I am guessing they didn't want the heavy 1 1/8 steerer. I've be talking with builders about making a nice steel fork for my modern bike and the builder complained about the weight and handling characteristics of the 1.125 steerer.
On Tue, Apr 13, 2010 at 10:09 AM, <FujiFish1@aol.com> wrote:
> During last weekend's Paris-Roubaix, it was noted by either Paul or Phil,
> the VS Network announcers, that race winner Fabian Cancellara was riding on
> special 27mm tubulars that he arranged to be "hand made by an Italian
> artisan". They looked perfectly old skool, with black tread and tan
> sidewalls.
> It was a proud moment for us vintage enthusiasts, especially since he won
> on them.
>
> Ciao,
> Mark Agree
> Southfield MI USA
> ~ ~ ~
>
>
> Date: Tue, 13 Apr 2010 01:02:37 -0400
> From: Matthew 'Devotion' Bowne <devotion_finesse@hotmail.com>
> Subject: [CR] KOF Bike Tech at Paris-Roubaix?
>
>
> I am always thrilled to see certain old-school bike tech make it's way
> into the contemporary European pro peloton...but this is one I didn't
> expect
> to see...
> Because of it's notoriously rough roads and brutal riding conditions, the
> "Queen of the Classics", Paris-Roubaix has often been a proving ground for
> new technologies.? (Remember the Rock Shox in the early 90's? The full
> suspension Bianchis, etc.?)? Well not only has Paris-Roubaix brought on
> the
> development of new bike tech, but recent years have also seen the return
> of
> some old ones.? Over the past few years, riders have been known to outfit
> their bikes with steel forks, wide skin-walled classic tubies, vintage
> cantilever brakes and other part mods that seem odd in the current peloton
> but
> certainly "on topic" to groups like ours.? Heck, even Lance has been known
> to
> run early Dura-Ace Ax calipers on a TT bike in recent history...
> Anyhow, below is one that I thought might be of interest to The List:
>
>
> http://www.cyclingnews.com/
> ning-rig/115224<http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/photos/roubaix-tech-cancellaras-race-win%0Aning-rig/115224>
>
> That's right, a rider on Team Milram rode a lugged steel fork with a 1"
> steerer tube!? KOF indeed! Have a look at the pic and note the "reducer"
> it
> needed to be coupled with to work with the over-sized headtube on the
> presumably carbon-fiber frame.?? I can't help but wonder how this came to
> be...A
> team mechanic's late-night "McGuyver" move?? So why THIS fork? Are there
> not still master-builders who would jump at the chance to braze a (1 1/8")
> lugged steel fork for a pro riding in Paris-Roubaix??
>
> Anybody have any thoughts or insight as to how this came to be?? Any other
> examples of KOF builds or tech used by modern pros??
>
> Matthew Bowne
> Surprised and Happy in
> Brooklyn, New York
>
> _______________________________________________
>
-- Noah J. Gellner New York, NY USA
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