Building up and maintaining a carbon bike

[Tin Pot]

Hi all,

Thought I'd build a bike up, carbon framed. What do I need to unlearn from alloy bikes?

"Do not clamp" on the top tube is my first indication - so is my cheap workstand obsolete, do I need a frame stand and if so how cheap can I get one?

Anything else?

Cheers

TP

 

[lpretro1]

Put a cheap alloy seatpost in and clamp to that instead? Use a torque wrench. Use carbon assembly paste where appropriate eg seatpost. Don't take it out in the wet as it will shrink...just joking

 

[Racing roadkill]

Be extra careful not to over tighten anything, a torque wrench is very useful. Use bearing presses if you can, knocking things in with a hammer, is not as good an idea as it is with an alloy / steely.

 

[Drago]

Don't buff the frame with Brasso.

 

[Tin Pot]

Got torque wrenches, but aero seat tube.

 

[TheDoctor]

Cut carbon fork stems with a saw, not pipe cutters. And use the proper expanding headset bung, not a star washer or whatever they're called.

 

[Tin Pot]

Put a cheap alloy seatpost in and clamp to that instead? Use a torque wrench. Use carbon assembly paste where appropriate eg seatpost. Don't take it out in the wet as it will shrink...just joking

Assembly paste - is that the equivalent of lithium grease?

 

[Drago]

More the equivalent of moly lube and loctite combined.

 

[fossyant]

Not, it's a gritty paste that helps get purchase without over tightening.

 

[fossyant]

PS Has anyone mentioned sunshine, or moonlight. All very bad for carbon, it explodes.

 

[S-Express]

Hi all,

Thought I'd build a bike up, carbon framed. What do I need to unlearn from alloy bikes?

"Do not clamp" on the top tube is my first indication - so is my cheap workstand obsolete, do I need a frame stand and if so how cheap can I get one?

Anything else?

Cheers

TP

There is absolutely no difference in building a bike of any type, regardless of frame material. Your workstand is not obsolete, as clamping the bike on the TT will not harm it. Over-tightening the clamp like a gorilla, to the point where the TT is crushed will obviously harm it. But then the same is true for clamping a frame of any other material.

 

[Tin Pot]

Hoooookay; I know Carbon can't be used in the rain or sun, because it melts and or warps, you can't brake hard because the frame shatters and fork impales your heart 100% of the time.

Have we covered the myths off?

 

[S-Express]

Have we covered the myths off?

I just covered off the top tube clamping one, so you're good to go.

 

[midlife]

PS Has anyone mentioned sunshine, or moonlight. All very bad for carbon, it explodes.

Almost as bad as the good times and boogie!

Shaun

 

[Tin Pot]

I just covered off the top tube clamping one, so you're good to go.

Well...its not a myth if the manufacturer has written it on the top tube!