Carbon Fibre Frames

metaldude72
metaldude72 Posts: 57
edited September 2010 in MTB buying advice
I have been offered a carbon fibre mtb (a giant xtc advanced) for a real good price. My problem is that I have never had a cf frame before and wondered how people have found them ? The ride was real smooth from the demo and it fitted and felt real sweet, and with all the right spec that i was after.
My real question is do people worry about the frame breaking or the damge that can be sustained from a minor accident on the trails or the road?
I found it real strange tapping the frame and not getting the ring from an aluninium from and slap sound from the CF. I'm sure it is all in the mind with me, but just wanted to ask other peoples opnions to help put my mind at rest.

Comments

  • njee20
    njee20 Posts: 9,613
    It's stronger than alu, an impact that writes off a carbon frame will also destroy an aluminium one. They make planes and F1 cars out of it.

    I recently sold a 9 year old Trek carbon hardtail frame, which is still going strong, and had a 1994 carbon road bike which still hasn't broken. You'll be fine.
  • Pudseyp
    Pudseyp Posts: 3,514
    I have the Alliance and it is fab, Giant have been making carbon road and MTB frames for years and I have not heard any real horror stories....Alloy has it's problems with stress fractures and frames snaping at weld points..something you don't get with carbon...

    The frames get their strength with many layers of carbon fibre which are crossed, as the fibre lines are not running the same way that's where the strength comes from....alloy is basically rolled so you can get inclusions in the grain flow and causes issues at bends and welds...

    Both have there problems....but would recomend a carbon frame..
    Tomac Synper 140 Giant XTC Alliance 1
    If the world was flat, I wouldn't be riding !
  • metaldude72
    metaldude72 Posts: 57
    edited September 2010
    Thanks for the replies. I have also been offered a great deal on a Scott Scale 35, but cannot stand the sram kit. Its a 2011 model and the LBS said they will knock £285 off it as a long time customer. Was a real dream to ride. Instant acceleration and the carbon felt real strong and solid.
  • njee20
    njee20 Posts: 9,613
    If you really hate the SRAM stuff you only need a new rear mech and shifters, shouldn't be a deal breaker.
  • MountainMonster
    MountainMonster Posts: 7,423
    metaldude72 wrote:
    Thanks for the replies. I have also been offered a great deal on a Scott Scale 35, but cannot stand the sram kit. Its a 2011 model and the LBS said they will knock £285 off it as a long time customer. Was a real dream to ride. Instant acceleration and the carbon felt real strong and solid.

    With the 285 that's getting discounted you can buy a near shimano derailleur and shifters and you'r good to go with the spec you want.
    My London Road
  • metaldude72
    metaldude72 Posts: 57
    Thanks Ngee20. Never thought of that. My wife prefers Sram kit so could let her have it.
  • metaldude72
    metaldude72 Posts: 57
    Pudseyp, what year is your Alliance?
  • cavegiant
    cavegiant Posts: 1,546
    As long as the carbon is used to make it strong and not light you should be fine.

    I nose dived my bike 10 feet onto my carbon forks last week, not even a twitch. That switched me to liking carbon
    Why would I care about 150g of bike weight, I just ate 400g of cookies while reading this?
  • neninja
    neninja Posts: 424
    I had a Giant XTC composite - very strong frames indeed.

    I would have no qualms about buying a carbon frame with a decent brand at all.
  • floodthecities
    floodthecities Posts: 31
    How about a 2010 scale 30 or 35 on sale? No SRAM there.
  • metaldude72
    metaldude72 Posts: 57
    The Scale 35 has sram X9 and the Scale 30 has a RS SID race fork which someone told me I wa too heavy for, as the weight limit was 85kg and I am a 97kg rugby player and boxer build.
  • trebor127
    trebor127 Posts: 246
    floodthecities wrote:
    How about a 2010 scale 30 or 35 on sale? No SRAM there.

    They have sram x9 rear and shifters
  • floodthecities
    floodthecities Posts: 31
    Good point about the forks! :)

    Didn't realise the 35 2010 was that spec, but the 30 2010 has an XT rear mech and SLX shifters. Only the cassette is SRAM :)
  • Pudseyp
    Pudseyp Posts: 3,514
    metaldude72 wrote:
    Pudseyp, what year is your Alliance?

    2009 from Paul's Cycles paid a grand (well around £680 as I used cycle scheme....pics in your MTB section)
    Tomac Synper 140 Giant XTC Alliance 1
    If the world was flat, I wouldn't be riding !
  • Bar Shaker
    Bar Shaker Posts: 2,313
    The best thing about carbon HT bikes is the way it absorbs the high frequency vibration from the rear wheel. This vibration absorption makes a big difference to reducing muscle fatigue.

    I expect we will some a few more manufacturers bringing out carbon frames in 2011. The explosion of quality affordable frame in cycling won't be limited to road bikes for long. The far east factories are producing excellent quality monococques for a few hundred pounds a frame.

    A mtb frame will weigh and cost a bit more than an anorexic roady, but carbon is the frame material of the future.
    Boardman Elite SLR 9.2S
    Boardman FS Pro
  • Eskimo427
    Eskimo427 Posts: 288
    I have a Spark 20 which I've hit with a hammer (accident) fallen off numerous times and even done some large jumps on and it's fine.

    Get the bike, I'll be very surprised if you regret it.
  • njee20
    njee20 Posts: 9,613
    As long as the carbon is used to make it strong and not light you should be fine.

    Huh? So carbon frames designed to be light fall apart? A light carbon frame will be a hell of a lot tougher than a light alu frame.
    RS SID race fork which someone told me I wa too heavy for, as the weight limit was 85kg

    No it's not, for a start, the air pressure chart on the back of the leg goes up to ">90kg", I know a 120kg chap riding a set, they're not gonna be the stiffest, but they'll be fine.

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