Carbon Frames - last only 3 years?

[mac1]

Just a quick general query: a friend a lot more knowledgable than I wrt bikes assures me that carbon framed bikes last about 3 years at most which seems pretty surprising given the cost.

Is he right?

 

[ianrauk]

He knows nothing and he's a twat for saying that to you.... tell him that.

 

[Smokin Joe]

Only if you ride them in the rain when they will gradually decompose.

Or leave them out in sunlight when they will explode.

Or look at them hard causing them will fail catastrophically without warning.

And whatever you do, DON'T RIDE THEM, you will surely crash and die a horrible death.

Otherwise they should last a lifetime.

 

[mac1]

Fair enuff - cheers - it did strike me as somewhat unbelievable, these 10 grand Cannondales etc that fall apart after 3 years - apparently according to him, it's because carbon's brittle, but there you go.

 

[gb155]

He knows nothing and he's a twat for saying that to you.... tell him that.

Lol - tell him Ian said so

 

[Fnaar]

Good job it struck you, and not your carbon frame! Or it'd have to be replaced! I'm sure carbon's fab to ride, and I'm sure it's fine if looked after, but I can't be doing with a bike so potentially fragile myself. Like buying a Japanese paper-walled house instead of a nice brick one.

 

[Zoiders]

Your mate isn't exactly wrong but he isnt exactly right either, it's very much dependent on the bike and the rider.

If you must use a team issue replica for the commute day in day out and you are bit on the heavy side and it's getting battered every day then that's your look out, it's a risk of using any very light frame in any material, it doesn't mean it will turn to dust with simple age though.

 

[TheDoctor]

Carbon is not brittle.
Don't stress it past the point where it breaks, and it will last indefinitely.
I work with the stuff.

 

[YahudaMoon]

Carbon is not brittle.
Don't stress it past the point where it breaks, and it will last indefinitely.
I work with the stuff.

Hi. I've worked with glass fibre for years. It has a certain life span until it starts degrading. A bit like concrete. Concrete gets harder with age then it starts breaking down.

So is carbon for life ? I mean forever without degrading ? Also how do you cure carbon , does it use catalyst or do you cure it with heat ?

Thanks. Just curious (:

 

[StuAff]

Balderdash
Piffle
Twaddle
Nonsense
Pish...
If he was right, my Viner is not long for this world (2008 model). He isn't.
There are people happily riding around on mega-mileage early carbon frames, let alone anything of more recent vintage.

 

[Glover Fan]

Not only are people riding around on carbon frames there are thousands of people riding on alloy frames with carbon forks.

It's all scaremongering and pretty much irresponsible.

 

[albion]

They are all fine as long as you never crash.Accident free they will certainly last.

 

[HLaB]

Just a quick general query: a friend a lot more knowledgable than I wrt bikes assures me that carbon framed bikes last about 3 years at most which seems pretty surprising given the cost.

Is he right?

He knows nothing, I bought my carbon frame in May 07 and it never fell apart on me in the last year, it never even dissolved in the rain

 

[smokeysmoo]

Only if you ride them in the rain when they will gradually decompose.

Or leave them out in sunlight when they will explode.

Or look at them hard causing them will fail catastrophically without warning.

And whatever you do, DON'T RIDE THEM, you will surely crash and die a horrible death.

Otherwise they should last a lifetime.

 

[the_mikey]

If you're buying a carbon bike now it'll probably last longer than you want it to, ie, when you're looking for an excuse to buy another bike...

(I'm not being serious, please don't shoot me)