Originally Posted by
mrnotwo
my alpha-q carbon fork manual states that the fork is a wear item and should be replaced periodically depending on the usage.
Interesting.
In
the same document, they say both
bicycle dealers do not always receive important consumer information
which is provided with individual components or accessories...As a result, the
information is not readily available to the consumer
and
Seek advice from your dealer about appropriate replacement intervals.
So, their dealers don't know wtf the rules are, but you're supposed to get their advice about this nebulous replacement interval.
At any rate, carbon fatigue life for a given part is greater than steel, AL, and Ti. There are some pretty old forks running around made out of steel.
I guess for peace of mind, and if the budget supports it, no harm in replacing the fork. I would destroy the old one though -- if you don't trust it, no sense letting someone else trust it.