For the gravel-er or bikepacker who’s looking to smooth out the terrain, Cane Creek is debuting its new gravel-specific inverted suspension fork, offering as much as 40mm of travel depending on the model.
“Our new Invert fork offers a smooth and controlled ride that boosts confidence, a lightweight design that does not work against riders, a visual design that integrates seamlessly into the drop bar bike’s silhouette, and a simple setup and operation that is not unnecessarily complex. We chose an inverted suspension design as it allowed for the lightest overall weight and the most visually integrated compared to the forks currently available. It also reduces the unsprung weight of the entire system, a common benefit of inverted forks, which creates a more sensitive fork that they claim is better at actively smoothing surface variation,” boasts Cane Creek.
Offered in two guises, the Invert CS provides 40mm of travel, along with a “Climb Switch” function, which when clicked, dramatically reduces the amount of fork movement needed to pedal out of the saddle, while SL is limited to 30mm of travel, with no “Climb Switch” option.
Additionally, the models are built around a 1 1/8″ tapered steerer, a carbon fiber crown that’s bonded to aluminum uppers. The one-piece lowers are forged with machined 30mm stanchions with integrated hidden brake caliper bolts and a 12 x 100mm thru-axle, providing enough clearance for 700 x 50mm (29 x 2.0″) tires. In addition, the Invert uses an adjustable air spring that has a set-and-forget design and requires no other adjustments.
Elsewhere, the front brake doesn’t require an adapter for a 160mm rotor, which easily bolts in from the front of the fork, along with a small cover plate over the caliper that nicely conceals the mounting bolts, while the right dropout is covered to hide the thru-axle for an even more stealthy look.
Also, a slotted, rubber bumper keeps the brake hose from rubbing against the hardware, which can also serve as an attachment point for cage mounts on the opposite side.
The Cane Creek Invert CS and SL sell for $1,199 and $1,099, respectively, which are available through retailers, distributors, or directly at CaneCreek.com.
Invert SL
Invert CS
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