Carbon Vs Alloy testing

[jskdog]

http://www.pinkbike.com/news/santa-cruz ... t-lab.html

Excellent video put my mind at rest about riding an old carbon frame!

 

[Scougar]

But obviously there are many photographed and video examples of carbon failing, and failing extremely badly. Notice that the aluminium frame still stayed intact even though it bent.. the carbon just let go.

 

[Russell]

But obviously there are many photographed and video examples of carbon failing, and failing extremely badly. Notice that the aluminium frame still stayed intact even though it bent.. the carbon just let go.

Where as it's a fact that there are no known photos of any steel, titanium or aluminium frame that has folded in half or broken in two. Fact.

Well done for ignoring the detail in the article BTW. Had the aluminium frame been cycled through the same load that the carbon failed at, it would have been completely flattened I would imagine.

 

[Scougar]

(I removed some text, no need to bite).

Frankly, it was an interesting article/video and I was surprised at the strength of carbon, I really thought it would have given way MUCH earlier. Most of my 'concerns' with carbon are at the joint sections, unless they have somehow managed to form (or wrap) it in one piece.

 

[jskdog]

I love the fact that they use old carbon frames for the testing, Not sure if it was on Top gear or some other program but they were testing a steel drive shaft against a carbon fibre one and it was twice and strong and more then twice as light! It's good stuff however you look at it.

 

[Scougar]

I love the fact that they use old carbon frames for the testing, Not sure if it was on Top gear or some other program but they were testing a steel drive shaft against a carbon fibre one and it was twice and strong and more then twice as light! It's good stuff however you look at it.

I thought that was pretty impressive as well I like when he said that it had been fatigue tested two years previously, then ridden for two years, then retested. That was impressive.

One thing that often isn't considered with carbon is that it is nasty stuff to inhale (when shattered) and can cause nasty injuries as it 'can' get serrated/shard. To be fair this has been from 'motorsport' carbon in crashes, and not in the bike industry.

 

[jskdog]

I still struggle with the 'brittleness' of carbon fibre (and i ride an old carbon bike) I know it's strong and this may sound really stupid but I always have it in the back of my mind that on a really really cold day it may be a little bit more brittle?????I very much doubt it is. I think when you look at how thin the aluminium in the tubes is, alu frames are still amazingly strong (i have an alu/carbon TT bike and you can press the alu downtube and feel it move!)

 

[Russell]

[I removed some text... see below!]

 

[Russell]

(I removed some text, no need to bite).

Quite!

 

[highlandsflyer]

Nothing new really in that video.

They have set out to prove a point, and as most who intend something they managed it.

I am far from convinced about this material for hard wear, rough and tumble.

For the spd wearing bike rack to track to bike rack to garage, never falling off it or throwing it around brigade the mileage may indeed vary.