Originally Posted by
MassiveD
Yeah they exist, and as such are about 4 -6 times more expensive, for really know known net performance increase overall.
- Any serious one, you are not netting the weight savings you would expect from experience with the more common racing versions in carbon.
- You shouldn't really notice much difference in the ride. Of course in metal forks there is a wide range of signatures, but carbon should be somewhere in that mix. People try to make out carbon is a better ride, or steel, neither is true, and on a touring bike with fatter tires, and front bags the difference is less.
- After harvesting the weight savings, I can't think of a single other advantage to carbon, and a lot of disadvantages. It makes no sense to me. I know of tons of products where carbon is the bees knees, and actually makes whole worlds possible. In cycling it is not that big a deal. In some sports the product is either worlds better, or was not even possible without carbon. I just mention it because I am totally pro carbon where it works.
Here is the one I would be tempted by:
Carbon Forks
2/3rd down trekking fork
Columbus Tusk Trekking Fork
Nashbar Carbon Cyclocross Fork
It doesn't have the rack mounts but there are a lot of ways around that problem. Heavier though.
The carbon version saves about 1 pound, but that is over the steel Cyclo fork which is terribly heavy. I don't see the touring fork for sale any more. Surly says their LHT fork is 1050, and while the Nash carbon is 870, and the columbus is 740. Not really enough saving to take a face plant for.
Just looking at that Columbus fork, I would say that's substantially lighter than a steel fork. Half a pound you can take off the bike gets everything that little bit closer to the weight you want, and half a pound is a LOT to lose with one component change. No, it's not a lot when you consider the weight of all the gear, but you end up with a light load by cutting weight wherever you can, even if it's by small amounts. I think if you're actively pursuing a lightweight touring load, it's worth doing, though there are other things I would start with. If you're just feeling anxious about bike weight but not paying attention to how much your touring load weighs, it's probably not worthwhile.
I think carbon forks are viewed with more suspicion than they really deserve these days. I don't think there's any greater risk of a faceplant with a carbon fork these days, even for touring.