Carbon forks

[Hmoon27]

Looking at loads of bikes at the mo , trying to Suss things out ..... What's the score with the carbon forks, scythes, bombshells etc? Obviously a weight advantage, but how do they feel to ride?
Are they up to the job ? Known issues ? Better than CRO mo?
Opinions?
H

[HEYWOOD BMX]

Overrated.And not always lighter than steel forks

[billstup]

I`ve used Answer Scythes on my race bike for about 5 years, not the same pair mind, I usually put a new pair on at the start of a new season, but they are light and strong, I`ve had loads of crashes where the bike ends up cartwheeling straight on to the forks and they`ve been fine, I`ve also rode in the skatepark and trails with them 

[ron burgundy]

Not a lot in it now. Get what you like the look of

...I've never seen a set of steel forks snap at the bottom of the legs, though

[popedante]

no real weight advantage nowadays , go for steel , try elevn or supercross ( a lot cheaper too )   

[medved]

the only real thing you might notice is the stiffness.   carbon are stiffer meaning steering is a bit more responsive and you feel each bump and hard landing more.the steel forks have a little flex which can be beneficial to us oldies as it saves your wrists a little.

if you do go steel  watch the type of supercross forks you get as some do have a rider limit....despite being steel.

[Betty]

[gib66]

Nice pic betty

[Hmoon27]

Fook 

[Jon The Bassist]

...I've broken 2 sets of cromo forks within the last year so they're not indestructible either. Lots of riders that get big air use carbon so can't be that fragile. I know there has been some problem with the lightweight steerer tube breaking on some. I like the feel of steel forks so that's what I'll keep on using.
Jon

[Dark Diggler]

Sommat not right about that picture, that aint the carbon failing, its the alloy steerer tube or the stem, there doesn't look to be any steerer tube left hanging out of the stem so I am assuming that its the stem thats failed and the fork has dropped which is why there is no steerer poking out of the frame either
Alloy steerers are not problematic, all decent MTB forks (including DH/DJ ) employ alloy steerer tubes.

[steve69]

While you're on the subject of 'Carbon forks'......


Can somebody tell me when 'Bombshell F1' carbon forks where first made??


(sorry for the hijack) 

[proclass35]

Sommat not right about that picture, that aint the carbon failing, its the alloy steerer tube or the stem, there doesn't look to be any steerer tube left hanging out of the stem so I am assuming that its the stem thats failed and the fork has dropped which is why there is no steerer poking out of the frame either
Alloy steerers are not problematic, all decent MTB forks (including DH/DJ ) employ alloy steerer tubes.

A young rider's (11 yrs old) carbon forks failed at the Indoor last year, going into the first corner. His dad told me that the alloy steerer tube snapped clean through exactly on the line that the spiked knock-in washer from the headset had worn in around the inside of the steerer tube, which is typical of a metal fracture/fatigue crack. The supplier, I think it was Pete Philips, said this wasn't the first time he had seen it and their solution was to drop a full length bolt right through the whole assembly with a washer and nut under the forks...but with the weight of that you might be losing the weight advantage of carbon!

[Dark Diggler]

In that case then, could it be that the star nut was too deep in the steerer and at a guess, installed badly? it shouldn't move once installed, it only needs the slightest tension to load the bearings, not enough to cause wear. It should be at a depth 10mm from the top of the steerer tube, so even if it did fracture there, the stem should still have grip on the rest of the steerer.
I have heard of companies using way too little material on alloy steerer tubes, particulary on the weight concious forks. Not a great place to save weight really  A common problem with carbon steerers on road bikes is that people use star nuts, you have to use a carbon "head doctor" for these, the star nut will eat into the carbon with the potential to fracture, the same therefore can be said for thin, soft alloy, particulary when they are not installed correctly and are repeatedly ramped up too tight as lots of folk do with top caps

[Spen69]

What kind of wieght are we actually talking about as my non race lifetime guarenteed Oddy Directors only wiegh 840g without the top nut. I assume race forks must be lighter but by how much? I've given my forks a ton of grief over the last year and not had a peep out of them.... And they're full chromo with an internally threaded lock-nut.

[pickle]

Directors are feather weight Spen!  i thought the box was empty when mine arrived 

[Munnyella]

Directors are heavy compared to the svelte WTP heliums, 3 grammes lighter!!!

I'll stick with them, it makes all the difference!

MM

[gib66]

i think the lightest carbon /pro race forks are round 760 gramms .seriously light
i rode bombshells for while and never crashed badly weith em and to be honest im glad as im 16 stone plus and they flexed like mad so i changed back to s&m race xlts cant beat a bit of steel .
but saying this if i got chance to try a set of answers id go for it as ive heard nothing but good things about thee and a lot of the top riders seem to bve using these not bombshells etc

[pickle]

Directors are heavy compared to the svelte WTP heliums, 3 grammes lighter!!!

I'll stick with them, it makes all the difference!

MM

Fook they must be well light mark    nice