on-one 456 carbon frame durability?

mfereborn

I'm looking to go back to a hardtail for a while as i fancy trying to improve my skill level which i feel a full susser doesnt do so easily, for this reason im looking at getting a 456 carbon but im worried how durable it would be ina truely all mountain type of riding style?

I'm looking to run it with 120 f-series up front but im still worried it'll snap, perhaps because i havent ridden a carbon frame before!

How do they rate?

ride_whenever

They're pretty tough. Can't find any reports of a broken one.

Personally I run mine with 150/120mm DPA rockshox forks, but it isn't nearly as good at 120mm as 150. Personally I'd be looking for a 140mm fork to put on the front of it.

cooldad

Tough enough.

Anonymous

They're tough and go through a lot of stress and impact tests, and yeah never heard of one broken. 456 is in the tough trail / AM bracket, carbon or otherwise, hence taking long travel and (in the case of carbon) can take tapered forks.

Initially you feel carbon must be fragile because it's light and sounds like plastic when you tap it, but remember, F1 cockpits are made of the stuff and generally save lives.

Northwind

I've made a couple of determined efforts to snap mine in half, it's got a few scars from it but it's proved tough (tbh in one of those crashes, side on into a bridge support, I would have expected an alu frame to dent pretty badly, so I wouldn't have blamed it had it broken)

Carbon can be delicate but there's a lot of material in these... Basically that's why it's such a cool material, you can do different things with it. Easton's carbon fibre Havocs are the strongest bars they've ever made, frinstance.

supersonic

I'd be a lot more worried about the fork!

styxd

It'll be tough and light too. One of the benefits of carbon.

if you're wanting to improve your skill level then your on the right lines with a shortish travel fork. If you run it with 150mm then you may end up turning into one of these trail centre biffers Ive seen so many of a llangdegla - "hardcore hardtail" riders who just hold on and straight line everything. Not an ounce of skill in sight.

booyaka

no probs with my carbon 456 - running with 150 rev's up front. Cracking bike - very light and you seriously can't go wrong with the frame @ £299!!

njee20

I'd be a lot more worried about the fork!

+1

Frame will be fine, tougher than a Fuel Ex.

Gary.

I've got a hair-line crack just above the lower headset section. Right at the front about 10mm long. I've not abused or had any crashes etc. I doubt the crack will chase as it's heading towards that bulbous bit.

Great thing about carbon is that if you crunch it just mix up a bit of epoxy and patch away! No welding required!!!

Northwind

Is it definately a full thickness crack, rather than a laquer crack (a la Whyte?)

If so- congratulations! You're the first I've heard of

TheNorthernTrain

styxd wrote:

If you run it with 150mm then you may end up turning into one of these trail centre biffers Ive seen so many of a llangdegla - "hardcore hardtail" riders who just hold on and straight line everything. Not an ounce of skill in sight.

Works for me...

Mind you, I'm only using a fork within the manufactures recommended travel... These frames are designed to be a "hardcore hardtail" hence their geometry.

I mostly only use about 120 of my 140cm of travel but that extra 20 is there when I need it so I dare say if I was using 120 I'd still go and straight line everything. It's great fun!

DodgeT

As long as it doesn't look like any of these, you should be alright.. http://www.bustedcarbon.com

The Northern Monkey

If you read the latest review in MBUK, the Carbon 456 is possibly a bit 2 tough. Scored pretty badly, very harsh ride apparently!

Northwind

Yeah, tbh it's a weird comment- both too stiff and not stiff enough, simultaneously. It's not the most forgiving hardtail I've ever ridden but it's "softer" than most- other than ti frames the only hardtail I've ridden that's more compliant is my old Soul and even then it's close. It's got a much more forgiving rear end than the steel 456!

The Northern Monkey

Yeah I picked up on that too...

'offers brutal riding stiffness'

and then

'soft feel underfoot'

lawman

sums up most MBUK/bikeradar reviews tbh... Where on earth WMB got the figures for their brake test for is beyond me, there is no way a Hope race X2 evo is more powerful than the new Xt's, they even reckon XTR races are more powerful...

Long_Time_Lurker

I weigh sh*t loads and rode one for a couple of year. Multiple crashes and just minor scratches - nothing structural.
If it can take my weight and poor riding skills, I imagine it could cope with almost anything it is designed for.

EdW

I've had mine over a year & there's barely a mark on it. Not had any real crashes though.

Not read the MBUK review, but I find the frame is stiff where I want it to be (ie: when cornering & putting the power down), but absorbs the bumps well & is comfortable to ride. It's not as harsh as my previous hardtails (steel 456 & Alu Giant XTC).

Beardface

The Northern Monkey wrote:

If you read the latest review in MBUK, the Carbon 456 is possibly a bit 2 tough. Scored pretty badly, very harsh ride apparently!

Mine was by far the best HT I've ridden, sturdy, but felt smooth enough for me, except when I forgot that I wasn't on my FS and didn't lower the saddle. That was just my fault, I had the sore beanbag to prove that..

Great frame, builds into a great bike and an amazing price at the moment!

If I had space and would use it over the FS, I'd get another.

DodgeT

I'm so tempted to click add to basket on the special they've got... But i've already got 3 bikes...

Gary.

Here we go, some pics.

Here in the dark with a 1600 lumun night light slammed against the boss, light spews out of the gap...



Then in the daylight:



It's a deep crack that's on the move! The most amazing geometry frame I've ridden, but the chatter from rocky decents is knuckle busting!

DodgeT

So whats the history behind that then? Long term use, had a crash, or just appeared?

Northwind

That the headtube? There should be metal on the other side of that shouldn't there?

Anonymous

At the bottom where that light is there should be the metal behind (insert for the headset, and the headset itself). Further up it's just carbon from what I remember when pressing the headset in.

Chance of it being busted by badly pressing the headset?

Gary.

Well the guy's at on-one don't think it's an issue. I have no idea how big the headset shim/liner is. I'm not going to take it apart to find out, happy just riding. No big crashes, don't even live near mountains (or even hills!). Don't get me wrong, it's a great bike. A little harsh on the hands on bumpy stuff, but other than that sweet