Forks: Surly Straggler vs Disc Trucker

[Bodhbh]

This is for a Roadrat frame for the commute, touring and bridlepath stuff. I want something that has roughly the same tyre clearance as the frame (700 x 45-ish), disc and mudguard mounts - rack mounts would be nice, but not essential. The Surly Straggler and Disc Trucker forks are currently the main contenders. On paper they look almost identical, both have the same mounts and eyelets. Both around 70-80quid. Bar the slightly greater tyre clearance of the Straggler, are the geometries different enough to favour one over the other?

Straggler
Axle-to-crown: 400mm
Offset: 44mm
Steerer: 350mm, 1-1/8˝ straight
Tire Clearance: 50mm (w/o fender) Weight: 2.5 lb (1.15kg) uncut

Disc trucker
Axle-to-crown: 700c = 390mm
Rake: 45mm
Steerer: 700c (56–64cm frames) = 350mm
Tire Clearance: 26 x 2.1˝ or 700c x 45mm
Weight: 700c = 2.3 lb (1.0kg) (rim brake version) uncut

 

[GrumpyGregry]

I would have thought not. But someone will be along in a minute to explain how the differences are critical and how you'll die if you fit the wrong one. Such is the way of cycling forums everywhere....

But I'm willing to be there is no material nor discernable difference between the 700c version of either except, maybe, the colour. I like surly magenta.

 

[Bodhbh]

I would have thought not. But someone will be along in a minute to explain how the differences are critical and how you'll die if you fit the wrong one. Such is the way of cycling forums everywhere....

But I'm willing to be there is no material nor discernable difference between the 700c version of either except, maybe, the colour. I like surly magenta.

Cheers! Unfortunately the aftermarket versions of Surly forks seem to only come in black. Otherwise, I might have gone with the Olive/British Racing Green on the Disc Truckers. I checked the geometry of the default Roadrat forks - 400mm A-to-C and 45mm rake, which matches the Straggler...but then I've been tending to run a slightly fatter tyre up front. Oh well. I'm just reading up on it, and what I'm getting is - as long as it doesn't affect the head angle by more than 0.5 degree you prolly won't notice.