How Robust is Carbon

[Jonathan B]

Managed to crash my carbon bike this morning after hitting a slippery patch of road. Only a couple of grazes to my arm and ego but of course I am more concerned about the bike. Does anyone know how much abuse carbon bikes can actually take or point me in the direction of proper facts rather than scare storeys.

Cheers

[kieran]

well, in litigation prone USA trek website says after a knock etc to get your frame checked over by a trained professional, check their website warning if you want to be too scared to ride your frame again without a complete checkover. Then again in the USA American Classic website states you should get your wheels checked over if you bump them, even in a pothole, and burley advise against using their trailer bikes in the wet, dark or on main roads and also to take corners at 5 mph!

[siwickm]

On the subject of Carbon, what do you reckon on this frame and forks. At 725 quid that looks quite good. Anyone know what TORAY is?

Cheers

Marek....

http://www.parker-international.co.uk/P ... 2331e669cc

[Elliot M]

I believe Toray is one of the big raw CF suppliers - Japanese firm.

[siwickm]

Is it any good. Someone implied a while ago that certain Carbon Fibre was rubbish. Is this true. I don't want to buy a dudd. I kinda of reckon that Dolan frames are going to be quite good as he has a good reputation. So am thinking that this may be quite a good value frame.

Cheers

Marek...

[Jon H]

Shhhh, don't let your sponsor know you're buying from someone else .

Until recently (or maybe still) Dolan made Nicole Cooke's bikes, and supplies the BC team. And Me . I really can't fault my TT frame, and know a number of others with the same or earlier version of the same frame. Although having said that, it is mass produced and identical to frames badged up by a number of others (Swiss, Planet-X etc). So I'm guessing the road frame you're looking at falls into the same category as it's in the same price bracket.

[siwickm]

Yes, the concern I have with spending a silly amount of money on a carbon frame is that really why should one carbon frame be so much more expensive than another one. Is it purely the design and curviture of the bike, the little tweaks to the frame that make it look that little bit different. Of course some of the companies may have spent a lot of money on testing etc, but I don't care if I can buy a frame that looks and performs exactly the same way but is just a copy and therefore does not have some well known make written down the side.

Well to be honest all I want is a nice light and comfortable frame, I don't really care about the name. I do want it to look quite good, but am not too bothered and I really cannot justify £1,500 to £2,000 on just a frame and forks especially as I am likely to crash it in a race sooner or later. I would like to get a Chorus groupset with it as I have some Chorus parts on my current race bike and they perform very well.

So, do you reckon that £725 is enough to spend on a carbon fibre frame or should I look to spend more, this is going to be used as a through and through road racing bike.

Cheers

Marek...

[Grahame]

If you think you might crash it, and are looking for a light, comfortable race frame, there's only one way to go. Titanium.

The end.

[siwickm]

tit is too heavy and expensive. I have pretty much decided to go for an all Carbon, Sean the Condor is an Alloy bike, am I right in thinking that this is going to weigh more than the all Carbon?

Cheers

Marek....

[Elliot M]

i wouldn't want to crash some ti frames. you can pinch the top tube of the top of the range Litespeed Ghisallo (sub 1kg I think) and see it flex...

[Grahame]

But with Ti, a damaged tube can be replaced. Try that with a carbon fibre/plastic frame.

For what it's worth, I still think Mr Bontrager had it right when he said, "Light, strong, cheap. Pick any two."

[siwickm]

Grahame, I think that was where I was coming from, what sort of money is it worth spending on a Carbon frame. If they are made out of a Carbon and are a monocoque frame then to me it seems as though not much can go wrong. Also, surely someone like Dolan is not going to risk supplying a dodgy frame is he?

Cheers

Marek....

[Dr Frigo]

Marek
There's a carbon frame that should hopefully withstand your weight

[img]http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/files/trimblemonocoque_351.jpg[/img]

[siwickm]

Hmm, does it come in black?

[Andrew G]

Marek the Squadra is Aluminium main triangle with Carbon rear end, as is my GB frame (re-badged Monoc), but you'd be amazed how light they are. Granted I'm not as strong as you but I've not really noticed any flex from the frame as the bottom bracket junction is huge.

I thought the main differences between carbon frames, and therefore prices, was (apart from r&d, name premium, etc) was to do with both the type of carbon used and the way it is "layed up".

If it's only going to be a pure race bike does Aluminium not appeal? Alu can be really stiff, fairly light, and the harsher ride from the very stiff frame would matter less if you were only racing on it and not covering huge distances. Also if you did crash it might survive better and would be cheaper to replace.