Originally Posted by
lopek77
[MENTION=45134]nickw[/MENTION] The majority of bicycle related recalls in the last 2, 3 years are...carbon fiber forks.
Safety standards look good on a paper. IMHO, carbon fiber parts that carry weight are a big failure when it comes to safety, and there are also issues with durability. Don't expect to find many "Vintage Carbon Fiber Bikes" in the future, especially the ones that still can be safely used.
While I understand where you are coming from and why (I used to think the same thing), the experts disagree:
Technical FAQ with Lennard Zinn: Carbon Forks - VeloNews.com
From Easton:
There are two failure modes that could cause a fork to fail, fatigue or impact. Questions about life span are really questions about fatigue life. How many cycles can a fork survive before it is tired and worn-out? The good news is the fatigue life of carbon fiber is immensely more than that of metals. While the writer expresses concern about his carbon fork lasting as long as a metal component, there is nothing to worry about in terms of fatigue life on a composite fork.
Read more at Technical FAQ with Lennard Zinn: Carbon Forks - VeloNews.com