Is it only me, or do Carbon bikes make others nervous!
I realize that carbon fibre is strong, but for some reason, having a bike that isn't made out of metal seems like asking for trouble.
My main reason for not liking it is the failure mode. Carbon won't bend like metal, but rather crack and snap in half. This makes me nervous.
Think of it this way. Over time a frame develops weaknesses. In a metal frame, these weaknesses would cause things to start bending. The bending would be noticeable and I would replace the part before it caused and accident.
However carbon doesn't bend, and it will eventually just break. This would most likely cause an accident. I don't want my front fork to just snap as I'm riding down the road.
Is my concern warranted, or am I just unfamiliar with the technology? How often should carbon parts be replaced? What signs of wear should I look for?