Originally Posted by
kiltedcelt
I've got the cork tape going on along with the 700x32s inflated to only 70-75 psi versus the max 85 psi. I generally avoid potholes because I don't want pinch flats or broken spokes. It's all the little transverse cracks and spiderwebbed asphalt that I'm seeking relief from. Before I started adding racks and fenders my bike already weighed 25lb, so when I started considering a new fork I did think about cro-moly but figured if carbon fiber could to the same thing and be lighter in weight...?
Well, those are the types of road surfaces that carbon can actually help on. If you're going to find out, consider going whole hog and making sure your fork has a carbon steering tube, too. ( But if you do, get the $15 Ritchey torque key. )
How fast do you typically go? As a material, carbon fiber doesn't like to vibrate at high frequencies. This is why it can help smooth out road buzz, and this is also one of the reasons photographers like carbon fiber tripods, like Gitzos. ( Vibrations don't make for sharp pictures. ) I think what happens with steel is that the metal bends a little bit to absorb the bump, but bends back to shape immediately? They aren't doing exactly the same thing.
I've had two carbon fiber bikes: an RS, which I upgraded to an R3. Carbon frame, fork, steerer, and handle bars. They're both a lot more comfortable than the metal bike I used to have, on the kind of pavement you ride. The RS was more comfortable (did a better job of getting rid of road buzz) below about 20 mph and the R3 does a better job at higher speeds. I think the reason for this is mostly that the RS designed the frame and fork for comfort, letting it flex in certain places, while the R3 mainly just relies on being carbon fiber to absorb the buzz.