Help! Cracked Frame...

[Robh]

If you crash that's why you have insurance...

[Toks]

[quote="RobH"]If you crash that's why you have insurance...

[Andrew G]

Blimey those Ribble's are fantistic deals.

Toks, you may be right I've heard crit circuits are also called "carbon graveyards". My carbon concern is that if you drop the bike you don't know how the structural integrity of the frame has been affected. Watching Flanders yesterday one guy came down when his forks just shattered . He had crashed earlier in the day. Certainly made me think that I'd replace mine after a crash as there must be a lot of stress on the steerer tube, and if it gets weakened in a crash.....

Does anyone know if you can get carbon stuff stress tested after a crash? Must be possible and a potentially lucrative business.

[-Adam-]

I think the frames themselves are usually ok after a crash, but its things like steerer tubes, handle bars, stems, rims ( ) that take more of the brunt. Having touched upon structural engineering in my degree, this makes sense, as there are a lot of places that hit the ground before the frame. And the steerer tube is particularly vulnerable due to the torsional forces that can be imposed on it as a wheel held by a fork say want to go one way and the bars want to go the other. The steerer tubes are designed to take a vertial load more that lateral.

Having said that Dan Duguid did actaully write off a carbon specialised frame yesterday at Dunsfold in the 1/2/3 3Day. Apparently the top tube, and the down tube both snapped, and upon later inspection the chainstays were mashed as well. Mind you, he was a lil cut up too. He finished however, on a borrowed bike, to maintain his second spot on GC and Points lead. What a legend.

Of course being sponsored by sigma, i believe he turned up on a shiny new one this afternoon!

[mrP(Boonen)VT]

You never know how people treat their bikes, some may be a bit more careful than others.

I have had alu/carbon and all carbon for years now with no problems.

Also, I have heard of/witnessed at least 3 forks that have snapped and every one was aluminium steeree bonded to catbon forks. Not one was all carbon.

I'll stick with mine, and lovingly care for it.

paul

[Dombo]

I'd go with the Spesh from Evans. My Kona mtb frame from them cracked in 2003 after nearly 4 years use; got it upgraded on the lifetime guarantee as the current version of my model was by then made in inferior tubing. The Evans mechanics stripped the old bike and rebuilt onto the new frame, total turnaround time less than a fortnight, and no charge for the labour.
Despite the criticism they get, they have some great deals and, in this case, good after sales care.

[Robh]

I've had a Trek 0CLV carbon frame since 2001 and is still in one piece.

Only came off the once but was able to control the crash by correcting the front wheel @ 25mph then eventually toppling over at 3mph on grass.

I do however only weigh 63.5kg so don't really stress the frames I've ridden.

Rob

[Kevin Rynne]

Toks I've got a giant tcr sitting in my shed which I have'nt had a chance to ebay yet, £200? to you if your interested. its the Anodized tubing
one Weight: 1164g (+/- 5% Size M) as used by the once team, has a titanium finish with yellow transferrs. Used for one season as my race bike.

[Toks]

I've sent you a PM Kevin

[Sylv]

Kevin's framset is very nice Toks, I've seen it.