What's the difference between integrated and ahead forks?

looking to get carbon forks my bike has standard ahead and a lot of forks i've seen are advertised as integrated headset only, i cant see what would make them incompatible with aheadsets???

billa looking to get carbon forks my bike has standard ahead and a lot of forks i've seen are advertised as integrated headset only, i cant see what would make them incompatible with aheadsets???

My only guess would be something to do with where/how the crown race sits on the top of the crown ?

Flat top on the top of the crown = integrated / more curved round top of the crown = standard headset.

Just a guess though. ????

I don't think ahead crowns will fit on integrated forks, or vice versa.

The owner of my local bike shop got a new Corrima track frame, assembled it and there is about 5mm gap between the fork and the bottom headset bearing - obviously using the wrong forks.

didn't flickwg post the same thread about a month ago?

yes i did, altho didnt really reach a conclusion

you can run a integrated fork with a normal headset, I think a cane creek sealed cartridge one will work, but you might end up with a gap below the race because on a integrated headset the bottom bearing race runs directly on the fork, and the cup is inside the bottom of the frame rather than sitting proud of it like on a normal bike. That and the crown on a integrated fork is wider than standard so it doesn't look small next to the larger headtube. i don't think i've explained that well....

An integrated headset has the bearings race built into a wider section at the top and bottom of the head tube.
A non-integrated headset is press-fit into the head tube and has it's own bearing race that sits above and below (top and bottom) of the head tube.

Here's an explanation of integrated versus internal (another type):
http://www.hiddennation.co.uk/Internal%20Headsets%20explained.htm

This is a normal aheadset, where the bearings are outside (above and below the frame head tube):

An integrated setup would have the bearings "inside" the frame, see how this headtube is wider?

on an intergrated carbon fork the crown race is moulded into the shape of the fork so you dont have to tape a race onto it you just slot the fork up into the bearing in the headset. so it will only work with an intergrated headset system.

cheers thanks all, i used to have an intergrated on my condor but never really looked at it closely. trying to find straight bladed carbon forks to replace the steel ones on my bareknuckle is a real pain.

keep the steel forks!! dont go spoiling such a nice frame with horrid carbon!!

i would but they got bent in a crash with a police van!

ah gutted! thoes forks are real nice.

but if you get carbon forks they will just fall apart if you have a crash, or if they get knocked there is no way of seeing the damage and thats asking for trouble, or a new face. steel all the way!

That's not exactly true. See the other thread about carbon forks..

well the whole 'exploding' fork thing depends on the type of fork, it use/misuse, and impacts it has. im not saying that forks just explode but they dont bend like steel forks, they snap or the carbon fails and then makes them unuseable. at least with a steel fork even if its bent right back you have more chance of at least getting home on it. also if your likely to lock your bike up in public your steel fork cant be written off because of another bike smashing into it. well this is my case towards favouring steel forks. :)

so what did you get Billa?

I'm interested to see what other forks people have put on 'knuckles