Cyclocross - Carbon Fiber CX Forks

I'm going to be building up a cx bike soon. My riding includes some rooty and bumpy descents. Will a carbon fork with a carbon steerer tube hold up? Carbon cx forks seem very common now. I assume that they are reliable.

"yes"

My Giant TCX 0 has a carbon fork and carbon seat post. No broken bike parts or bones yet.
And my Jamis Nova (my commuter) has a carbon fork. Nothing broken after 4 years.

My Giant TCX 0 has a carbon fork and carbon seat post. No broken bike parts or bones yet.

And you use it for cyclocross?

I was wondering this same thing. I mean, I hear people talking about how their carbon forks got damaged by putting the bike on a bus rack and things like that, and I know I beat my bike more severely than that on a 'cross course. Yet nearly every high-end bike has one of these things. So I was puzzled.

What about the cheap ones, like you might find on a Motobecane frame?

I've used mine on CX like situations but have not raced it as I'm not fit enough. Mine are not expensive CF forks, unbranded ones which came with a basic level (Tiagra) spec bike. I've come off the bike a couple of times and I've put a good 2000 miles on rough roads plus another 500 mile on off road rides (no drop off bigger than six inches) and I'll bunny hop speed bumps etc with them.

What about carbon fiber handle bars for 'cross racing? Some mountain bikes have them, but with high-end shocks to help absorb as well.

Yes - 95kg/220lbs +++ of bicycle destroyer here and more in the clydesdale forum too.

I have seen with my own eyes a carbon seatpost fail during a remount in a race, not a pretty sight. As for a carbon fork, that I think is fine.

I took two of these pictures myself. The other one I've found online. The fork failure was nasty, it failed during a remount and the guy went into the ground head first. He was only going running speed, I'd hate to have seen what would have happened if he was going full speed.

The 2nd one, a guy just pulled his bars right off during a steep climb.

The 3rd was a guy trying to bunny hop a ditch.

I've got a bunch of pictures of broken seat posts and bars as well. Our courses are pretty rough, but I don't think carbon and 'cross is a good match.

http://rabien.com/image/208542547_setns-l.jpg

http://rabien.com/image/p1010082.jpg

http://rabien.com/image/monroe%20cyclocross%2008%20029.jpg

More cyclocross pics

This is Alison Sydor's bike. It cost her the race.
http://rabien.com/image/205986338_jubun-l.jpg

http://rabien.com/image/safe_image.php.jpg

http://rabien.com/image/2936876855_52f5aa80d2_o.jpg

http://rabien.com/image/2969039343_b70ce17c1d_b.jpg