Have Chinese Carbon Forks Improved/Flat mount gravel forks

I am after some carbon gravel/CX forks for a frame with a tapered headtube and a 700x40c tyre with full guards. Ideally with guard mounts and flat mount.

There’s a bit of a void between the Chinese carbon stuff and stuff that costs as much as a decent suspension fork (>£200) with flat mounts. Can anyone recommend anything?

The Chinese carbon stuff is pretty new to me – I’ve googled a lot and found a few horror stories, but after about 2015 they all seem to dry up fork-wise. I’ve read on a thread on here that Miracle are a relatively respected brand as far as Chinese carbon goes – would anyone risk these?

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32972559201.html?storeId=114868&spm=2114.12010612.8148356.8.5ce17948YVTDjn

Not bothered if the axle is QR, 12 or 15mm.

Is the lack of responses because everyone who has bought a chinese carbon fork has been killed? 😉

They’ll probably be ok. But if you buy from a reputable brand you’re likely to hear of any recall, not sure if direct sellers work in the same way.

Personally I wouldn’t. Not for the sake of saving £120.

ICAN have a good rep, good customer service and I haven’t been killed to death yet.

Just a couple of cycling related things I’m not comfortable with – one is carbon bars and the other is carbon forks with a carbon steerer. They just make me nervous regardless of who makes them!

I bought some no-brand carbon forks for my Pact MTB (Boost/Rigid). They’ve been just fine. That’s probably getting more harsh treatment than you’ll be meeting out on your gravel/cx bike.

Shand use the (identical looking) model on one of their bikes.

But here’s the thing – if you are at all concerned about them then it’ll always be at the back of your mind and might spoil your enjoyment or curtail what you’re prepared to ride, whether or not that concern is justified (see the post above mine)

I’ve had carbon steerer forks before (Rockshox Reba World Cups) and I gave them some decent abuse, so it’s not that that I’m concerned about.

Miracle and Ican are the same company so I am tempted to take a punt on them.

I have been using a set of Ican full carbon forks (and frame) for over four years with no issues. Due to a recent new purchase the bike is now my winter bike, but over the years it has stood up to regular use with no problems. Mainly road, but also a bit of light off road use too.

They will be fine.

Right up until the point they aren’t.

It would do my head in not being able to really trust them. I had this dilemma last year and ended up buying the Arkose ones instead. Might be made in the same factory, but it gives me a little bit more mental confort,

Have you looked on planet x website for some carbon gravel forks or exotic ?

Blackflag

Member

It would do my head in not being able to really trust them.

Aye, this- I had a set of Hylixes which were always fine, but just knowing how light they were always nagged away, I ended up replacing them with Exotics which for whatever nonsense reason I just trusted more.

The only bike parts I’ve had break on me when JRA were carbon bars and a carbon seatpost. The bars were my fault as I’d over-tightened the brake lever clamp without realising (until they snapped at the lever mount). The seatpost snapped in two with no warning as a sat down after a short climb. Neither fault would have occurred with metal components. Both were decent brands (Answer and FSA). I don’t have carbon on any MTB now and certainly wouldn’t entertain an unbranded safety critical item like a fork from an unknown source.

The only bike parts I’ve had break on me when JRA were carbon bars and a carbon seatpost. The bars were my fault as I’d over-tightened the brake lever clamp without realising (until they snapped at the lever mount). The seatpost snapped in two with no warning as a sat down after a short climb. Neither fault would have occurred with metal components. Both were decent brands (Answer and FSA). I don’t have carbon on any MTB now and certainly wouldn’t entertain an unbranded safety critical item like a fork from an unknown source.

Conversely, the only items I’ve had break JRA have been metallic. Including bars, stem bolts, frames (luckily when it’s been front triangle I’ve noticed before the crack’s gone all the way around), axles, spokes.

You do need to take care to work within the limits of composite components, but anecdotes of over tightened components failing shows a limitation of the material that you need to take care around rather than an accident waiting to happen.

(I would of course want any carbon to meet appropriate standards though – not sure how you get past this with Chinese carbon)

The seatpost snapped in two with no warning as a sat down after a short climb. Neither fault would have occurred with metal components.

I’ve had an aluminium seatpost snap and I’ve seen others.