Ribble 725 CGR Replacement Fork.
- Thread starter Landsurfer
- Start date
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fossyant
Ride It Like You Stole It!
- Location
- South Manchester
Twilkes
Guru
Why not carbon, out of interest?
OP
OP
Landsurfer
Veteran
Long term professional engineering input with carbon and steel stressed structures ... for longevity steel is best ...
Twilkes
Guru
I've heard that sentiment a few times but we don't hear of large scale cases of carbon forks failing without suffering impacts, and they've been in use for decades now. Personal choice though, I wouldn't go out of my way to buy a carbon frame but do have a carbon fork!
I like Skol
A Minging Manc...
- Location
- Sunny Ashton-under-Lyne
Just to add to the sentiment re, carbon forks. There is a lot of fear and misinformation spread about carbon and it is almost wholly unfounded. Sure if you buy the skinniest, lightest frameset you can find from a cheap supplier then maybe you should rightly consider the limits in strength and longevity of the carbon components.
For a gravel bike that won't really be an issue. These are made to be tougher and barring an impact against something hard (like slamming your bike into rocks during a fall) you are unlikely to exceed the limits of the fork unless you are seriously heavy and ham fisted.
I have a nice steel framed Kona roadbike in Reynolds 853 with a carbon fork. Has covered over 10k now of touring and commuting, including some d!cking about riding down flights of steps and stuff. Absolutely no concerns about it.
I also have an all carbon gravel bike. This has been thrashed over rough mtb terrain, raced at cyclo-cross and ... ridden down flights of steps
.Neither bike has been pushed anywhere near the limits of the fork, and I am 95kg on a good day.
I can guarantee I ride my bikes more harshly than you ever will, you have nothing to worry about. Just buy the bike and enjoy it, forget it even has a carbon fork.
AndyRM
XOXO
- Location
- North Shields
Personal choice aside, which is entirely fair, the idea that carbon fibre is weaker than steel is absolute nonsense.
OP
OP
Landsurfer
Veteran
At 6’ 4” in my stocking feet and 117 kg maybe I have a stress issue you don't .. 
28 years of fast jet engineering with lots of Carbon fibre structure design and operational use....
Love carbon structures ... stroke them .... mmmm
But on a bike i expect to use for 20 years plus over hill and dale, on road .. off road.. .... Steel Forks !
28 years of fast jet engineering with lots of Carbon fibre structure design and operational use....
Love carbon structures ... stroke them .... mmmm
But on a bike i expect to use for 20 years plus over hill and dale, on road .. off road.. .... Steel Forks !
Twilkes
Guru
This looks pretty comprehensive: https://www.velonews.com/gear/road-...roperties of the,aluminum forks on the market.
AndyRM
XOXO
- Location
- North Shields
Go out. Take risks. Live.
I like Skol
A Minging Manc...
- Location
- Sunny Ashton-under-Lyne
How old are you Landsurfer?
TBH, I would be just as concerned by corrosion in an old steel fork as I would by fatigue in an older carbon fork.
I expect that 10-15yrs from now your days of extreme stressing a fork may be long gone?
TBH, I would be just as concerned by corrosion in an old steel fork as I would by fatigue in an older carbon fork.
I expect that 10-15yrs from now your days of extreme stressing a fork may be long gone?
All uphill
Still rolling along
- Location
- Somerset
I'd talk with St John St Cycles and Spa.
Both have some stylish steel forks for rim or disc brakes.
Peace of mind is worth the price of a new fork.
Both have some stylish steel forks for rim or disc brakes.
Peace of mind is worth the price of a new fork.
DRM
Guru
- Location
- West Yorks
I would watch the the cobbled classics over the next few weeks, in particular Paris-Roubaix, if the pro’s hitting the Trouee de Arenberg at around 60 km/h doesn’t put your mind at rest, nothing will
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