I agree with Steve. All of my current bikes are steel now that I'm not racing anymore, however, I previously owned one of the original OCLV models. Estimating conservatively, it probably had 30K miles on it (probably closer to 50K) when I traded it to a friend (who still rides it) for a vintage Dura-Ace crankset. There are certainly horror stories of failed carbon forks and resulting injuries, but I wonder to what extent our global connectedness plays into our overall perception. When a fork failed twenty years ago, the twenty people that were in that person's riding circle knew about it...not all of cyberspace. I, for one, had an acquaintance whose steerer tube separated from his fork crown (on a steel fork), mid-race, causing substantial facial and dental injuries. I don't know anyone whose carbon fork has led to similar circumstances. Does this mean that carbon is safer? No...it's just a reminder that we can't rely on anecdotal evidence.
Yes, I agree that at least 80% of riders on carbon should be on a different bike, not necessarily because it's inherently unsafe, but because the design of the bikes is inappropriate. If a carbon bike were designed sensibly, and slightly overbuilt, I might conceptually support it. Likewise, there have been steel bikes that tried to push the technological envelope too far, and have failed unpredictably and spectacularly. The steel bikes that are out there now, are typically quite conservative, and thus quite safe. I get all of the stuff about how different materials fail in different ways, however, my many years as a rider and shop mechanic (former) have led me to believe that theory and reality not the same, regarding frame materials. I think a more accurate generalization might be that well-maintained and regularly inspected bikes are less likely to have "sudden failures" than poorly maintained bikes that are never inspected for potential indicators--regardless of material. The other generalization that I would make is that racing bikes have become unsafe for long-term use by recreational cyclists. Companies seem much more willing to push the weight envelope on their racing frames, and the nature of carbon manufacturing and consumer (wannabe racers) demands, has put these same frames in the hands of everyday riders. I am hesitant, however, too finger a frame material, when it has more to do with design and marketing decisions that have more tightly intertwined professional racing and consumer choice. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en.
