Been waiting for someone to finally do an inverted fork…but whooboy, that price tag!
6 Likes
Based purely on aesthetics, that’s best fork I’ve seen thus far.
2 Likes
Lefty is inverted.
1 Like
990g for the same amount of travel you can get out of a 250g Redshift stem and 5x the price, more maintenance. If you want a drop bar hardtail MTB, just put drop bars on one and be done.
1 Like
I’m really curious how much difference in comfort there is between a fork like that and a suspension stem. That price tag is a lot.
There really isn’t a comparison between a suspension stem and a suspension fork…this was decided way back in the mid-90’s.
A suspension stem suspends the rider…a suspension fork suspends both the bike AND the rider. Suspending both (as a system) is simply better.
For some added comfort, suspension stems are great options…but if you are looking for performance improvement, forks are the superior option.
Now, the question as to whether you need suspension for gravel bikes is very much up for debate, IMO…but my guess is that you will start to see it become the norm in the next 2-3 years.
4 Likes
I think for gravel bikes most people when they see the word “suspension” are thinking comfort not performance. They’re trying to take the edge off of rougher riding.
I get what you saying about suspension of rider vs suspension of bike but I don’t know how that translates to how I feel on the bike. I have a lauf with their suspension fork and many years ago had the redshift stem on a different bike but it’s been so long I can’t really remember how that stem felt compared to the lauf. I would need to ride them back to back to know
Not sure about the comparison between a suspension stem vs fork, but I can definitely say the Cane Creek eeSilk stem completely changed my willingness to ride gravel. My right wrist just couldn’t take it before the change.
1 Like
Yeah. I think that is valid…at least for now. But as things evolve, and more top riders start using suspension, I expect to see more riders gravitating to advanced systems vs. a stem.
I think suspension stems are awesome choices…heck, I want to see Allsop reintroduce their stem!
2 Likes
As an old timer who owned the Girvin but lusted after the Softride, I’d say the current spiritual successor is the Kinekt:
3 Likes
Unless it has purple ano, I’m not interested. 
3 Likes
For some reason sussy forks are cooler than suspension stems but for gravel? My money is on a stem. That fork is pretty cool tho.
Joe
I didn’t read the EC story initially, turns out it’s undamped, which puts it no better than a bouncy stem.
Primary reason for suspension fork should be to increase contact to the ground, bikes already have a form of undamped suspension, it’s called a pneumatic tire. Removing the damper makes it no better than a pogo stick.
With that short stroke you don’t need much returndamping. The stroke iss too short to start pogoing. On my Lauf fork I only experience a too fast return if I hit a hole much too fast.
Exactly my experience too.
And I suppose gravel roads/ courses will continue to come in all kind of surfaces.
The two do very different things, though: a suspension fork will greatly improve traction and not just comfort. A Redshift stem will primarily aid comfort as the unsparing mass (frame, fork, wheel and a part of the rider’s weight vs. the wheel and part of the fork) is much larger.