Image forming apparatus with function for determining recording material stiffness

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• a first feeding unit and a second feeding unit each for feeding a recording material while nipping the recording material, wherein the first feeding unit includes a first rotating member, and the second feeding unit includes a second rotating member;
• a guiding member for guiding the recording material passed through the first feeding unit toward the second feeding unit;
• a measuring unit for measuring a time required for the recording material to pass from a first point to a second point provided downstream of the first point with respect to a recording material feeding direction;
• and
• a discriminating unit for discriminating stiffness of the recording material on the basis of a measurement result of the measuring unit,
• wherein the discriminating unit discriminates that the stiffness of the recording material is higher than a predetermined value when the measured time is shorter than a predetermined time and discriminates that the stiffness of the recording material is lower than the predetermined value when the measured time is longer than the predetermined time, and
• wherein the guiding member is flexed and is in a non-overlapping state with a virtual straight line connecting a first nip where the first feeding unit nips the recording material and a second nip where the second feeding unit nips the recording material when viewed from a rotational axis direction of the first rotating member or the second rotating member.