Mountain Biking - Carbon Fiber suspension

Why isn't this a huge trend in mountain biking? I would think there would be at least one company mass producing them.

it breaks

Cannondale makes extensive use of Carbon fiber in both the Lefty fork and some of their rear suspension designs, as well.

I've ridden a FS carbon Cannondale on a Demo day. Crazy fast. But you'd never see me buying one. I'd be too afraid to crash it. I've broken too many carbon fiber things in my life (XC skiing).

Ah, I forgot about the Lefty Carbon. I'm just surprised there isn't some XC weight weenie all carbon fork that weighs like 2lbs.

Talk to B2B

http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r212/2hick2b4real/Picture028.jpg

My 1997 Proflex had a carbon fiber swingarm... no problems. The higher-end models had carbon frames and linkage forks with carbon legs.

DT swiss and Manitou both make suspension forks with carbon lowers.

DT swiss and Manitou both make suspension forks with carbon lowers.

http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r212/2hick2b4real/Picture086.jpg

Is that yours or a photo you found somewhere?

Oh Lawdy!

I was blessed by the fork gods to be able to set the crown race on that baby. Probably the closest I'll ever get to it again. I would SOOO break that son-of-a-woven-wonder.

Beautiful work though...dayadGUM!

On what?

On what?

Are you having trouble keeping up?? I'll try to get Ed to type slower in the future.

On the DT swiss one?

It's mine...... A build in progress. The wheels are on the way, I will put up a ton of pics when it's finished.

Lucky little..

Maybe it's somewhat of a marketing thing, as all of the carbon fiber suspensionless forks tend to be marketed towards cyclocross.... but as others have said, it does exist on the super high end.

Don't forget to smile big while you are crashing. You can show off the splinters in your gums.

B2B never crashes. It's just like that.

He's that good?

He's better than that...he holds back when I ride with him. I just know it.

Honestly I feel that the carbon lowers will stand up to anything other than a blow from a sledge hammer. I'm sure that wouldn't do mag lowers any good either. There seems to be a lot of scepticism about carbon and mountain biking, but really carbon is pretty tough. If you could put your hands on this fork, I think you would agree that the lowers are more than tough enough for the abuse the fork is designed to take. I sure I'll scuff them up on the rocks at Perry, and Fancy creek, But there are enough layers on it to handle that.

Layers, how thick are the lowers? thats what would determine if I trusted it or not.

I marvel at the tensile strength at carbon. but as soon as the resin cracks,if its not high end and done good, it goes downhill.

Layers, how thick are the lowers? thats what would determine if I trusted it or not.

I marvel at the tensile strength at carbon. but as soon as the resin cracks,if its not high end and done good, it goes downhill.The sheer volume of wisdom this thread has revealed utterly blows my mind.

He's better than that...he holds back when I ride with him. I just know it.
I do hold back a lot, but it's not because of you. I spend a lot of time waiting on my wife. who doesn't seem to grasp the whole "group ride" concept. LOve her to death, but not sure getting her on the bike was my smartest play ever.

Layers, how thick are the lowers? thats what would determine if I trusted it or not.

I marvel at the tensile strength at carbon. but as soon as the resin cracks,if its not high end and done good, it goes downhill.

Spoken like the true opinionated young man that you have always been. He He I hope the German engineers hire you soon while you still know it all.:roflmao2:

I was speaking from experience from vehicles. My uncle and I, and my friend who had the rice burners have worked on cars that had carbon fiber parts and such.

One example, Friends hood was carbon fiber, took a bump from a pole and cracked.... Went downhill from their and eventually started to "crumble"


I'm no longer going to try and justify everything I saw, I'm old enough now to not have to do that.

German engineers complicate everything.... SO I wouldn't want to be hired by them lol.

You should see me garage door.... thats a work of a computer genious and a mechanical engineers long hours.

No idea why it has to be some complex, but it works.

Now I just wish they would realize the benefits of Air Conditioning..

I can't speak for your friends hood, But I'm sure this fork will give waaaaay better results.

My EC70 bars are holding up so far.

German engineers complicate everything....Ya, pesky SOBs always tinkering around and packing real engineering into the goods they design.

I can't speak for your friends hood, But I'm sure this fork will give waaaaay better results.

I hope so.

Keep us posted, maybe you can change some of our minds.

One example, Friends hood was carbon fiber, took a bump from a pole and cracked.... Went downhill from their and eventually started to "crumble"




It's the poles, dude. Keep carbon away from the poles.

It's the poles, dude. Keep carbon away from the poles.

Yeah, or steel or aluminum, or magnesium....................He He