Why do so many aftermarket carbon road fork manufacturers leave market?

[old_fat_and_slow]

Why are there so many carbon road bike manufacturers and so few aftermarket road fork suppliers? Why do all components made from carbon fiber sell so well except for forks? Surely the product liability on forks can't be any worse than wheels or frames?

Why do so many carbon road bike manufacturers throw in the towel? Product liability suits? Look, Easton, Time, AlphaQ/TrueTemper, 3T, Reynolds, Kestrel ...others?
Why did they all offer what appeared to be nice forks, but they all left the market. If carbon frames sell, why don't carbon forks? How long before Enve throws in the towel?

[yinzerniner]

Why are there so many carbon road bike manufacturers and so few aftermarket road fork suppliers? Why do all components made from carbon fiber sell so well except for forks? Surely the product liability on forks can't be any worse than wheels or frames?

Why do so many carbon road bike manufacturers throw in the towel? Product liability suits? Look, Easton, Time, AlphaQ/TrueTemper, 3T, Reynolds...others?
Why did they all offer what appeared to be nice forks, but they all left the market. If carbon frames sell, why don't carbon forks? How long before Enve throws in the towel?

Think you answered your own question. Aftermarket carbon forks for non-carbon frames was a much bigger market than aftermarket forks for carbon frames. With the proliferation of carbon down price brackets it makes sense for the brands to increase production of their own forks to spec on both carbon and non-carbon frames.

[Hindmost]

OEM killed the aftermarket star.

[Mark McM]

I wonder the same thing, and I think the answer is that virtually all bikes (above a certain price point) now come with carbon fiber forks, so the size of the market for aftermarket forks is too small to support many suppliers.

Years ago, most frames were made from steel, aluminum or titanium, and most bikes came with steel or aluminum forks. Many wanted to "upgrade" to a carbon fiber fork, so many aftermarket companies started up to supply them. But once bike manufacturers started producing bikes that already had carbon fiber forks, the demand for aftermarket carbon forks plummeted.

An additional factor related to carbon fiber frames and forks is the adoption of internal headsets, which allowed frames and forks to be designed as matching sets with smooth transitions between frame and fork. On many of these bikes, aftermarket forks won't have the same matching aesthetic.

Aftermarket carbon forks are now primarily the domain of custom/customized bikes, which are a very small portion of the bicycle market.

[martl]

Why are there so many carbon road bike manufacturers and so few aftermarket road fork suppliers? Why do all components made from carbon fiber sell so well except for forks? Surely the product liability on forks can't be any worse than wheels or frames?

Why do so many carbon road bike manufacturers throw in the towel? Product liability suits? Look, Easton, Time, AlphaQ/TrueTemper, 3T, Reynolds, Kestrel ...others?
Why did they all offer what appeared to be nice forks, but they all left the market. If carbon frames sell, why don't carbon forks? How long before Enve throws in the towel?

1) fork making is iffy. In the brazed steel times, there were builders who didn't do forks, but i doubt that is the reason. I think the reason is
2) the era of "some frame" with "another fork" is clearly over, the market is frame + fork, matched in shape and color/design. Not much room for aftermarket here any more

[Jeff N.]

Pretty much all Ti frame builders will use aftermarket carbon forks....and that fork is usually an ENVE of some flavor. I don't see ENVE going belly up anytime soon.

[Pegoready]

It used to be that you can make an 1 1/8" rim brake carbon fork in 3 rakes (43, 45, 50?) and be off to the races, pun intended.

Now with frame/fork 'systems' there is a staggering variation in build height, rake, brake mount, taper, bearing interface, axle standards, etc. I don't see how getting into forks is a wise business decision.

Aftermarket forks are a fringe business because no one will ever install them on newer Giants/Treks/Specialized. They're pretty much going on old frames or custom frames. Enve does a nice job covering the bases though some competition would be nice.

[m_sasso]

Thankfully Columbus still seems to be making a strong go of it http://columbustubi.com/en/carbon-forks-en/ ENVE no thanks, not on my bicycles.

[CSKeller]

Thankfully Columbus still seems to be making a strong go of it http://columbustubi.com/en/carbon-forks-en/ ENVE no thanks, not on my bicycles.

Any reason why you don't like ENVE forks?

I prefer that old Reynolds Ouzo Pro forks...at least that is what I have on my Gangl Titanium and Calfee Tetra Pro. Good fork!! Too bad they aren't made any more.

[Blue Jays]

My preference typically goes to titanium frames so hopefully CF fork makers stick around as long as I am pedaling. ;-)

[old_fat_and_slow]

Thankfully Columbus still seems to be making a strong go of it http://columbustubi.com/en/carbon-forks-en/ ENVE no thanks, not on my bicycles.

Actually, if you do a Google search Columbus forks are becoming hard to find in the western hemisphere. I don't know if COVID has affected the supply chain, or if Columbus is throwing in the towel too.

Seems like Whiskey is becoming a major player.

[yinzerniner]

Actually, if you do a Google search Columbus forks are becoming hard to find in the western hemisphere. I don't know if COVID has affected the supply chain, or if Columbus is throwing in the towel too.

Seems like Whiskey is becoming a major player.

Mostly it’s because their main supplier, Henry James, closed last year.

Shame as they are great forks, and starting to get specd more as OEM equipment on different small manufacturer bikes.

[merckx]

Titanium frames with steel forks are the perfect union.

[Butch]

Having been part of the team that sourced forks for Moots I agree that the wide variation of "standards" between fork lengths, offsets, tapers and brake mounts makes it difficult to get enough volume from the overseas factories to make it work. Also managing the quality of the product, having reliable lead times/deliveries and pricing that works are other hurdles.

I will say that Whisky has upped their game for those looking at forks. Yes ENVE has been the go to for small builders and have, overall, done a great job supplying them. In the last year Ben @ Whisky has definitely moved their product in a very good direction. I was part of helping REEB with a redesign of their 2 gravel/adventure bikes and we launched the new gravel/adventure fork and rims from Whisky at The Mid South gravel race this past spring/late winter and the quality of both was very good.

[DaveInATX]

Titanium frames with steel forks are the perfect union.

Perhaps this is a silly question, but why aren’t forks made from titanium? Too flexy? I have seen a few gravel forks (bearclaw and Jones), but nothing for the road.

[Polyglot]

Perhaps this is a silly question, but why aren’t forks made from titanium? Too flexy? I have seen a few gravel forks (bearclaw and Jones), but nothing for the road.

Titanium are not as stiff as carbon of the same weight and present many more manufacturing difficulties. I used to have a Passoni with titanium forks and they rode well but most definitely nothing that you couldn't find elsewhere for a fraction of the cost.

[Mark McM]

Perhaps this is a silly question, but why aren’t forks made from titanium? Too flexy? I have seen a few gravel forks (bearclaw and Jones), but nothing for the road.

The strength of stiffness of titanium alone is not the reason that titanium is not often used for a fork. Titanium has the same specific density (modulus per unit weight) as steel and aluminum, and also has as good or better specific strength, so if steel and aluminum can work for forks, then titanium in (material adjusted thicknesses and tapering) should also work for fork, with similar strength and stiffness.

The problem is, titanium is much harder to shape than steel and aluminum. To make a good steel or aluminum fork, the blades and crown are highly worked, to produce butted, tapered and ovalized blades, with a crown that is typically either cast or unicrown (although there are other crown types). These types of operations are more difficult and more expensive to do with titanium. Consequently, a titanium fork with similar characteristics would either be much more expensive, or not as highly refined (or both), compared to a steel or aluminum fork.

[unterhausen]

You meant specific modulus.

I think that puts it in perspective, a ti fork is going to weigh about the same as a steel fork, it's going to be far more expensive, and it will look funny. But there are people making them.

[zzy]

Having been part of the team that sourced forks for Moots I agree that the wide variation of "standards" between fork lengths, offsets, tapers and brake mounts makes it difficult to get enough volume from the overseas factories to make it work. Also managing the quality of the product, having reliable lead times/deliveries and pricing that works are other hurdles.

I'd love to hear more about this. Moots did a great job with the RSL fork, which was basically an evolved Alpha Q GS40.

[Butch]

Ti forks are tough for all the reasons mentioned above and with getting a tapered steer tube that doesn't cost a ton of money. They need to be built oversized relative to steel, aluminum and carbon or with a truss system to be stiff enough. The materials are expensive and they are very hard to align if they don't come out straight.

The forks I was most involved with at Moots were the flat mount thru axle forks for road and gravel. I was working part time when the Q40 and Q 10 clones were done. When I was managing production before that we really liked and used the forks from Q. He was tough to do business with but we liked his product a lot and when True Temper bought them it made it easier, until they stopped.

That is when Brad worked on a design based on the 2 forks I mentioned. The president of Moots at the time found Rob Gitelis (now of Factor) as the source in Taiwan. Rob was the go to guy for carbon bike parts and frames for many companies in the early 2000's. Road forks with straight steerers and aluminum dropouts were relatively easy to hit what is a fairly wide tolerance in the specs.

When we did the tapered forks that added an element of challenge and when we did thru axle flat mount that added a much bigger challenge as the tolerances are very tight on the brake mounts as well as the diameter, alignment and threads on the dropouts leaving very little room for error. It took us a long long time to get the prototypes and rideable samples correct. They were always strong enough, which was important as we saw some disc road forks fail and get recalled from other manufacturers. Then it took a long time to get them through production. Often what we had were flaws in the finish and with the standards we had established as a brand we needed to be fussy. In the end, and to this day, every fork with a flat mount gets the interface with the caliper faced at the Moots factory to assure a proper brake set up.

[Rudy]

Titanium frames with steel forks are the perfect union.

Ugo said it, I believe it, and that settles it.

[DHallerman]

Interesting that no one yet has mentioned Wound Up, who are still making several varieties of aftermarket carbon forks. Also surprising, since we had a thread here last month about their half-off sale.

Good to also read in that thread how the reason for the sale was Utah state government financial support, otherwise this thread might make me worry about their continued success.

Dave, who has loved the way the Wound Up fork matched up with the Ibis Sonoma Ti bike he bought from the company in 1999 and still loves the match of ti frame and Wound Up fork

[SlowPokePete]

James at BlackSheep made my ti fork.

It has a tapered ti steerer made by Paragon.

Looks and rides awesome, kind of not sure why you all are down on ti for a fork, especially for a ti bike.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49145678726_1e31673e46_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2hSQs5o)November 29, 2019 (https://flic.kr/p/2hSQs5o) by SPP™ SlowPokePete (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156678813@N02/), on Flickr

SPP

[Butch]

Not down on them, just hard to make and expensive. The steer tube from PMW lists for $350, front thru axle dropouts $80, brake mount just depends. Steve Potts makes some nice forks as well. Again flat mount adds to the challenge. For a small custom builder it can work if they are set up and can charge enough.

Carbon forks from Asia land in a different price category as well as profitability segment. I can only speak from my experience, but because Moots sells through top tier dealers a margin has to be made selling wholesale at a competitive price to allow the dealer to make their full margin. That would price a Ti fork very high while keeping the carbon competitive with other carbon forks.

I made and rode the ti fork on the trail maintenance bike we made for NAHBS Denver several years ago and it rides and works great. It also weighed as much as a Fox suspension.

[DaveInATX]

James at BlackSheep made my ti fork.

It has a tapered ti steerer made by Paragon.

Looks and rides awesome, kind of not sure why you all are down on ti for a fork, especially for a ti bike.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49145678726_1e31673e46_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2hSQs5o)November 29, 2019 (https://flic.kr/p/2hSQs5o) by SPP™ SlowPokePete (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156678813@N02/), on Flickr

SPP

That rack is beautiful! Are this cage mounts on the back of the fork? From the angle in the photo it looks like they would be close to the wheel.

[Pegoready]

Interesting that no one yet has mentioned Wound Up...

Wound Up makes a great product, but they're waaaay off the back on weight, aesthetics, tire clearance, and they just started to release tapered, Flat Mount, TA forks in certain models. It's unclear if TA/Flat Mount is even a real product yet or just a NAHBS teaser.

[SlowPokePete]

That rack is beautiful! Are this cage mounts on the back of the fork? From the angle in the photo it looks like they would be close to the wheel.

Good with 650b, nope with 700...

SPP