Which Crust fork for 42's and fenders?

[woode...@yahoo.com]

Anyone got hands on experience with the Crust Spark or Lightning Bolt forks? 

 I'm leaning towards the Lightning Bolt  for expected clearances, but with the axle to crown distance being the same on paper and the Lightning Bolts steering tube protruding from the bottom of the crown, I'm wondering if it realy has more "Height" clearance than the Spark.   

What I'm after is a fork that is not as heavy and stiff as I perceive the Soma Chaps Elysees fork to be. 

 Thanks, Woody

[Max]

Pretty sure that Lightning Bolt takes 42s with fenders pretty well – built one up for a friend from the V1 run years ago. The frame & fork take up to 48 mm tires without fenders, I believe.

- Max "clearance, Clarance" in A2

[woode...@yahoo.com]

Here's a shot of what I assume to be a 42mm tire on the Spark Fork,   so maybe 52 mm between the blades?  There looks to be plenty of vertical clearance for fenders, but 50mm fenders are a little thin for 42mm tires. 

Frame is an 1986 Trek 400t Elance ,  and  would need chainstay crimping to run 42mm tires.    I guess I have an ascetic concern that the Lightning Bolt fork is "too much" for the Trek.  That's certainly my  opinion of the Soma Champs Elysees fork. 

[David Harries]

I have a Crust LB and 50 mm fenders. 42 mm Baby Shoe Pass tires fit fine underneath, but I agree that coverage is a little thin. My biggest clearance issue was getting the fenders low enough to run Paul Mini-Moto brakes. If you’re using cantis I don’t think you’d have any issue. Hope this helps. 

Without fenders the fork will clear 48mm as discussed above. 

David in Philadelphia 

[woode...@yahoo.com]

So it looks like there are maybe 4 variations on the the Lightning Bolt fork floating around and at least 2 different crown castings used. I called Crust the other day and wasn't able to get  the inside fork blade measurements.  The feller I spoke to had some comments about the sparkly black LB fork as far as the  clearances being being a bit understated for sanity reasons and with the fork crown protrusion, tire height maxes out first.  

The Ouija board is suggesting that the "Spark" fork  with 42mm 650b tires  and 50mm 700c fenders is the way.    The Magic 8 Ball told me to "ask again"

[Alex Israel]

Woody,

Jeremy at Gallus (

https://galluscycles.com/randonneur.html) or other custom builders (Monsieur Gugie) might have something already or be able to put something together if it’s close to their normal specs. Doubt you can get quite to the Crust price though, pretty good deal it seems!

Here’s the Champs Elysses road fork on my 650b conversion LeMond, and you’re right it’s heavy duty. But from afar and covered with a bag and the rack, looks alright. It rides pretty well but thinner tubing would be nicer I bet (from my limited searches I think the Tange Infinity was maybe 1.0 wall thickness, but also maybe 1.2?). The fork is stout (or thicc as they say these days).

Alex in CO

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[Brad]

The  Champs Elysees fork is to forks what big boned is to people.  Nice curves though on the rake.   I have one I bought for a slow build I am working on and it got replaced by a Spark.  I would be quite curious to find out what the tubing specs are.   Definitely somebody thinking mountain bike impact specs for "gravel"  at Soma.  In my perfect world somebody sells a wide more flexible nicely curved fork with braze ons for Mafac Raid/Rene Herse center pulls in a way that is cross compatible with Weinmann/Dia Compe 750s.  

[Brad]

A lot of the mass in the Champs Elysees fork is in the cast fork crown which is really really wide and has a peculiar curve where it attaches to the steerer tube that makes fender attachment a special job.   The crust has a threaded plate for the fender bolts and a much lighter crown.   However, the Crust I have is 6mm on both sides of the brake hole.  Using an internal wrenching nut is not easy therefore. 

[Bernard Duhon]

 

 

A Professional Law Corporation

 

 

 

You guys are discussing a subject that is on the back burner in my house.

I converted a sport touring bike independent fabrication to 650 B.  I can fit 42 tire on the front so I'm fairly happy.  It's restricted to 38 on the rear. And I have been advised against trying to crimp chainstay's which are already ovalized 

I would like V brakes and a curved fork as the Indy Fab came with one of those ugly straight steel forks.

Ordering the Chanps Elysees fork I have considered. What kept me from doing so was 1 1/8 headtube  and what would happen to the geometry as the 650 B for is obviously shorter than the 700 C

so can you help me find a 1 1/8 fork like Champs-Élysées and what would it do to the overall geometry if it's shorter than my 700 C fork

 

And finally I have to make up my mind as to whether or not I'll go through the trouble and expense to swap out my Paul center poll brakes for v brakes and a curved fork

 

Yours sincerely,

 

Bernard F. Duhon

 

From: 65...@googlegroups.com <65...@googlegroups.com> On Behalf Of Brad
Sent: Wednesday, April 10, 2024 8:22 AM
To: 650b <65...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: [650B] Re: Which Crust fork for 42's and fenders?

 

A lot of the mass in the Champs Elysees fork is in the cast fork crown which is really really wide and has a peculiar curve where it attaches to the steerer tube that makes fender attachment a special job.   The crust has a threaded plate for the fender bolts and a much lighter crown.   However, the Crust I have is 6mm on both sides of the brake hole.  Using an internal wrenching nut is not easy therefore. 

On Wednesday, April 10, 2024 at 6:06:45 AM UTC-4 Brad wrote:

The  Champs Elysees fork is to forks what big boned is to people.  Nice curves though on the rake.   I have one I bought for a slow build I am working on and it got replaced by a Spark.  I would be quite curious to find out what the tubing specs are.   Definitely somebody thinking mountain bike impact specs for "gravel"  at Soma.  In my perfect world somebody sells a wide more flexible nicely curved fork with braze ons for Mafac Raid/Rene Herse center pulls in a way that is cross compatible with Weinmann/Dia Compe 750s.  

On Sunday, June 25, 2023 at 11:44:32 AM UTC-4 Alex I wrote:

Woody,

 

Jeremy at Gallus (

https://galluscycles.com/randonneur.html) or other custom builders (Monsieur Gugie) might have something already or be able to put something together if it’s close to their normal specs. Doubt you can get quite to the Crust price though, pretty good deal it seems!

 

Here’s the Champs Elysses road fork on my 650b conversion LeMond, and you’re right it’s heavy duty. But from afar and covered with a bag and the rack, looks alright. It rides pretty well but thinner tubing would be nicer I bet (from my limited searches I think the Tange Infinity was maybe 1.0 wall thickness, but also maybe 1.2?). The fork is stout (or thicc as they say these days).

 

 

 

Alex in CO

 

On Sun, Jun 25, 2023 at 9:27 AM 'woode...@yahoo.com' via 650b <65...@googlegroups.com> wrote:

So it looks like there are maybe 4 variations on the the Lightning Bolt fork floating around and at least 2 different crown castings used. I called Crust the other day and wasn't able to get  the inside fork blade measurements.  The feller I spoke to had some comments about the sparkly black LB fork as far as the  clearances being being a bit understated for sanity reasons and with the fork crown protrusion, tire height maxes out first.  

 

The Ouija board is suggesting that the "Spark" fork  with 42mm 650b tires  and 50mm 700c fenders is the way.    The Magic 8 Ball told me to "ask again"

On Saturday, June 24, 2023 at 7:10:25 PM UTC-4 M...@dharries.com wrote:

I have a Crust LB and 50 mm fenders. 42 mm Baby Shoe Pass tires fit fine underneath, but I agree that coverage is a little thin. My biggest clearance issue was getting the fenders low enough to run Paul Mini-Moto brakes. If you’re using cantis I don’t think you’d have any issue. Hope this helps. 

 

Without fenders the fork will clear 48mm as discussed above. 

 

David in Philadelphia 

On Saturday, June 24, 2023 at 1:43:25 PM UTC-4 woode...@yahoo.com wrote:

Here's a shot of what I assume to be a 42mm tire on the Spark Fork,   so maybe 52 mm between the blades?  There looks to be plenty of vertical clearance for fenders, but 50mm fenders are a little thin for 42mm tires. 

 

Frame is an 1986 Trek 400t Elance ,  and  would need chainstay crimping to run 42mm tires.    I guess I have an ascetic concern that the Lightning Bolt fork is "too much" for the Trek.  That's certainly my  opinion of the Soma Champs Elysees fork. 

On Friday, June 23, 2023 at 2:40:49 PM UTC-4 Max wrote:

Pretty sure that Lightning Bolt takes 42s with fenders pretty well – built one up for a friend from the V1 run years ago. The frame & fork take up to 48 mm tires without fenders, I believe.

 

- Max "clearance, Clarance" in A2

 

On Friday, June 23, 2023 at 2:03:23 PM UTC-4 woode...@yahoo.com wrote:

Anyone got hands on experience with the Crust Spark or Lightning Bolt forks? 

 

 I'm leaning towards the Lightning Bolt  for expected clearances, but with the axle to crown distance being the same on paper and the Lightning Bolts steering tube protruding from the bottom of the crown, I'm wondering if it realy has more "Height" clearance than the Spark.   

 

What I'm after is a fork that is not as heavy and stiff as I perceive the Soma Chaps Elysees fork to be. 

 

 Thanks, Woody

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[Brad]

Bernard should probably look at the New Albion replacement fork from Soma.   Here is a link.  Not super low trail, more medium trail.   https://www.somafabshop.com/shop/new-albion-fork-privateer-matte-blk-5317?search=fork#attr=5

[Peter Adler]

?

The Soma Champs Elysees is made in 1 1/8"/650B, at least in canti/V-brake; it's just out of stock at the moment. You might want to call/email, and see when the next order is expected from Taiwan.

https://www.somafabshop.com/shop/soma-fork-champs-elysees-canti-low-trail-2779?page=3&category=975#attr=3281,3705,2514

Peter Adler

Berkeley, CA