig with AL bars that I run in the wet months. That's my benchmark for teeth-rattling stiffness but I don't mind it for fun JRA days. I have no complaints with that fork for the price but I don't think they make it anymore. I suspect it would be a much better choice than those sketchy no name Chinese options.


That makes sense, I never ran it on my TI bike as I ordered the bike with the Carver trail fork.


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## *OneSpeed* (Oct 18, 2013)

pulsepro said:


> I've been very happy with my Whisky No9 fork. Not exactly inexpensive, but great quality and great value....and it rides awesome. It absolutely rides/feels way better than the Karate Monkey fork I'd been riding.


Good to know you like the ride quality of the Whiskey fork. That's the same fork I have on my new SS but it's hard for me to say definitively how it rides as the whole setup is new. I'm also using carbon bars and a 2.6" NN on a 30mm rim so I'm pretty well insulated. The end result is fantastic but I can't tell how much the fork contributes to ride quality.

If I didn't get this fork I would have gone with a Carver carbon fork. Best bang for the buck IMO. I have an older XC 465mm carbon fork from Carver that I'm quite happy with. I'm sure the newer 490 Trail fork is even better.


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## pulsepro (Sep 13, 2007)

*OneSpeed* said:


> Good to know you like the ride quality of the Whiskey fork. That's the same fork I have on my new SS but it's hard for me to say definitively how it rides as the whole setup is new. I'm also using carbon bars and a 2.6" NN on a 30mm rim so I'm pretty well insulated. The end result is fantastic but I can't tell how much the fork contributes to ride quality.
> 
> If I didn't get this fork I would have gone with a Carver carbon fork. Best bang for the buck IMO. I have an older XC 465mm carbon fork from Carver that I'm quite happy with. I'm sure the newer 490 Trail fork is even better.


It's my first carbon fork. I was skeptical too. I thought "it would just be lighter......but it's still rigid. It can't be that different?" But my awesome LBS assured me it would be MUCH better, and they gave me an awesome deal. They were right. Love the ride of the Whisky fork.


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## ohmygato (Mar 8, 2011)

NeonRyder said:


> I'm pretty happy with my full carbon chinese fork. Been on there almost a year with no issues. I'm pretty much an ultra clyde and riding a SS.
> https://www.aliexpress.com/item/bra...32650470761.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.tuJUDC
> Even cheaper now! My only complaint is that the TA is a little clunky looking and its prob not the lightest fork.


I have a friend riding a Chiner fork from ebay and he's very happy with it so far. It's tough to write them off completely with the prices they're at.


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## NeonRyder (Feb 21, 2017)

ohmygato said:


> I have a friend riding a Chiner fork from ebay and he's very happy with it so far. It's tough to write them off completely with the prices they're at.


I was anxious about any Chinese carbon parts until I realized that the stock fork in my bike was a rebadged Chinese one. Since that was stickered by the bike company I had faith in it and once I found out the manufacturer I figured if it was good enough for them, it would be good enough for me.

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