Carbon Forks, 'no-brand name brand'?

[royAB]

Q. Does anyone have experience of the 'shipped from Hong Kong' variety on eBlag and care to share?

Price-wise they're quite tempting for the spec & look good too (eg 'Supernova' 29")and everything else I've ever sourced that way (lights, multimeters, cameras) has been fine, but a voice in the back of my brain says that's OK for electronics but for something you'll be trusting life & limb to, better to go for a 'brand' (even though t'hat's probably made in the far east anyway!).

Also carbon forks for bikepacking in general?

Thoughts much appreciated..

[Dan_K]

I don't think there's much to worry about these days. As long as you pick a decent retailer. Most of the branded stuff is made in the Chinese factories now.
I've got a planet x Nanolight road bike which is a Chinese made carbon bike and it is a thing of beauty! Try retailers like planet x, carbonzone, ali baba etc.
There's a massive thread about it on the bike radar forum describing people's experiences.

[Bearbonesnorm]

I've been looking at the (I think) Hylix 29er forks on ebay ... I can't see any difference between them and offerings from X-lite, Ragley, On One, etc. They just happen to be less than half price.

I've not suffered any trouble using carbon forks and I don't tend to 'shy away' from stuff when riding them. I do oddly have a distrust of carbon steerers but there's no logical reason why I should

[pedalhead]

I continue to be utterly amazed at how much abuse rigid carbon forks can take. I've given my Niners an absolute spanking on loose, bouncy rocky descents on a loaded bike with my terrible line choices & they are still firmly in one piece. I can't quite get my head around the physics of something that can visibly flex on rough stuff like they do, and yet remain un-snapped even though they have a carbon steerer and weigh bugger all.

[Ray Young]

'shipped from Hong Kong'

I might just be a pessimist but personally I wouldn't touch non branded carbon. As has been pointed out a lot of carbon is laid up in China etc for British, American companies and if you buy this stuff then it will have been designed properly,passed quality control, passed safety tests etc and you will have redress if it is sub standard or breaks.
If you buy direct then you have no idea as to where it has come from, how it was designed, if it is fit for purpose. Can you imagine tyring to get your money back from a company who probably has very poor English and is half way round the world. And there are con men everywhere.
I am all for saving money as I have very little disposable income myself, my bike and kit is always a compromise between cost,weight and durability and I have looked at stuff from China/Hong Kong but can never convince myself to buy it because if it turns out to be rubbish then I would just have to buy again from someone I can trust.
Sorry for being such a downer, yours in pessimism, Ray.