Carbon fibre frames

deadpool2e

I maybe getting a carbon fibre frame on my next bike and want to know if anyone has had problems with the frames cracking or getting scratched.

The things that come to mind is that would I be better if with a aluminium bike or are carbon fibre bikes stronger.

And what more care do I need to take?

Which stands up to the most abuse??

ashleymp777

Well I've had mine for over a year now - I ride it 2-3 times a week off-road as well as numerous trips to Wales and abroad and the frame has been absolutely fantastic throughout!

I'm not scientificly minded enough to know about what is strong, but going on performace as compared to the 000's of other bikes i've riden over the years this is certainly the best frame I've had.

cjw

Before I got mine (in sig) I did a lot of research and couldn't find anything that put me off the carbon bike. You find the odd post saying something like " I don't trust carbon" but usually (always) without any basis. Try lookng for reviews, search on google etc etc as you need to convince yourself. If youre going for carbon chances are you're going to be spending £,000s so need to be comfortable yourself.

I love mine... but I would say that wouldn't I

No extra care needed just don;t overtighten bolts as it could cause failure points by cracking the fibre - this more for the seatpost and bar.

cjw

And another thought....

Just over 20 years ago I competed at field archery at international level. Carbon bow limbs started to come in and they quite frequesntly used to shatter (quite dramitically)! Within a couple of years the companies making them - Hoyt and Yamaha mainly - learnt how to use the black stuff properly and now they are the norm. If engineered properly carbon is fantastic... if made poorly it's a disaster! I expect most of the frames you would be llooking at will have one through this learning curve and have manufactured carbon frames for many many years.... they will have learnt

PS... another point I made in a similar thread is that the new Boeing Dreamliner 777 is 50% carbon fiber including the wings and fusilage!

djdime

i pick up my first carbon bike tomorrow but i put all my faith in it!!

cjw

djdime wrote:

i pick up my first carbon bike tomorrow but i put all my faith in it!!

Excellent, you'll have fun :P What is it? We need picy's of course

djdime

cjw wrote:

djdime wrote:

i pick up my first carbon bike tomorrow but i put all my faith in it!!

Excellent, you'll have fun :P What is it? We need picy's of course

im joining the fold mate

Scott Genius MC20 2008

Managed to blag a set of the eastonlite cnt carbon risers and a thomson stem too

pittpony

I was concerned about damaging my carbon frame when i took it out for the first few times. Carbon is light and extermely strong in certain directions. The 'problem' you find is that when stress is applied in different directions carbon can break more easily. For example a carbon fishing rod can be bent double under large forces with no problems at all, but can be crushed very easily if you stand on it. Having said that i reckon you'd need to give a carbon bike some real stick as there are a lot out there now and you don't hear about too many breaking. Just don't stamp on it :shock:

I can recommend my bike (Giant XTC Composite 3), but then i would do as everyone loves their own bikes! You can pick up the 2007 models for pretty reasonable prices now too. Wish i'd waited a couple of months to get mine

benneally

My mate fears he has recently cracked his carbon fibre frame recently in a crash. He says its a fine crack, if that, but i havent seen it yet. I wouldnt buy one, personaly I would go for a titanium frame amlost exactly the same weight to strength ratio, but gives u a nicer ride without the 'dullness' that a CF frame gives. Also it will never rust, and theres far less worries bout durability.

LaurenceGough

Carbon F is a lot lighter.

deadpool2e

Is there any extra care needed with these bikes e.g Not to use muck offf or stuff like that..........

cjw

benneally wrote:

My mate fears he has recently cracked his carbon fibre frame recently in a crash. He says its a fine crack, if that, but i havent seen it yet. I wouldnt buy one, personaly I would go for a titanium frame amlost exactly the same weight to strength ratio, but gives u a nicer ride without the 'dullness' that a CF frame gives. Also it will never rust, and theres far less worries bout durability.

Ouch! Any more details? What bike? How old? How bad crash? Is he OK?

cjw

deadpool2e wrote:

Is there any extra care needed with these bikes e.g Not to use muck offf or stuff like that..........

Muc Off's fine, and the bike spray. There are FAQs on the Muc-off site that say it's fine. http://www.muc-off.com/faq/bicycle.html

benneally

he has a scott scale 30 06, so just over a year old really. He was ok from that fall, bit of cramp, but he fell off agen like a week later and got friction burns all down one side of his body :S ouch

LaurenceGough

deadpool2e wrote:

Is there any extra care needed with these bikes e.g Not to use muck offf or stuff like that..........

Yes from what I've read you have to be careful with some greases and glue (if you glue anything on etc.).

Muc off will be 100% fine.

cjw

benneally wrote:

he has a scott scale 30 06, so just over a year old really. He was ok from that fall, bit of cramp, but he fell off agen like a week later and got friction burns all down one side of his body :S ouch

The frame should still be under warantee.

ashleymp777

Mine has a lifetime guarantee so I could careless if it broke!

cjw

ashleymp777 wrote:

Mine has a lifetime guarantee so I could careless if it broke!

Nice looking bike

paulf2007

never use grease on the seatpost of a carbon frame

djdime

why is that? its just they had greased my seatpost when i bought the bike. should i wipe it clean?

nicklouse

it depends on who you talk to. rear the info on carbon and grease in the FAQ's

and then make a choice.

djdime

this forum is hard to navigate - do you have a link?

nicklouse

http://www.bikeradar.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=20020

djdime

thanks very much

djdime

worms - can of

hmmm - well my NON carbon seatpost came lubed from the shop but its in a carbon frame - so when a bike is sent from a manufacturer ( scott ) to the shop, do they lube the seatpost? of does the seatpost etc come dissasembled meaning the shop has lubed it????

really quite worried now!!!

cjw

Hmmmm.... No grease on mine, but it is carbon to carbon. Arrived with no grease and stayed that way. No problems so far with the post sticking.

nicklouse

all i can say is talk to the shop.

as far as i am conserned ity does not matter if it is greased of not.

i used to use carbon parts in car engines and they did not fail due to being covered in oil.

djdime

what do you suggest cjw?

should i just take a cloth to it tonight and do my best to remove what grease is left in the frame itself?

nicklouse

i should add that i did grease my alloy seat post in my Scott carbon Seat tower. Using a "White" grease.

djdime

thanks nicklouse

cjw

I would speak to the shop, but I don't think it would hurt to take the grease off either, however, there may be a good reason they've used it.... sorry can't really say :?