Carbon durability according to Canyon?

on-yer-bike
on-yer-bike Posts: 2,974
edited April 2013 in Road buying advice
Another thread on here gives a link to Canyon bikes where it states that carbon frames and other components should only be used for 15000 km or three years. Its easy to say 'well they would say that wouldnt they' but what is the science behind this? Its actually not necessarily in their interest to say this as it could put people off buying their frames at all. There must be a reason.
Pegoretti
Colnago
Cervelo
Campagnolo

Comments

  • lawrences
    lawrences Posts: 1,011
    could you share the link here as well please?
  • I'm sorry you don't believe in miracles
  • thegreatdivide
    thegreatdivide Posts: 5,807
    They dissolve after 15,000km. Imagine if you hit the 15k mark on the road???
  • MartinB2444
    MartinB2444 Posts: 266
    They dissolve after 15,000km. Imagine if you hit the 15k mark on the road???

    Doesn't bear thinking about :D

    What they are saying seems very strange. There are plenty of horror stories around about carbon but balanced by destruction testing which shows it to be every bit as strong as aluminium and then some. They seem to be suggesting there is a fatigue process but I don't know where the evidence for this comes from. I've just googled but can't find anything indicating that carbon suffers like this. It is degraded by ultra violet but I wouldn't have thought this would be a problem with a painted frame.

    A different perspective here http://www.ibiscycles.com/support/techn ... ut_carbon/
  • Camcycle1974
    Camcycle1974 Posts: 1,356
    Speaking from the perspective of a tennis player carbon does degrade over time with use. The constant flexing of the fibres changes it over time but I would have thought 3 years was a short life span. The bike would still be rideable, just feel a little different.
  • bmxboy10
    bmxboy10 Posts: 1,958
    i see this as either a bit of arse covering by the manufacturer or a damn good reason not to by a canyon.
  • bmxboy10
    bmxboy10 Posts: 1,958
    Love these quotes from Canyon

    Canyon gives no guarantee or accepts no liability for the any of the information contained in this Technical Support Center.
    Never leave carbon in your car on hot days.
  • chigman
    chigman Posts: 163
    edited April 2013
    I know with carbon fishing rods, their action gets softer over a long period of time. Dont know whether the same applies to bikes in a similar manner ????
    Canyon Ultimate CF SLX 7.0
    Cube Crossteam Hybrid
  • sungod
    sungod Posts: 17,542
    there're some wildly divergent manufacturer statements about cf durability here...

    http://velonews.competitor.com/2002/12/ ... rks-2_3270

    ...i found the one from deda especially exciting
    my bike - faster than god's and twice as shiny
  • rolf_f
    rolf_f Posts: 16,015
    sungod wrote:
    there're some wildly divergent manufacturer statements about cf durability here...

    http://velonews.competitor.com/2002/12/ ... rks-2_3270

    ...i found the one from deda especially exciting

    Well, I'm relieved I bought a Look - that can be used for 100s of years whereas Canyon only lasts for three. In your face, Canyon :lol:
    Faster than a tent.......
  • doug5_10
    doug5_10 Posts: 465
    sungod wrote:
    there're some wildly divergent manufacturer statements about cf durability here...

    http://velonews.competitor.com/2002/12/ ... rks-2_3270

    ...i found the one from deda especially exciting

    Brilliant! "Only love is stronger than carbon" How very Italian!
    Edinburgh Revolution Curve
    http://app.strava.com/athletes/1920048
  • Maybe this is more geared to their MTBs? My 2006 Giant TCR still rides close enough to how it was when new for me not to notice any difference. Could be I don't ride it hard enough to degrade it.

    I know guys who ride 10 year old OCLV hardtail MTBs and they've not delamed spectacularly. Don't understand the hype.
    The titifers have sung their song.

    Now it's time for sleep.
  • crikey
    crikey Posts: 362
    I'm riding a Trek OCLV bought in 1999.
    Trek also do a lifetime warranty which covers frame and forks, and they honour it.
  • stueys
    stueys Posts: 1,332
    It's liability concerns gone a bit mad. Ultimately carbon is still quite new and its make up has also been evolving slightly in terms of lay ups, fibres, etc. Given no-one has 30 year old examples in the wide some of the manufacturers are being cautions. Canyon overly so.

    Given they are making Boeing aircraft out of carbon now (and I suspect the airlines are anticipating more than 3 years use out of their shiny new 787's) then I suspect we don't have much to worry about.
  • muzzan
    muzzan Posts: 203
    Bit odd as they give a 5 yr warranty on their frames do they not?
  • muzzan
    muzzan Posts: 203
    Actually, its 6 years
  • Crozza
    Crozza Posts: 991
    given the recent delivery delays I would suggest ordering your relacement Canyon today - should be delivered just as the old one disintegrates in 3 years time :lol:
  • denniskwok
    denniskwok Posts: 339
    As a keen tennis player myself, I'd also say that carbon composites can subtly change in their feel with rackets generally feeling a little less 'crisp' after a certain amout of time in play. Some people actually prefer the feel compared to new rackets of the same model. I would say though, that a tennis racket receives a hell of a lot more abuse than any road bike frame in normal use, but I still use tennis rackets which are well over 10 years old and they play fine.

    I do wonder at Canyon's claims about a 3 year life for their cf frames. If carbon really has such a short useable life, then nobody would buy a Bugatti Veyron, Mclaren 12C, etc. Some Ferrari F40s and Mclaren F1s are over 25 years old and 20 years old respectively and they are as good as the day thet rolled out if the factory. Theoretically, as long as a carbon fibre structure isn't subjected to loads which exceed it's design spec. then it should last indefinitely. This is assuming of course, that it's been designed and manufactured correctly in the first place.

    All of which leads one to conclude, that Canyons cf frames must be terribly built if they feel the need to say they need replacing after three years. I'm not saying this of course, as they have a great reputation.
  • ste1975
    ste1975 Posts: 14
    Given they offer a 6 year warranty I will happily have Canyon replace mine after 3 years, gratis of course :D
  • Ouija
    Ouija Posts: 1,386
    They say aluminium frames should be changed every five years.