MrCrassic 

I just got a carbon fork, and having ridden it a little over 35 miles yesterday, to much of my happiness, I'm still wary about the "carbon fiber technology."

To start, it's a Kinesis-made lower-end fork (cheapest 1" steerer Nashbar offered, and I also believe it was the only one). If I were going carbon, I would trust a more established company like Trek with their OCLV process or Easton with their experience, but 1" steerers are being phased out, and I really can't justify a $300 fork on what was a $300 bike.

Today, in the midst of having no work to do, I came across a forum started by alanbikehouston in regards to warnings issued by Trek on how to properly handle carbon-fiber equipment. I know that he's not the biggest fan of CF (though he rides a Trek OCLV bike, so far as I know), but it got me wondering...and somewhat scared. Accidents involving broken forks often come out a HUGE mess, and I really don't want to get a taste of one of those. I've been hit by cars and ran through windshields, but I really don't want to cut my life short.

On top of this, I'm also considering investing on a 2008 Trek Madone 5.1, which is all carbon, no child's play. I can't wait to benefit from all of the beautiful properties inherited from a proper CF bike, but it still scares me that some amazing (and horribly catastrophic) accidents can happen with this material. Yes, I'm aware that all polymer-composite materials fail like carbon fiber, as well as any metal that is treated long enough.

Oh well; if it's used on planes and buildings...

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botto 

these days, i'd be more worried riding a bike WITHOUT a cf fork.

MrCrassic 

Please explain (even if it's with your usually short responses).

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dcvelo

I was wondering where abh got to...are the problems with carbon fiber compounded by using clipless pedals by any chance?

theextremist04

Sure the crashes are horrible, but they're also a tiny percentage. 99.9% of CF bike owners are perfectly happy. Just be smart- if you crash, check it over.

Or just don't crash.

MrCrassic 

I would think that this is almost easier said than done. Then again, I would love to meet a cyclist that goes out intended on crashing...

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botto 

these days cf forks are standard.

ericcox

ABH had some very good points and a lot of not so good. CF forks are not so fragile that you will break them looking at them. I regularly go off of and up on to curbs on my full cf rig. I am not worried. Kinesis is a good company; they tend to build a lot of stuff for other manufacturers.

umd

Have you ever seen a car accident? Do you still drive?

AEO

didn't they move up to 1.125" and 1.250" full carbon steerers since 1" carbon steerers weren't as durable as 1" cro-mo or aluminum steerers?

cuda2k

Does your fork have a carbon or aluminum steerer? Guessing with a 1" it's aluminum. If so, I wouldn't worry unless you've wrecked it. If / when you do have a strong impact to the fork, have it looked over by your shop, or just replace it. I was a bit worried the first couple of times I went out on a carbon fork coming from steel frames & forks. Now, I don't give it a second thought. Just try to keep the rubber side down and stationary objects well clear of my path.

GuitarWizard

I crashed my Trek 5200 before....hit a big white rock on the white line that I did not see as I was hammering along and not seeing straight. Hit it hard enough to tweak the wheel so I couldn't ride it (around 23-24 mph when I hit), and it sent me sliding down the road on my back. The bike was fine, including the fork, and it was a pretty hard impact.

I run a 1" Easton EC90SL fork on my Trek 2500 with a carbon steerer, and I haven't had any issues.

nogamal

ABH is an idiot.

StupidlyBrave 

Frankly, I should be replacing my old Trek's fork with one very much like what you have just gotten.

What does that tell you?

monk

Carbon is very strong. Alot of the guys who like to cut down carbon can't afford to buy it so they claim it's no good. If you gave them a carbon fiber bike they'd be singing its praises all over this forum.

merlinextraligh

I weigh 200lbs plus. I have a Kinesis Fork with a 1 inch CF steerer on my Merlin, with a few spacers under the stem. I've put 10,000 plus miles on the setup, including 50mph descents down the Col de Aubisque and lived to tell the tale.

I wouldn't worry about it. (Besides, if you're lucky they will be someone around to throw you a few tubulars strung together).

patentcad

Do you lay awake at night worrying about massive asteroid strikes too?

schnee

First, ignore alanbikehouston when it comes to carbon. He goes from 'cranky retro-grouch' into full-on paranoid rant mode when it comes to that material.

Second, I'm 255lbs. and ride carbon road bikes and mountain bikes. I break cranks, rip knobbies off of tubeless mountain bike tires, and otherwise beat stuff up. I feel safe on carbon. If I can, you can.

Pablo.

ALANBIKEHOUSTAN IS AN IDIOT!!!!11shift

Amen

If you saw all the carbon on my bike, you would probably run away from the damn thing....

Just ride the bike dude.

merlinextraligh

ok, somebody's slipping up here. 20 posts and no mushroom cloud.

patentcad

orcanova

If you're too much of a wuss, buy a steel bike. Seriously. I had a Kinesis carbon fork on an REI Novara for years and it was fine. I don't know why you have such unfounded fears of carbon fiber products. They've been around and under develeopment for a long time. The only non-carbon products on my Orbea Orca is the Dura Ace group set.

eippo1

Check out this link.
https://www.tapplastics.com/info/carbonnews.php

I think it's gonna be fine for your fork if it's used for these planes that are under considerably more stress than you could ever put on your fork. Then again, I have no idea what you're doing with your fork.

NoGaBiker

It is possible that Boing uses more R&D and better carbon and better manufacturing tolerances than Kinesis.

I'm not bustin' on carbon forks, I ride one (like everybody else); just saying that posting up pictures of the 787 or whatever it is everytime someone mentions "irrational" fears of carbon is like posting a picture of $350 Assos bibs whenever someone with $20 Nashbar shorts complains his ass hurts.