Carbon frames in rain

gundersen
gundersen Posts: 586
edited March 2009 in Workshop
I have noticed that the pro's always ride alu bikes when it rains.
As I am contemplating buying a carbon bike I was wondering how much ( if any ) rain they can with stand. A half hour or maybe less??

Comments

  • crankycrank
    crankycrank Posts: 1,830
    Huh??? Where did you get this information. I'm not aware of any pro's switching out carbon due to fear of damage from the wet. CF can be stored in your swimming pool between rides with no ill effect, the metal parts may suffer though. The mountain bike crowd would have a good laugh at this as they are often riding through streams and mud. Boats can be made of CF too. Buy whatever CF bike you like and enjoy it in any weather with no worries. :wink:
  • Mister W
    Mister W Posts: 791
    You're absolutely right. Carbon bikes dissolve in water so it's very important not to allow them to get too wet. I suggest no more than 10 minutes at a time..............................




    :wink:
  • fast as fupp
    fast as fupp Posts: 2,277
    sunlight can damage carbon frames as well, so youll need to coat your frame with factor 20 suncream if you go out on a sunny day
    'dont forget lads, one evertonian is worth twenty kopites'
  • gundersen
    gundersen Posts: 586
    I have also read that carbon frames can crack in sub zero temperatures because the water lying between the layers of carbon freezes.
    Is that also true?
  • davewalsh
    davewalsh Posts: 587
    Yes, that's why aeroplanes with carbon fibre wings disintegrate mid-flight on a regular basis !
    Blue Pig
    Inbred
  • softlad
    softlad Posts: 3,513
    yes - I have also heard that you should never turn your back on a carbon bike, in case it attacks you...
  • Monty Dog
    Monty Dog Posts: 20,614
    When riding in the rain, you really need the support of your Service Course, following team car with at least 6 spare bikes that you can change every 20 minutes or so, particularly as carbon has a propensity to go 'soft' in the rain as the water affects the polymers in the resin at a molecular level.
    Make mine an Italian, with Campagnolo on the side..
  • chuckcork
    chuckcork Posts: 1,471
    davewalsh wrote:
    Yes, that's why aeroplanes with carbon fibre wings disintegrate mid-flight on a regular basis !

    Seriously, there are reported problems with leaking hydraulic fluid and aircraft parts made out of non-traditional composite materials, causes them to delaminate or something and can't be tested for on the ground all that well.

    Scared yet?
    'Twas Mulga Bill, from Eaglehawk, that caught the cycling craze....
  • Smokin Joe
    Smokin Joe Posts: 2,706
    It's not only carbon fibre you need to worry about.

    A bloke down the pub told me that steel can suffer from a condition called "Rust" which is caused if the paint chips and the metal underneath gets wet, causing the frame to gradually decompose. And aluminium will simply give way underneath you after 4 years and 3 months of use.

    Nope, when it comes to bikes the safest bet is just to look at the pictures in the magazines and spend your time talking boll0cks on internet cycling forums. They are far too dangerous to actually ride yourself.
  • singlespeedexplosif
    singlespeedexplosif Posts: 1,564
    causes them to delaminate or something
    genius.
  • GavH
    GavH Posts: 933
    That's it, my new CF frame is going back in its box and never coming out ever, ever again. Not since I was told by my mate Dave that fresh air has a tendancy to corrode CF.
  • Frank the tank
    Frank the tank Posts: 6,553
    I'm glad I've "part chopped" my carbon bike now.

    I've got one made of FAIRY DUST. :lol:

    To be on the safe side I've ditched the carbon wheels as well. I've had a local wheel-wright make me some wooden ones. I just hope they don't warp in the wet, best keep 'em for dry days. What do you lot reckon. :wink:
    Tail end Charlie

    The above post may contain traces of sarcasm or/and bullsh*t.
  • balthazar
    balthazar Posts: 1,565
    Frank the tank wrote:
    I've had a local wheel-wright make me some wooden ones. I just hope they don't warp in the wet, best keep 'em for dry days. What do you lot reckon. :wink:

    Is your local bloke Ghisallo?

    http://www.cerchiinlegnoghisallo.com/pa ... ttieng.php
  • markos1963
    markos1963 Posts: 3,724
    Blimey, I've been cleaning my CF bike with a damp cloth for a year now. I'm glad Orbea gave me a lifetimes warrenty, I'll give them a call and ask why they didn't warn me of this problem.
    Norfolk, who nicked all the hills?

    http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3013/243 ... 8d.jpg?v=0
    http://img362.imageshack.us/my.php?imag ... 076tl5.jpg
    http://img216.imageshack.us/img216/3407 ... e001af.jpg
  • sicrow
    sicrow Posts: 791
    I take my CF bike to bed with me to keep it warm and cosy at night, I was told as it's afraid of the dark then it might fall apart and I wouldn't want thant
    http://www.action.org.uk/sponsor/simoncrowther
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,666
    On a serious note, how the hell did you manage to 'notice' that pros switch to aluminium bikes?

    1 - They would look the same
    2 - They don't do it.

    I'll have it that they may switch to aluminium rims in the rain though....
  • ademort
    ademort Posts: 1,924
    gundersen wrote:
    I have noticed that the pro's always ride alu bikes when it rains.
    As I am contemplating buying a carbon bike I was wondering how much ( if any ) rain they can with stand. A half hour or maybe less??
    You are right, scientific tests carried out at the university of never never land have concluded that bikes will indeed fall to pieces after 27 Minutes and 25 seconds, but keep this a secret. We dont want everybody to know, or the sales of carbon framed bikes will be hit. :wink::wink::wink: Ademort
    P.S. Was this post not scheduled for 1st April.
    ademort
    Chinarello, record and Mavic Cosmic Sl
    Gazelle Vuelta , veloce
    Giant Defy 4
    Mirage Columbus SL
    Batavus Ventura
  • giant_man
    giant_man Posts: 6,878
    Carbon frames shrink in the rain, I thought everyone knew that! :roll:
  • proto
    proto Posts: 1,483
    If it's raining next time I'm Heathrow there's no way I'm getting in a Boeing 777 or any Airbus. It'll be carnage.
  • Bhima
    Bhima Posts: 2,145
    Some kid approached me the other day and said "Yeah - are those dem carbon fibre tyres? Well fast, they are, got em on me mountain bike, innit." :roll: :lol:
  • V-twin
    V-twin Posts: 49
    I'm not at all surprised by the stuff above. I alternate the direction of my standard loop ride each time I go out. CF is particularly prone to imbalances in the magnetism it acquires from the earth's magnetic field. Just so glad it was mentioned in the warranty.

    There's prolly a lot of bikes out of warranty as a result of not 'reversing' every ride you've ever done....
    mox senex dormit
  • majormantra
    majormantra Posts: 2,094
    V-twin wrote:
    I'm not at all surprised by the stuff above. I alternate the direction of my standard loop ride each time I go out. CF is particularly prone to imbalances in the magnetism it acquires from the earth's magnetic field. Just so glad it was mentioned in the warranty.

    There's prolly a lot of bikes out of warranty as a result of not 'reversing' every ride you've ever done....

    I think we have a winner, ladies and gentleman! :D

    Matthew
  • simon johnson
    simon johnson Posts: 1,064
    Yep, I'm just going to pick my CF frame up from the dry cleaners :)
    Where\'s me jumper?
  • cullen_bay
    cullen_bay Posts: 256
    how do you think poor gundersen is feeling right now? probably away sprinkling hundreds-of-thousands on his bikes of something...
  • Ash_
    Ash_ Posts: 385
    We all know that carbon fibre is the most fragile material known to man, that the slightest knock, even when causing no apparent surface damage, can lead to catastrophic failure later on.

    For this reason, you should never buy carbon fibre frames or components mail order, as a tap by a clumsy postman could render them useless. Actually, the same can be said of buying from shops, as the stuff has to be delivered there too. No, if you want any carbon fibre bits and pieces, you need to make a pilgrimage to their place of manufacture and buy them direct, just to be on the safe side.



    Flights to Taiwain with EVA airlines start from 503GBP. You just better hope the plane doesn't have carbon fibre wings...
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,666
    I got the remains of my CF bike back the other day after I crashed it at 40 mph breakng my leg in 3 places (true!)

    The frame was fine following the impact but when I shed a tear at the sight of my impossibly bendy leg, the tear landed on the bottom bracket area.

    Ladies and Gentlemen, have you seen the film Aliens when the troopers get copiuos amounts of Alien blood splashed on them? If so, you now have a small idea of what I saw happen to my frame from that single tear.
  • tmg
    tmg Posts: 651
    I went out on my 58 carbon frame and it rained, when I got home I measured it and it was a 54, back to steel for me
  • GavH
    GavH Posts: 933
    I've just found out that all of these symptoms are only ever prevalent in a CF frame bought from a LBS or other reputable online dealer. Halfords frames do not have any such problems. Ever.

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