General Cycling Discussion - Carbon forks no good after 3 years???

Been reading a well known repair book by a well known expert. And he says that carbon forks should be thrown away and replaced after a few years.

So my 3 year old bike is dangerous to ride now?

There is so much controversy about carbon, that it is making me worried about riding my carbon forked bike.
Some say you can get many years' of use out of carbon, others say chuck it after 3 years. Some say 10 years. I don't know what to believe.

What do you think?

EDIT: The book actually says after a "few" years, so I corrected it here.

Carbon fiber fork on our tandem has 34,000+ miles on it.
My single's has only 13,000+ miles on it.
Ain't the age . . . it's the mieage!
Pedal on!

Those some who say three years are the one ready to sell you another carbon fiber bike at the drop of a hat. The only controversy are the ones who are making it. I've got probably a ten year old Colnago with a carbon fork that I don't feel the need to check my health insurance policy every time I toss my leg over the top tube. Quit worrying about it and put down the jibberish to whatever your reading. Less reading and more riding.

:lol:Who and how well known? People say steel rusts, Aluminum breaks, and CF will not last. Years ago they said the same about boats made of wood, Steel Cement, and fiber glass. But today most private boats are not wood or steel or cement. The word you should look up is Ludite.:D They believe if it is new it will not last and if it is old it should never be replaced. If you want to know about Carbon Fiber you need to ask Calfee or Aegis. If you want peace of mind realize no one not working with CF is an expert on CF. Read about one group of experts. http://www.aegisbicycles.com/home.html don't worry about it the forks will last unless you crash and then you would more than likely have to replace the forks anyway. The number one upgrade on steel and Aluminum bikes may be a CF fork.:thumb:

I tend to think that if you haven't wrecked in any way, or had hard hits to the fork, it should be fine for years to come.

:lol:Who and how well known?

Lennard Zinn, Zinn and the Art of Road Bike Maintenance.

No information, about how many carbon forks and frames the pros go thru
in a stage race, because their team's mechanics work
after every one else is in the Hotel.

My 2006 TCR still has its original forks and they appear to be in mint condition after many thousands of miles. I have no plans to replace them.

ride the heck out of it.

like any other safety check, just look for cracks/dings/scrapes/delamination/etc.

the "in crowd" here always held that unless you spent top dollar from a "major company" you were getting carbon that would break and kill you. i have one ride with Nashbar carbon forks and i'm here to tell the tale.

I'm using a few sets of carbon forks on different bikes, the oldest is over 10 year old, the newest about 4 years, guess I'm in trouble then!

24000km over 6 years on my road bike. Includes a bunch of rough off road use and I'm not a light guy.

In fact I have an old Olmo steel bike, about 20 years old and if I shake the fork, I can hear the sound of some small particles moving inside. Probably rust. I feel a little scared of riding that bike. But it rides so well, I tend to forget about the fork pretty soon. In fact, the other day, I bunny hopped over a pothole in the road with no problem at all. But still, it is a little scary.

In fact I have an old Olmo steel bike, about 20 years old and if I shake the fork, I can hear the sound of some small particles moving inside. Probably rust. I feel a little scared of riding that bike.

That's probably not rust but steel reality checks you're hearing.

I remember in the early 70's they used to say that the "steel would get soft after 3 years" so you had to keep buying new bikes.

I remember in the early 70's they used to say that the "steel would get soft after 3 years" so you had to keep buying new bikes.

Thanks, I'd forgotten that one and I used to hear it all the time.

FWIW, I've never had a bike frame that didn't last longer than I wanted.

If your old carbon fork will fit a 56 Cannondale, then you should send it to me and I'll take care of it for you.

Lennard Zinn, Zinn and the Art of Road Bike Maintenance.

Zinn is an expert in Steel, Ti, and Magnesium. He doesn't use or build in CF. So He is the compitition to the CF builders. Do you not think he has an agenda? He builds good bikes I am sure but if you wanted a Magnesium bike would you believe a warning from some other builder telling you that if your bike got hot it could catch on fire and you couldn't put it out? why not if you have ever seen a magnesium fire you would be impressed. (not that I believe they catch on fire either) Information from Zenn and Rivendell about CF is close to worthless because they don't work with it.

Asking Zenn about CF would be like asking the Pope about becoming a Baptist.

You will get bored of the old latest stuff in 3 years, and want the new latest stuff.

Three years might be a true limit for the very first carbon forks built. But the technology has advance so quickly, you have no real reason to be concerned unless you have one of those original forks.

Inspect for cracks, do not crash and all is good.

A quick google came up with this Zinn column from back in 2002. I don't see anything like "replace in a few years" here.
Carbon Forks (http://velonews.competitor.com/2002/12/bikes-and-tech/technical-faq/technical-qa-with-lennard-zinn-carbon-forks-2_3270)

A quick google came up with this Zinn column from back in 2002. I don't see anything like "replace in a few years" here.
Carbon Forks (http://velonews.competitor.com/2002/12/bikes-and-tech/technical-faq/technical-qa-with-lennard-zinn-carbon-forks-2_3270)

You would think that would settle it.

Its in his book. Not saying I agree with him. Just trying to ge at the fact of carbon. I don't see why crbon would failmwithout damage, but I don't know much about carbon.

Its in his book. Not saying I agree with him. Just trying to ge at the fact of carbon. I don't see why carbon would fail without damage, but I don't know much about carbon.

With the Zinn report, and the curiously coincidental length of time between reputed "carbon fiber failures" and "steel frame softening", I suspect that you don't have much to worry about. It's all about the quality of the build.

Thanks, I'd forgotten that one and I used to hear it all the time.

FWIW, I've never had a bike frame that didn't last longer than I wanted.

http://www.pointhappy.com/gcf/AmEagleNishikism.jpg

If it were true, after 40 years this beast should be a puddle on the floor. :lol:

This bike shop hates carbon fiber for bicycles with good reason.
http://www.rideyourbike.com/carbonfiber.shtml

This bike shop hates carbon fiber for bicycles with good reason.
http://www.rideyourbike.com/carbonfiber.shtml

That is an easy one, never go to that bike shop for any reason they may try to replace your saddle with a steel one.

LOL, I bet they have wet dreams about finding cracked carbon parts. I recall Grant's post about the dumpster filled with the carbon forks his customers didn't want to ride. I'm still looking for that dumpster...

I suspect CF has a life cycle equal to or exceeding steel. But, not if it's damaged...and that's the rub. Who knows? I might agree with those who advise a two year limit to those owners who routinely trash and crash their bikes...CF is a timebomb for them. Me, I bet I'd get two lifetimes out of a well made CF fork.

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LOL, I bet they have wet dreams about finding cracked carbon parts. I recall Grant's post about the dumpster filled with the carbon forks his customers didn't want to ride. I'm still looking for that dumpster...

I suspect CF has a life cycle equal to or exceeding steel. But, not if it's damaged...and that's the rub. Who knows? I might agree with those who advise a two year limit to those owners who routinely trash and crash their bikes...CF is a timebomb for them. Me, I bet I'd get two lifetimes out of a well made CF fork.

From the post we read on forks form 2002 is seems as if the forks could last a very long time. But where the rubber meets the road is in the US more people buy Aluminum and CF road bikes than they do any other material. There is a reason for that and it isn't marketing because it was purely customer driven. The manufacturers simply responded to customer wants. That is the very same reason steel bikes are getting lighter as well, customer demand. Even many custom builders are using CF forks for both Aluminum, Steel and Scandium road bikes. No one seems interested in adding a steel fork to their CF, Aluminum or Scanduim road bike to make them "safer". More MTBs are sold in Aluminum than anything else but the CF market is growing pretty fast.

So as they say in court, the question has been asked and answered. The CF fork on the OPs bike will more than likely last a long time if it isn't crashed. And they simply don't make any other forks people want to use to smooth out their ride.:D

I remember in the early 70's they used to say that the "steel would get soft after 3 years" so you had to keep buying new bikes.

According to the guys racing BMX, aluminum gets "flexed out" after a couple of years and has to be replaced.

I guess all frame materials are disposable? :twitchy:

According to the guys racing BMX, aluminum gets "flexed out" after a couple of years and has to be replaced.

I guess all frame materials are disposable? :twitchy:

Hah! I used to sponsor some pretty good BMX racers. Their bikes definitely didn't "flex out" in a couple of years. If their frame went through a whole year before cracking at a weld, we considered that a victory.

This bike shop hates carbon fiber for bicycles with good reason.
http://www.rideyourbike.com/carbonfiber.shtml

They are entitled to an opinion.

The only reason I am not a big fan of CF is because I have no expereince with it. I've worked with steel stuff, broken steel stuff and fixed steel stuff enough to to feel like I can trust my own judgement. To a lesser extent I feel like understand aluminium. People that work with CF have a great deal of information and experience with the material, but I don't have that experience. I have a hard time knowing what kind of use and abuse is acceptable and what kinds of things could be a problem.

How long will it really last? How hard of a shock is too hard? Is it ok to use at 10 degrees F when hitting potholes or hopping curbs. Is it ok to coat with salt or whatever mystery chemicals get thrown on the roads in the winter. Is it ok to leave it exposed to the sun for 8 to 12 hours a day while my bike is parked outside? I feel like I can make pretty well educated decisions when it come to steel, but not with carbon.

How long will it really last?

Imponderable, but a long time.


How hard of a shock is too hard? Is it ok to use at 10 degrees F when hitting potholes or hopping curbs

Yes, I have done plenty of this with mine. Not at 10degrees F, but well below freezing. As far as I can see, carbon bikes are either OK or they are broken. After six years of robust treatment, my oldest CF bike seems absolutely unscathed. And I'm a big rider, currently 200lbs, 220 when I bought it.


Is it ok to coat with salt or whatever mystery chemicals get thrown on the roads in the winter.

Yes, I'd worry much more about the non-carbon components.


Is it ok to leave it exposed to the sun for 8 to 12 hours a day while my bike is parked outside? .

I can't give a definitive, materials scientist-type answer to this, but I have used my CF bikes for commuting and they have, therefore, been parked outside for up to twelve hours per day on numerous occasions. It appears to have no effect whatever. And I have no qualms about riding them in the sunshine for as long as I can stay awake, so I see no reason why being chained to a fence should be any different. And since they build aircraft out of the stuff, I can't see that UV exposure can be a problem.

Listen, I love steel bikes, I have three. I think a classic steel or TI frame has an elegance that neither CF nor aluminium can match. But CF is a very tough material indeed. All the stuff about it being fragile is largely just fear of the unfamiliar, IMO. Yes, it will break if you crash it hard enough, but what won't?

Imponderable, but a long time.



Yes, I have done plenty of this with mine. Not at 10degrees F, but well below freezing. As far as I can see, carbon bikes are either OK or they are broken. After six years of robust treatment, my oldest CF bike seems absolutely unscathed. And I'm a big rider, currently 200lbs, 220 when I bought it.



Yes, I'd worry much more about the non-carbon components.



I can't give a definitive, materials scientist-type answer to this, but I have used my CF bikes for commuting and they have, therefore, been parked outside for up to twelve hours per day on numerous occasions. It appears to have no effect whatever. And I have no qualms about riding them in the sunshine for as long as I can stay awake, so I see no reason why being chained to a fence should be any different. And since they build aircraft out of the stuff, I can't see that UV exposure can be a problem.

Listen, I love steel bikes, I have three. I think a classic steel or TI frame has an elegance that neither CF nor aluminium can match. But CF is a very tough material indeed. All the stuff about it being fragile is largely just fear of the unfamiliar, IMO. Yes, it will break if you crash it hard enough, but what won't?

Adamantium, DUH!

This bike shop hates carbon fiber for bicycles with good reason.
http://www.rideyourbike.com/carbonfiber.shtml

wackos

wackos


No no, this is sirius bizness. My older carbon forks asplode every once in a while. Thank goodness I give each of them a preventative duct tape wrapping or I'd be dead! Well, actually I'd be fine since my tinfoil hat protects me...