They are entitled to an opinion.

The only reason I am not a big fan of CF is because I have no expereince with it. I've worked with steel stuff, broken steel stuff and fixed steel stuff enough to to feel like I can trust my own judgement. To a lesser extent I feel like understand aluminium. People that work with CF have a great deal of information and experience with the material, but I don't have that experience. I have a hard time knowing what kind of use and abuse is acceptable and what kinds of things could be a problem.

How long will it really last? How hard of a shock is too hard? Is it ok to use at 10 degrees F when hitting potholes or hopping curbs. Is it ok to coat with salt or whatever mystery chemicals get thrown on the roads in the winter. Is it ok to leave it exposed to the sun for 8 to 12 hours a day while my bike is parked outside? I feel like I can make pretty well educated decisions when it come to steel, but not with carbon.

Imponderable, but a long time.

Yes, I have done plenty of this with mine. Not at 10degrees F, but well below freezing. As far as I can see, carbon bikes are either OK or they are broken. After six years of robust treatment, my oldest CF bike seems absolutely unscathed. And I'm a big rider, currently 200lbs, 220 when I bought it.

Yes, I'd worry much more about the non-carbon components.

I can't give a definitive, materials scientist-type answer to this, but I have used my CF bikes for commuting and they have, therefore, been parked outside for up to twelve hours per day on numerous occasions. It appears to have no effect whatever. And I have no qualms about riding them in the sunshine for as long as I can stay awake, so I see no reason why being chained to a fence should be any different. And since they build aircraft out of the stuff, I can't see that UV exposure can be a problem.

Listen, I love steel bikes, I have three. I think a classic steel or TI frame has an elegance that neither CF nor aluminium can match. But CF is a very tough material indeed. All the stuff about it being fragile is largely just fear of the unfamiliar, IMO. Yes, it will break if you crash it hard enough, but what won't?

wackos

No no, this is sirius bizness. My older carbon forks asplode every once in a while. Thank goodness I give each of them a preventative duct tape wrapping or I'd be dead! Well, actually I'd be fine since my tinfoil hat protects me...

Just remember that when carbon fiber fails, it fails catastrophically. So if your riding and it fails, you will crash.

A timely reminder.:thumb: Welcome to BF!

Honestly, I've found that if steel or aluminum fail when riding hard the same thing is going to happen, so it's really not worth worrying about so much.

I just inspect my bikes before I ride them, and inspect them very closely when I pull everything apart for more thorough cleaning and maintenance. Haven't had any major problems with that routine.

If forks need to be replaced after 3 years... what about frames, wheels, bars, stems, seatposts and saddles?

You could say that about bottled water or cotton balls.


-Tim-

Here is the truth.

A bicyclist who buys a carbon fork, wants the lightest fork; otherwise, he would choose a nice steel fork.

First, he checks forks by the companies A and B.
A's fork: 50 grams lighter, but less reliable.
B's fork: heavier, but more reliable.

Then, he finds a fork from the company C that is 150 grams lighter. Of course, he buys this one.

Funny, the link you posted says they DO NOT HATE Carbon Fiber. :rolleyes:

I've had to replace my CF fork twice since this zombie thread was started :50:

:lol::lol:

Or...the bicyclist is replacing a damaged fork, and just wants to replace with a part similar to what was on there before. Or maybe they want to change the handling a little and get something with more or less rake. Or maybe the current one just looks horrible. Or maybe they're building up a frame, and went with what was on sale and appropriate for the bike they wanted.

Weight isn't the only motivator, or even the main one for a lot of people. I've purchased different carbon forks for the reasons I just listed and more.

For some folks, Weight is the key factor. Reliability is the last factor.
Manufacturers oblige by fulfilling their demands and creating stupidly light components.

For some folks, sure. I've gone lightweight/high end on bikes that I actually race with (and still ride a lot) and haven't had problems with reliability. Granted, I wasn't going light and cheap, which is where reliability problems tend to pop up.

That's why it says 'WE DO NOT HATE CARBON FIBER' at the top of the page.

Remember CF parts or frames are really CF reinforced plastic, and plastic does age and get brittle.

Aarons has found their niche market. Carbon hysteria thing now.

It's MARKETING.

Otherwise no one outside of Seattle would know anything about them. They are a small new and used store great for old parts and out of the parts catalog builds. A step or two about a bike co-op. Great marketing department though. I'm sure the scare tactics work and it increases the service margins though.

Not all plastic/resin is created equal either.

If steel fails, it will usually give you an indication before it is catastrophic. Steel can crack and still perform, you will notice it when the crack gets big enough, hopefully before it fully fails. Aluminum also fails catastrophically, but it can be abused without affecting it's integrity. Carbon is fine, but it is a lot more delicate with regard to abuse. How much abuse can a set of carbon forks take before being compromised? Probably only the pro's know that answer. And what about cheap, mass produced carbon forks? Carbon fiber products have to be made exactly right for them to be safe, and most are made in China, right?

I've had steel fail dramatically (usually at the welds) and without warning, and the same with aluminum (also at the welds), and carbon (at the joints) when racing mountain bikes. Anything that destroys any one of those when you're riding hard will wreck the others just the same. I'm more leery of cheap rims/spokes than anything else on most bikes.

And the China angle is irrelevant since most of your steel and aluminum is going to be made either there or in Taiwan too. Decent brands that invest in good QC are fine. Just take care of your stuff, maintain and inspect everything regularly and it doesn't really matter what the material is.

After nearly three decades (that I've experienced) of carbon frames and forks and other carbon parts, people still have strong opinions about the viability of carbon.

Don't like carbon? Don't buy it.

Buy it, but dispose it in 3 years.

Only way to be safe is to buy your carbon forks & helmet at the same time ... & throw them both away after 3 years. :crash:

Better get rid of my 12 year old road bike then...and it looks like my CX bike will have to be replaced soon too, especially with that thing being almost exclusively on gravel/4x4 roads and singletrack.

The resin used in carbon forks is not a lot different from that used in other products. In time, exposure to UV light, ozone, and moisture causes it to deteriorate. Aluminum and steel also deteriorate, but a slower rate (unless you live near the sea). If I am a competitive rider who gets a new bike every 3 or 4 years, I have no problem with carbon bikes or carbon forks. But if I'm one of those guys who "invests" in an expensive bike hoping to get a decade or more of riding out of it, I'll go with steel or titanium. My steel bike is now pushing 20 years old, without a spot of rust or corrosion.

My 12 y.o. steel IF has lots of corrosion, which is why I went with ti for my latest road ride. Enve carbon fork glazed with a custom-blended (hence one of a kind) color of Cerakote. (So is most of the frame.) The thing is closing in on three years. The chances of me tossing the fork any time soon are none to none.