carbon v aluminium

Vested interest: I'm a cannondale caad8 rider. I'm well aware of aluminium's properties when subjected to sudden high load... However this looks like B.S. to me... The frame snapped but the wheels are true? I don't think so.

Gizmodo wrote:

I love this bit in their ebay description:

Cannondale's lifetime frame warranty didn't cover the damage (read the small print!!)

Did they seriously think that any manufactuer's warranty would cover accidental damage?

Dear Mr Ford, I wrote off my car in an accident, but it is less than 3 years old..... :?

Not quite the same, but some manufacturers have crash replacement policy that gives you a good discount on a replacement for a crash-damaged frame. Perhaps that's what he had in mind.

rake wrote:

jehannum5 wrote:

Vested interest: I'm a cannondale caad8 rider. I'm well aware of aluminium's properties when subjected to sudden high load... However this looks like B.S. to me... The frame snapped but the wheels are true? I don't think so.

but what would anyone gain by lying. the frame is clearly broken so the cause doesnt matter for sale purposes.it does look consistant to me with front end crash, the top tube is buckled up as if the forks pushed back. i think its just as fragile as carbon for equivalent weights. the tubing is very thin.

IME carbon is much more likely to survive than equivalent weight alu frame in this sort of impact. I hit a child on a micro sccoter at over 20mph on carbon frame/forks and came to a stop almost immediately. Only damage at all visible was slight buckle to alloy wheel. I as pretty nervous about damage at first but have since done another ~1000km and over 65kmh on descents still seems rock solid.