Originally Posted by jambon

Hi all,

I think after a lot of uncertainty and experiments I am finally ready to buy my first new bike (all others have been Craigslists and handme downs)

I narrowed it down to something steel framed ( I want it to last , looking for a bike for life here ) that can handle fireroads and the rough bad pot holed roads where I live while being fast on pavement, I wanted disc brakes and a 1 x drive train .I wanted something fun and sporty yet comfortable ,not an all out race bike or a cyclocross rig . Also 650db wheels with those big tyres were a consideration.

Touring capacity was not important as my current bike is a dedicated tourer.

The Kona Rove ST seemed to fit the bill but then I came across the Ribble 725 CGR and fell head over heels . Its the same price as the Rove but with a step up in groupset , Reynolds 725 over Kona chromoly , hydraulic brakes over mechanical and through axles on both ends.

There is one issue , the Ribble CGR has a carbon fork .I'm not sure if carbon is for me. I have heard it breaks easily e.g if the bike falls over and that carbon doesn't stand the test of time .

I'd happily take the weight penalty of a steel fork for it's durability .

Could I end up searching for a through axle carbon fork for a tapered steerer and then have to paint it to match the bike because the original has a small crack in it after a light crash ?

Are there any other steel frame and fork options that would suit my needs ?

Is carbon all that bad if the bike is treated well?