Carbon-Fiber Fork Failure

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Bontrager carbon-fiber fork failure. From http://cozybeehive.blogspot.com/2008/12/bontrager-carbon-fiber-fork-failure.html as of 2010/03.

Rider says:

I had an accident in May where the actual blades suddenly failed. It was a Bontrager carbon fiber fork. The bike was a friend's, and had been ridden quite a bit. It failed right as I got up to sprint.

Rider had an elbow injury and other abrasions.

The service history of the forks is unknown.

Carbon fiber composites have several differences compared to steel and other metals commonly used for forks. One difference is carbon fiber composites tend to have much higher strength-to-weight ratios. Another is there is a small difference in energy from start of failure to separation, compared to most metals. Thus, when a carbon fiber fork fails, it tends to snap; in contrast, metal forks are more likely to bend.