Originally Posted by
tjspiel
I have three different bikes, - two with carbon forks including the winter bike. The winter bike gets exposed to everything: rain, snow, salt, extreme cold, etc. I don't worry about it in the least. I worry about it less than I would a steel fork because any scratch in the finish of a steel would lead to corrosion. I chose CF over steel for that very reason.
I highly suspect that you are an exception to the rule, TJ!
Nonetheless, a CF fork is not quite the same as an entire CF frame. A fork is merely a small fraction of the frameset's whole volume. That gives a cyclist much less to worry about!
We all know the difference between a mere cosmetic scratch endured by a steel framed bicycle vs. a CF bicycle. A cosmetic scratch on a steel bicycle is simply slightly sanded and then covered with nail polish. OTOH, a cosmetic scratch upon a CF frame or fork, has to be either ignored or professionally repaired by a qualified technician. Otherwise, a fool-hearty venture will be undertaken by the novice, in order to chance a successful cover-up.