A rigid fork to improve the ride (Kinesis Maxlight XLT review)

Back in May this year, I replaced my old suspension fork with a rigid fork, a Kinesis Maxlight XLT.

The improvements are outstanding!

The Ride
The ride quality of my hybrid has drastically improved since fitting the fork.
The front end of my bike is now so light, I have noticed improvements during climbs and changes of direction.

The feel for the road is much more vivid, vibrations are still dampened somewhat by the steel from which this fork is made, but it's all very lively.
It is not the most rigid of forks, so under load you can perceive a certain degree of flex. Nothing that would make the ride less safe, just comfortable.

I have now put about 1,000 miles on this fork and can recommend it to anyone thinking about switching.

I have recently ridden a hybrid with front suspension and would never dream of riding one again on tarmac!


Fitting
In the picture above you can see both forks side to side.
The old fork (left) didn't even work as intended anymore, being mostly semi-rigid and clunky. It also weighed nearly 3 Kg (8 lbs).
The new fork (right) weighs less than 1 Kg (2.2 lbs) and that's with a full length steerer, which I had to cut down.

Once fitted, my hybrid looks as if it was always meant to be fitted with one. The fork's paint scheme matches the frame's; the geometry is spot on, the Kinesis fork being suspension corrected.

To cut the steerer I used quality tools: a steerer tube cutting guide, secured to a vise. A quality 32 TPI bladed saw, and a curved file to remove any sharp edges left after the cut.

I reused all the existing components on the new fork: the headset and the crown race.

The original headset was still in excellent condition and there was no need to replace it. All the bike shops I asked would have charged me for a new headset, which I didn't need.

The crown race, which is the metal ring supporting the headset bottom bearings, was easily removed from the original fork.

Unfortunately, one thing I completely forgot to buy was a steerer crown race setter tool, to set the old crown race on the new fork.
It was not easy to let a very tight fitting and delicate ring of metal go straight on to the new fork. It required a very steady hand, and the use of a flat head screwdriver and a hammer to gently but securely knock it into place.

The one thing I needed to buy was a new star flange nut. Instead of a traditional nut, I decided to buy a reusable and easier to fit nut, a Hope Hed Doctor headset adjuster.

This nut allows itself to be unscrewed and reused. It is compatible with carbon, aluminium and steel steerer tubes.
One thing to remember when fitting it, is to read the instructions carefully and ensure that the nut body falls easily into the steerer before tightening.
Another thing to consider is that the job of the head nut is to simply pre-load the stem onto the headset in order to allow the stem to be tightely fitted at the correct height. It is the job of the stem to utlimately press it all together. You should be able to remove the head nut completely once the stem is fitted.
If you read any reports where people have stripped the head nut bolt or have concerns about its ability to stay tightly pressed, ignore them.

One last note: the Kinesis Maxlight XLT is compatible with v-brakes and disc brakes, but does not come pre-drilled for mudguards. This is probably a reflection of the intended audience of such fork.
I therefore installed a rubber cap in the bottom of the steerer tube, allowing my SKS mudguards to be secured to the fork: