Don't know if I'd buy a CF fork made in mainland China ... but I would buy one made in Taiwan. As far as steel/cro-mo vs. CF, I rode steel for 2 decades then put an Easton EC-70 1" on my "old" steel bike and ... wow what a difference (that was the ONLY component change). I don't ride steel now but if I did, I certainly wouldn't put a steel fork on it.