My latest bike build, based around a Bombtrack Hook EXT, permitted me to use fork mounted cages for the first time. I liked the idea of keeping weight lower down than a bar roll, so purchased a couple of Salsa Cycle’s Anything Cage HD with matching Anything Bags. I used this set-up ‘in anger’ for the first time riding the Dales Divide, using one rack for my bivvy tent, and the other for a few spares plus food and arm/leg warmers. They have been used for ~900km of riding, they fulfilled their primary function, however …

On removing the cages I am furious to find the damage that they have done to the forks as shown in the images below.

The stand-offs either side of each bolt hole together with the additional one towards the top of the cage as shown in this final image, have each gouged a channel into the legs of the forks.

The cages were fitted as per Salsa’s instructions, torqued to 1.5Nm, and carrying less than half of the stated weight limit for them. There is no mention in the instructions of any need to take care when using carbon forks, nor any preclusion from using them on such forks.

With hindsight, I cannot understand how clamping a hard but flexible plastic cage where some movement is inevitable against a relatively soft surface cannot result in damage to that surface.

I have contacted Salsa Cycles, together with Salsa’s UK distributor, Lyon Equipment (coincidently also the distributor for Bombtrack), for comment and to ask what, if anything, they can do to rectify the damage done by their product, but in the meantime be wary of using Salsa Cycles Anything Cage HD with carbon forks.

If you’ve questions or have experienced the same issue then please get in touch via pete@hypertelia.com or @peteaylward on Twitter.