Fear of carbon fork breaking on potholes
10-08-19, 06:54 PM
#26
Cycleway town
There's nothing wrong with suggesting that someone riding a road bike in pot-hole city is on the wrong bike. Even on a forum full of die-hard roadies.
But if the OP's happy with smashing a twiglet road bike over potholes at 25mph, and isn't open to alternatives, then there's little else to suggest.
But if the OP's happy with smashing a twiglet road bike over potholes at 25mph, and isn't open to alternatives, then there's little else to suggest.
10-08-19, 08:24 PM
#27
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Massachusetts
Posts: 4,530
Mentioned: 34 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2112 Post(s)
Liked 663 Times
in
443 Posts
Suggest that rather than worrying about your fork, you learn when and how to get out of your saddle, and also learn how to repair flats.
And ignore the wrong bike crowd. And the wrong tire crowd. And the wrong....
-mr. bill
Last edited by mr_bill; 10-08-19 at 08:56 PM.
Likes For mr_bill:
10-09-19, 12:14 PM
#28
Tragically Ignorant
Join Date: Jun 2018
Location: New England
Posts: 15,613
Bikes: Serotta Atlanta; 1994 Specialized Allez Pro; Giant OCR A1; SOMA Double Cross Disc; 2022 Allez Elite mit der SRAM
Mentioned: 62 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 8186 Post(s)
Liked 9,095 Times
in
5,053 Posts
10-09-19, 12:29 PM
#29
Tragically Ignorant
Join Date: Jun 2018
Location: New England
Posts: 15,613
Bikes: Serotta Atlanta; 1994 Specialized Allez Pro; Giant OCR A1; SOMA Double Cross Disc; 2022 Allez Elite mit der SRAM
Mentioned: 62 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 8186 Post(s)
Liked 9,095 Times
in
5,053 Posts
No, 79pmooney used to live in the northeast. Several of us live in potholandia.
Suggest that rather than worrying about your fork, you learn when and how to get out of your saddle, and also learn how to repair flats.
And ignore the wrong bike crowd. And the wrong tire crowd. And the wrong....
-mr. bill
Suggest that rather than worrying about your fork, you learn when and how to get out of your saddle, and also learn how to repair flats.
And ignore the wrong bike crowd. And the wrong tire crowd. And the wrong....
-mr. bill
I had a plastic fork break in two once, but I was using it to hold a tough steak in place while trying to cut the steak with a plastic knife.
Likes For livedarklions:
10-11-19, 10:01 AM
#30
Senior Member
The people suggesting a fatter tire are offering good advice, because when you hit a pothole, the sequence of failure is: tube --> tire --> rim.
In other words, first you'll pinch flat. If it's worse than that, it might cut your tire or flat a tubeless tire. If it's worse than that, it might crack or dent your rim.
If it's worse than that, it might throw you over the bars after damaging your front wheel. But your fork will still probably be fine.
If you've ridden the route and are getting by with your current tires, there's no reason to worry about the rest. They're the canaries in the coal mine.
In other words, first you'll pinch flat. If it's worse than that, it might cut your tire or flat a tubeless tire. If it's worse than that, it might crack or dent your rim.
If it's worse than that, it might throw you over the bars after damaging your front wheel. But your fork will still probably be fine.
If you've ridden the route and are getting by with your current tires, there's no reason to worry about the rest. They're the canaries in the coal mine.
10-11-19, 12:32 PM
#31
climber has-been
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Palo Alto, CA
Posts: 7,075
Bikes: Scott Addict R1, Felt Z1
Mentioned: 10 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3401 Post(s)
Liked 3,531 Times
in
1,776 Posts
I'm worried about the carbon fork snapping as I hit a pothole at 18mph. I'm thinking of changing to a different material fork for this reason because again I am often forced to hit a lot of potholes, but can anybody tell me how likely a serious breakage is to happen while riding or what the best course of action would be?
Also, the notion that carbon parts snap without warning is mostly a myth. Like metal components, they fail progressively. If ever your steering starts feeling soft, stop riding. You likely have a damaged steering tube that may soon break off.
__________________
Ride, Rest, Repeat. ROUVY: terrymorse
Ride, Rest, Repeat. ROUVY: terrymorse
Last edited by terrymorse; 10-11-19 at 12:39 PM. Reason: added "snap without warning" myth
10-16-19, 11:32 PM
#32
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 3,138
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 67 Post(s)
Liked 83 Times
in
44 Posts
Learn to bunny hop.
Also, I regularly ride an 8 year old, all carbon crit bike on dirt and gravel. It ain't the right tool for the job, but it can be fun for a while.
Also, I regularly ride an 8 year old, all carbon crit bike on dirt and gravel. It ain't the right tool for the job, but it can be fun for a while.
10-20-19, 08:31 PM
#33
Member
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 32
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 17 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 4 Times
in
4 Posts
I live in the rural Northeast and I'm familiar with the urban streets of upstate NY. Believe me when I tell you this but the infrastructure and roads are measurably worse here and I ride carbon forks without anxiety. If anything will go out on my bikes from the abuse, it's the wheels. I ride a 35c up front and the advice for wider tires is a good one. You will actually ride faster with them on dilapidated asphalt(I think 28 on up is ideal in these situations. I concur 2" is excessive unless you plan on doing double duty on singletrack). Our "potholes" consist of 3 inch wide holes that stretch a good 30 yards up the road. Some are even large enough to swallow truck tires. Road repairs are done sloppily by the lowest bidder and no attempt is made to blend the edge of new sections with the older asphalt.
And yet, I have no concerns over using carbon forks and in fact much prefer them.
And yet, I have no concerns over using carbon forks and in fact much prefer them.
10-21-19, 06:53 AM
#34
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Massachusetts
Posts: 4,530
Mentioned: 34 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2112 Post(s)
Liked 663 Times
in
443 Posts
Personally, I think 2" wide is underkill. Which is kind of the point. You can't wide your way out of pothole trouble, but you can ride your way out of pothole trouble.
-mr. bill
10-21-19, 09:01 AM
#35
Tragically Ignorant
Join Date: Jun 2018
Location: New England
Posts: 15,613
Bikes: Serotta Atlanta; 1994 Specialized Allez Pro; Giant OCR A1; SOMA Double Cross Disc; 2022 Allez Elite mit der SRAM
Mentioned: 62 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 8186 Post(s)
Liked 9,095 Times
in
5,053 Posts
10-21-19, 09:48 AM
#36
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Sacramento, California, USA
Posts: 40,865
Bikes: Specialized Tarmac, Canyon Exceed, Specialized Transition, Ellsworth Roots, Ridley Excalibur
Mentioned: 68 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2952 Post(s)
Liked 3,106 Times
in
1,417 Posts
"Carbon forks have handled millions of miles over all kinds of conditions." Yes. But carbon forks have also snapped suddenly at the crown/blade or crown steerer interface. I've had a (non-steel) fork break on me in that fashion. Trust me, it is the one bicycle failure you do not want to happen in this lifetime or your next.
"Every cyclist racing the spring classics over cobbled roads rides a carbon fork." Yes also. But they ride those races on new or near new forks.
"If you worry about a pothole taking your fork out, you might as well worry about the pothole breaking your handlebars, folding your rim, or causing your frame's headtube to separate." All of those are less catastrophic than a CF fork braking at the crown. I bent an aluminum handlebar 30 degrees riding into a New England March pothole (with acar beside me). Trashed many rims on potholes, riding almost all home.
Headtubes and the headtube/downtube/toptube joints are part of the critical path (as are the fork and steerer and the stem and bars). Complete failures there almost always involve going over the bars and landing hard, usually on head or shoulder. I've done my lifetime's worth of crashes so I will limit the materials I use there to metals that are likely to bend before complete failure or give warning. Where I cannot, I use cheaper materials and replace those parts fairly often. (Cheaper means I am not "wedded" to getting the most out of it.)
Ben
"Every cyclist racing the spring classics over cobbled roads rides a carbon fork." Yes also. But they ride those races on new or near new forks.
"If you worry about a pothole taking your fork out, you might as well worry about the pothole breaking your handlebars, folding your rim, or causing your frame's headtube to separate." All of those are less catastrophic than a CF fork braking at the crown. I bent an aluminum handlebar 30 degrees riding into a New England March pothole (with acar beside me). Trashed many rims on potholes, riding almost all home.
Headtubes and the headtube/downtube/toptube joints are part of the critical path (as are the fork and steerer and the stem and bars). Complete failures there almost always involve going over the bars and landing hard, usually on head or shoulder. I've done my lifetime's worth of crashes so I will limit the materials I use there to metals that are likely to bend before complete failure or give warning. Where I cannot, I use cheaper materials and replace those parts fairly often. (Cheaper means I am not "wedded" to getting the most out of it.)
Ben
Likes For mr_bill:
10-21-19, 11:22 AM
#39
Tragically Ignorant
Join Date: Jun 2018
Location: New England
Posts: 15,613
Bikes: Serotta Atlanta; 1994 Specialized Allez Pro; Giant OCR A1; SOMA Double Cross Disc; 2022 Allez Elite mit der SRAM
Mentioned: 62 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 8186 Post(s)
Liked 9,095 Times
in
5,053 Posts
10-22-19, 11:18 AM
#40
Banned
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Lincoln Ne
Posts: 9,924
Bikes: RANS Stratus TerraTrike Tour II
Mentioned: 46 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3352 Post(s)
Liked 1,056 Times
in
635 Posts
The OP has a valid worry. You can call it carbon fiber, but as I have always pointed out it is carbon fiber reinforced plastic. The main weight of any so call CF product is plastic. Plastic shatters and breaks.
10-22-19, 11:35 AM
#41
Senior Member
That is like saying a Steel Reinforced Concrete wall is made of mostly sand.
Likes For hagak:
10-22-19, 02:40 PM
#42
Banned
The OP doesn't have to worry about his carbon fiber fork shattering if he hits a pothole at 18mph. His tubes/tires are another thing and depends on his setup, the depth of the pothole, and its edge characteristics. He's a prime candidate for tubeless.
Likes For mr_bill:
10-23-19, 01:13 PM
#44
Tragically Ignorant
Join Date: Jun 2018
Location: New England
Posts: 15,613
Bikes: Serotta Atlanta; 1994 Specialized Allez Pro; Giant OCR A1; SOMA Double Cross Disc; 2022 Allez Elite mit der SRAM
Mentioned: 62 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 8186 Post(s)
Liked 9,095 Times
in
5,053 Posts
10-23-19, 01:34 PM
#45
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Portland, OR
Posts: 12,878
Bikes: (2) ti TiCycles, 2007 w/ triple and 2011 fixed, 1979 Peter Mooney, ~1983 Trek 420 now fixed and ~1973 Raleigh Carlton Competition gravel grinder
Mentioned: 129 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4782 Post(s)
Liked 3,900 Times
in
2,537 Posts
The OP doesn't have to worry about his carbon fiber fork shattering if he hits a pothole at 18mph. His tubes/tires are another thing and depends on his setup, the depth of the pothole, and its edge characteristics. He's a prime candidate for tubeless.
Ben
10-23-19, 03:48 PM
#46
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Massachusetts
Posts: 4,530
Mentioned: 34 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2112 Post(s)
Liked 663 Times
in
443 Posts
I can’t quarrel with your personal choice. Others have chosen bents. However, spooking others is unwise.
-mr. bill
10-24-19, 12:49 PM
#48
Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2019
Posts: 467
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 188 Post(s)
Liked 276 Times
in
161 Posts
I myself would never buy a used bike. One never knows if the seller is actually telling the truth wanting to get ride of the bike. Maybe it has been crashed, of course he will say no or it won't sell.
I have a bud who crashed his bike in a race. Took it in to get inspected. Carbon bars ended up snapping on a mountain descent. Scary but somehow managed to save it as only one side snapped off. Being his bike he knew it had been crashed but took the inspection's evaluation that it was in good condition.
That was his own bike. Trusting someone who wants to sell a bike? Not for me! Plus that voids the warranty.
I have a bud who crashed his bike in a race. Took it in to get inspected. Carbon bars ended up snapping on a mountain descent. Scary but somehow managed to save it as only one side snapped off. Being his bike he knew it had been crashed but took the inspection's evaluation that it was in good condition.
That was his own bike. Trusting someone who wants to sell a bike? Not for me! Plus that voids the warranty.
10-24-19, 04:09 PM
#49
Banned
Over the past few decades I haven't had any carbon parts "shatter and break," as you have hysterically claimed. Again, and despite your fear-mongering, the OP doesn't have a valid concern.
10-25-19, 07:06 AM
#50
Banned
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Lincoln Ne
Posts: 9,924
Bikes: RANS Stratus TerraTrike Tour II
Mentioned: 46 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3352 Post(s)
Liked 1,056 Times
in
635 Posts
I'm pretty sure that I've ridden my carbon frame with carbon fork, carbon bars, carbon stem, carbon cranks, carbon rims, carbon seat post and carbon saddle rails more often than anyone has ridden any steel-reinforced concrete wall.
Over the past few decades I haven't had any carbon parts "shatter and break," as you have hysterically claimed. Again, and despite your fear-mongering, the OP doesn't have a valid concern.
Over the past few decades I haven't had any carbon parts "shatter and break," as you have hysterically claimed. Again, and despite your fear-mongering, the OP doesn't have a valid concern.
