• Fork life.

Posted: **Wed Jan 12, 2022 9:09 pm**

Happy new year.
I have finally got round to servicing my old charge plug with a view to putting mudguards and touring tyres on it and thrashing it around the country lanes this winter.
It has been pretty much ignored since the arrival of the new bike 2 years ago.
I managed to wrestle the seat post out and have ordered new pads and headset / bb bearings.
Then I got to wondering, do carbon forks have a service life?
The forks are off a 2010 Kona honky Inc. They are scuffed but not creaky. No deep scratches or obvious damage. Maybe a little groovelet under the brake cable casing.
They've seen quite a lot of lightish off road use but no major spills. Well, one small RTA but my leg took the brunt of that impact.
So, how long do cabon forks with alloy steelers last?
I don't really have the funds to replace them but I'm keen to not smash my face into pat spattered tarmac.
Is this one of those "how long is a piece of string" questions?

Posted: **Wed Jan 12, 2022 9:12 pm**

Personally, I'd just keep riding them. Unless you were going to put them in for non-destructive testing, then there's no real way of knowing aside from the obvious checks you've already made.

Posted: **Thu Jan 13, 2022 9:07 am**

Agreed, there's no obvious way to know and all likelihood they're effectively as good as new. Carbon frames and forks do deteriorate over time to some extent though. Small voids can develop into delamination spots, bonding can break down, corrosion where Alu inserts are used etc.

I have a 2010 Genesis Equilibrium as a winter/training road bike and the OE carbon blade, Al crown and steerer fork came off it 2 years ago. Replaced with a lug crown steel Precisia style fork. Partly because the bike has done a lot of miles on bad roads plus I'm cautious with carbon stuff, partly because a fork was available and the timing seemed about right.

Posted: **Thu Jan 13, 2022 10:20 am**

If you fancy spending to find out if they're still sound, I was recommended https://carbonbikerepair.co.uk/ by a friend after being taken out last week. After a close inspection of my forks, I decided not to bother, as it looks like I'll have to start saving for a new pair anyway, due to one of the handlebar harness straps having missed the inner tube protection and worn a bit of a groove...

Posted: **Thu Jan 13, 2022 11:25 am**

Boab wrote: ↑Thu Jan 13, 2022 10:20 am If you fancy spending to find out if they're still sound, I was recommended https://carbonbikerepair.co.uk/ by a friend after being taken out last week. After a close inspection of my forks, I decided not to bother, as it looks like I'll have to start saving for a new pair anyway, due to one of the handlebar harness straps having missed the inner tube protection and worn a bit of a groove...

Every time I think I should maybe get a nic light carbon bike I see comments like this one and am glad I have overweight steel that refuses to die.

Posted: **Thu Jan 13, 2022 11:28 am**

Where as I read be careful with straps on your carbon bike ( or in my case use lots of helicopter tape where it could rub)

Posted: **Thu Jan 13, 2022 11:35 am**

I'm still running some Pace RC31 on a bike built up in January 2004. They've seen a lot of miles over the years and have outlasted a titanium bar which snapped on a landing.

Posted: **Thu Jan 13, 2022 12:01 pm**

My old Cube road bike, with carbon frame and forks, is now 13 years old. I've never given it a second thought.

Posted: **Thu Jan 13, 2022 2:11 pm**

I guess a real question is whether carbon fibre has a fatigue life. We know aluminium, steel, titanium etc all have a fatigue life - influenced by heat treatment, composition, design etc, however carbon would appear to be very very dependant on manufacturing method/process and quality of layup. So I think there isn't a straight answer, however I would assume that fully tested designs from a reputable manufacturer are going to be better than untested designs from ebay shops. Trouble is that this is no guarantee, just adds a risk factor......
So the only real answer is to test every fork to destruction

Posted: **Thu Jan 13, 2022 2:58 pm**

Posted: **Thu Jan 13, 2022 4:07 pm**

When we were discussing cheap carbon forks recently I did a bit of Google diving and found a handful of references to old forks - carbon and alu - that had broken mid ride with serious consequences for the rider. Out of millions of bikes it’s not bad odds.
If old forks breaking was a ‘thing’ you could be fairly certain big US bike companies would put ‘use by’ dates on their stuff - no?

Posted: **Thu Jan 13, 2022 7:19 pm**

I've got a old bontrager race X lite fork on the inbred. It must be 15+ years old still going strong

Posted: **Fri Jan 14, 2022 9:27 am**

lune ranger wrote: ↑Thu Jan 13, 2022 4:07 pm If old forks breaking was a ‘thing’ you could be fairly certain big US bike companies would put ‘use by’ dates on their stuff - no?

Like that bit in the owners manual, that we all read?

Not a use by date, but these days there should be a statement that things need checking and do deteriorate with time and use. Brands should advise on materials, fatigue life etc to some extent there. Part of EN standard compliance.
A use by date might get used like warranty period, marketing the durability, and it's all based on use more than time.

Posted: **Fri Jan 14, 2022 9:46 am**

Presumably also depends on what you ride .

IE smooth tarmac v off road ( then lanes v rock gardens etc )

Posted: **Fri Jan 14, 2022 9:51 am**

Lazarus wrote: ↑Fri Jan 14, 2022 9:46 am Presumably also depends on what you ride .

IE smooth tarmac v off road ( then lanes v rock gardens etc )

Back to James’s point with the owners manual, intended use of various bits of kit and bikes is more often than not clearly stated.
For example my Redshift stem clearly states it’s for gravel use not MTB… if only anyone knew what the difference really is.
Salsa sell their bikes by different types of MTB - how big a drop off is acceptable etc.

Posted: **Fri Jan 14, 2022 10:05 am**

We do realise that this thread now has everyone wondering / worrying about something they never previously gave a second thought to

Posted: **Fri Jan 14, 2022 10:34 am**

We do realise that this thread now has everyone...

...looking at their steel fork that will probably survive the heat death of the universe?

Posted: **Fri Jan 14, 2022 10:36 am**

Bearlegged wrote: ↑Fri Jan 14, 2022 10:34 am
We do realise that this thread now has everyone...
...looking at their steel fork that will probably survive the heat death of the universe?

Amen brother

Posted: **Fri Jan 14, 2022 10:46 am**

.looking at their steel fork that will probably rust from the inside out before finally crumbling into a pile of brown dust

Posted: **Fri Jan 14, 2022 11:02 am**

Bearbonesnorm wrote: ↑Fri Jan 14, 2022 10:46 am
.looking at their steel fork that will probably rust from the inside out before finally crumbling into a pile of brown dust

Heretic

Posted: **Fri Jan 14, 2022 11:15 am**

Bearbonesnorm wrote: ↑Fri Jan 14, 2022 10:46 am
.looking at their steel fork that will probably rust from the inside out before finally crumbling into a pile of brown dust

I waxoyled mine

Posted: **Fri Jan 14, 2022 11:17 am**

I believe you get to be the Sloth then Phil

Posted: **Fri Jan 14, 2022 7:24 pm**

fatbikephil wrote: ↑Fri Jan 14, 2022 11:15 am
Bearbonesnorm wrote: ↑Fri Jan 14, 2022 10:46 am
.looking at their steel fork that will probably rust from the inside out before finally crumbling into a pile of brown dust

I waxoyled mine

This used to be a thing, proofing your steel frame with motor fogging oil. The last time for me was a Thorn Audax 853 nearly 20 years ago. Does anyone still do it. I've not done it to my Big Bro but just thinking I might hit up Screwfix in the morning for a can of the stuff. Just for shits n gigs of course.

Posted: **Fri Jan 14, 2022 7:46 pm**

TheBrownDog wrote: ↑Fri Jan 14, 2022 7:24 pm
fatbikephil wrote: ↑Fri Jan 14, 2022 11:15 am
Bearbonesnorm wrote: ↑Fri Jan 14, 2022 10:46 am
.looking at their steel fork that will probably rust from the inside out before finally crumbling into a pile of brown dust

I waxoyled mine
This used to be a thing, proofing your steel frame with motor fogging oil. The last time for me was a Thorn Audax 853 nearly 20 years ago. Does anyone still do it. I've not done it to my Big Bro but just thinking I might hit up Screwfix in the morning for a can of the stuff. Just for shits n gigs of course.

I did my El Mariachi because I knew it'd be on the front of a packraft at times.

Posted: **Fri Jan 14, 2022 8:38 pm**

TheBrownDog wrote: ↑Fri Jan 14, 2022 7:24 pm
fatbikephil wrote: ↑Fri Jan 14, 2022 11:15 am
Bearbonesnorm wrote: ↑Fri Jan 14, 2022 10:46 am
.looking at their steel fork that will probably rust from the inside out before finally crumbling into a pile of brown dust

I waxoyled mine
This used to be a thing, proofing your steel frame with motor fogging oil. The last time for me was a Thorn Audax 853 nearly 20 years ago. Does anyone still do it. I've not done it to my Big Bro but just thinking I might hit up Screwfix in the morning for a can of the stuff. Just for shits n gigs of course.

I've done all my steel frames and forks and been gratified to find them still mint inside after many years of wet weather use. I've had a road bike frame fail above the BB due to rust and an MTB frame crack round the seat tube due to rust so I reckon its worth it. Waxoyl is a faff but easy with a schutz can and a 3Hp compressor. I thin it with white spirit, warm it up then spray it everywhere (including all over me) it dries to a nice thin even film.

Fork life.

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