Carbon fibre frame longevity

[Paul Eggleton]

A friend who works for Mclaren has offered to fix it if it breaks, lol.

 

[02gf74]

People have this issue about carbon..yep a few break, they are the ones peeps go on about, ok carbon doesnt bend -

carbon does bend - the stays on the cannondale scalpel are made from it and have been for over 10 years - they are designed to flex providing rear suspension.

apparently when carbon fails. like aluminium, it gives no warning whereas steel will bend first.

there is a website showing broken components. about half are due to crashes so no big surprise then - roofracks carriers eems to be nasty to carbon frames :shock:

 

[Paul Eggleton]

Found that website, it was mostly crashed road bikes.

 

[xerxes]

ok carbon doesnt bend

Try telling that to a fisherman.

I've got one of them there new fangled carbon fibre frames. Had it 4 years, no problems, no cracks and no rust. I doubt it will outlive a proberly painted and rust protected steel frame, but I'll have to wait 30 or 40 years to find out.

 

[tintin40]

ok carbon doesnt bend

Try telling that to a fisherman.

Agree. My carbon seat flexes beautifully. Better than any padded seat. feels great.

 

[Paul Eggleton]

I've got one of them there new fangled carbon fibre frames. Had it 4 years, no problems, no cracks and no rust. I doubt it will outlive a proberly painted and rust protected steel frame, but I'll have to wait 30 or 40 years to find out.

What have you got???

 

[xerxes]

What have you got???

It's a 2007 Giant XTC Composite 3.

 

[bm0p700f]

I would buy a used carbon frame even if riden hard.

Steel frames break, alu frames break, Ti frames break. No one frame material is in heraently prone to breaking more than any other, sopme designs are more prone to breaking but that a different matter.

 

[Paul Eggleton]

I would buy a used carbon frame even if riden hard.

Steel frames break, alu frames break, Ti frames break. No one frame material is in heraently prone to breaking more than any other, sopme designs are more prone to breaking but that a different matter.

Agree, but for me the decision is around risk and comeback. £2k+ with potnetially no comeback has me twitching.....interestingly Lapierre's warranty wording doesn't specify original owner......

 

[Pyro Tim]

I've had my DiamondBack WCF 4.0 for nearly 15 years, jumped it, ridden hard, big air, crashed it, no problem. Not got a worry about carbon.

I also work in the marine industry, and they use a lot of carbon in racing yachts, and it takes a serious hammering