Spa Cycles Carbon Road Forks - experiences?

[toontra]

I'm about to retire the forks from my 12yo Van Nic Yukon.  The like-for-like replacements are near-on £200 but I noticed Spa do something very similar for 1/2 the price:

https://www.spacycles.co.uk/m2b0s29p2625/SPA-CYCLES-Carbon-Road-Forks

Anyone using these?  Any issues?  Specs look similar apart from slightly shorter brake drop on the Spa (54mm vs 57mm on the VN).

[sojournermike]

I'm about to retire the forks from my 12yo Van Nic Yukon.  The like-for-like replacements are near-on £200 but I noticed Spa do something very similar for 1/2 the price:

https://www.spacycles.co.uk/m2b0s29p2625/SPA-CYCLES-Carbon-Road-Forks

Anyone using these?  Any issues?  Specs look similar apart from slightly shorter brake drop on the Spa (54mm vs 57mm on the VN).

They’re the same fork as they use on the Audax (steel and Ti) bike. I thought they rode nicely when I had them on my Steel Audax, but swapped them out for steel forks, solely due to the alloy steerer. Of course, if you check it regularly and retire when ready it would be fine. There is only marginal clearance for 28s and guards, which is imho inadequate if you move to wider rims and tyres that come up big, so Schwalbe Ones on 19mm internal rims are probably too close for my comfort. Paselas on 13mm internal would likely be fine.

I’ve got a surly pacer fork spare if you wanted a steel equivalent.

Mike

[toontra]

Cheers for the info, Mike.  I'll stick with carbon for the time being but thanks for the offer. I'll go ahead and order now you have confirmed.  I'm using Michelin Pro4 Endurance 28's at the moment and there is just enough room with the VN forks so sounds as though it will be the same with Spa.

[Somnolent]

I've fitted Deda Black Rain to my Yukon when I had a (sef-inflicted) issue with the drop-out on the original fork.  Seemed stiffer than the original (in a good way). 
Clearance with guards (Radial Aluminium) and Schwalbe One 28s is just about OK.

More recently a friend bought a second hand Yukon and as precaution replaced fork with: https://www.fatbirds.co.uk/1702333/products/tifosi-1-1-8-full-carbon-fork-with-mudguard-eyes.aspx.   Clearance with Michelin Power Endurance 28s amd Chromoplastics is an issue. Will be having another go at fettling it later today.

[toontra]

I've fitted Deda Black Rain to my Yukon when I had a (sef-inflicted) issue with the drop-out on the original fork.  Seemed stiffer than the original (in a good way). 
Clearance with guards (Radial Aluminium) and Schwalbe One 28s is just about OK.

Good shout.  Again 1/2 the price of the VN's.  Hmm - these or the Spa's?.

[iow]

i had the spa carbon fork on my spa steel audax (lost my bottle with the aluminium steerer and retired them at 10k miles).
I run  tb14 rims (17.5mm internal width) shod with 28mm gp4000s ii's and 35mm chromoplastics - the clearance was about 5mm.
the fork is surprisingly comfortable - certainly no less comfortable than the thorn 853c forks I replaced them with.

[Somnolent]

More recently a friend bought a second hand Yukon and as precaution replaced fork with: https://www.fatbirds.co.uk/1702333/products/tifosi-1-1-8-full-carbon-fork-with-mudguard-eyes.aspx.   Clearance with Michelin Power Endurance 28s amd Chromoplastics is an issue. Will be having another go at fettling it later today.

The issue was with the brake calipers and partly with the mudguard bracketry.  Brakes had to be replaced anyway and there is now plenty of space.