Tapered or Straight

[Terence Hope]

Hi guys, right, no laughing, I understand this maybe be a stupid question but im new to this. Could someone please in easy to understand terms explain to me the difference between a straight and tapered fork / steerer. THanks!

[CAAD4]

If you look at them next to each other, you will notice the following:

 

One is straight.

 

One is tapered.

 

Thinner at the top and wider at the bottom.

[Terence Hope]

I understand the difference between the words tapered and straight, what I was in fact asking is why would you choose one over the other, benefits of tapered or straight etc. Sorry, maybe I didnt ask in the right way.

[AndreZA]

A straight head tube is the same diameter (1 1/8") top and bottom and tapered starts at 1 1/8" at the top and at the bottom it is 1.5".

[Nimby]

Tapered provides a stiffer front end with very little weight penalty - that's the theory anyway. Probelm is you need to check your headtube and headset for compatibility.

[Edge_Design]

It's not necessarily something you get to choose, it depends on your frames headtube design to accomodate the wider bottom end.

[Terence Hope]

i have a specialized epic 2010. would that be straight or tapered?

[NotSoBigBen]

i have a specialized epic 2010. would that be straight or tapered?

 

My 2010 Epic's frame is tapered but I use a 'normal' fork with an adapter ....

[Thug]

Has anyone scientifically measured how much "stiffer" a tapered steerer tube over a regular 1.125" actually is?

 

I'm willing to bet that most (90% + ) of riders cannot tell the difference, which means that its a marketing gimmick as opposed to pure innovation.

[Shebeen]

i have a specialized epic 2010. would that be straight or tapered?

since you understand the difference between the terms surely you can tell just by looking?

[LeTurbo]

A straight fork is heterosexual. I'm guessing the other is gay.

[scotty]

Its a mission keeping up, different seat posts, stems, bars, forks etc which is why i try keep mine standard as much as i can.

[Terence Hope]

since you understand the difference between the terms surely you can tell just by looking?

 

correct, i could, but im not with my bike right now, and im buying a fork right now. does that answer your question?

[Johan Bornman]

Has anyone scientifically measured how much "stiffer" a tapered steerer tube over a regular 1.125" actually is?

 

I'm willing to bet that most (90% + ) of riders cannot tell the difference, which means that its a marketing gimmick as opposed to pure innovation.

Nowadays, whenever some company's marketing material mentions "added stiffness" or such, you know it is post-rationalised BS.

 

The biggest reason for tapered headsets/steerers is manufacturing issues. Nowadays, bike tubes, and especially the down-tube, are much much fatter than before. To fit this to a skinny head tube produces some manufaucturing difficulties. A tapered head tube solves that problem nicely.

 

Afterwards the ponytails go and post-rationalise the change to make people accept it and at the same time, be prepared to pay more for something that produces cheaper manufacuturing.

 

Good bye lemmings, back to work for me.

[CAAD4]

A straight fork is heterosexual. I'm guessing the other is gay.

But a straight fork can be used on both types of frame (with an adaptor on a tapered frame I beleive), kinda like a double adaptor?.....

[AndreZA]

Nowadays, whenever some company's marketing material mentions "added stiffness" or such, you know it is post-rationalised BS.

 

The biggest reason for tapered headsets/steerers is manufacturing issues. Nowadays, bike tubes, and especially the down-tube, are much much fatter than before. To fit this to a skinny head tube produces some manufaucturing difficulties. A tapered head tube solves that problem nicely.

 

Afterwards the ponytails go and post-rationalise the change to make people accept it and at the same time, be prepared to pay more for something that produces cheaper manufacuturing.

 

Good bye lemmings, back to work for me.

 

Cannondale started this among alot of other things like BB30. They made their tubing so thin, they had to increase the diameter to give it some strength.