Carbon, got nagging doubts, should I have?

[jowwy]

Carbon fibre frames are great for competitive cyclists, but let's not pretend that the processes used to make carbon fibre bicycles is comparable to those used to manufacture airliners or F1 cars. The raw material might be the same, but that's about it. F1 components are used for a very limited number of races, airline parts are subject to unfeasible levels of scrutiny during manufacture and throughout their working life.

What is the advantage to a non competitive cyclist of a carbon frame? Weight? Take crap before you leave the house. More comfort? Let a couple of PSi out of your tyres. Better 'damping' (whatever that is)? My arse. Buy carbon if you want something blingy, exotic and flash. Those are perfectly good reasons - but buying a carbon framed 'hybrid' for it's performance characteristics is in the same league as fitting a rear spoiler on a Vauxhall Vectra.

Hardly anyone has owned a carbon framed bicycle for more than ten years. I've seen lots of knackered Specialized Epics and Giants from the days when the lugs would fail.

And also - crash damage aside - what is the frame warranty on Whyte carbon bikes? If it's not 'lifetime' ask yourself why.

theres some nonsense in that there thread response

 

[mickle]

theres some nonsense in that there thread response

You are funny.

 

[SteCenturion]

This fangled fancy stuff will never take off.

It will if made into an aeroplane.

 

[400bhp]

Tried hitting a carbon fibre spacer with a hammer (as you do); after 11 quite hard taps the spacer seemed to suffer no damage and appeared as sound as ever. Terrific, I thought, just what I was hoping for; however, the 12th tap saw the spacer crumple flat like a piece of paper mache!
Now, I'm no structural engineer (as you can probably tell!), but I found this slightly worrying. How many small hits can my carbon fibre road bike absorp without any apparent damage before it suddenly collapses underneath me when I ride over a discarded Macdonalds wrapper?
Probably worrying unnecessarily, but it wouldn't seem a normal day if I didn't have something to worry about!

Plumtree by name, Plumtree by...

 

[Mr Haematocrit]

 

[SteCenturion]

FWIW - Salty, we are all of differing opinions here & slightly off track - myself included (having a bit of fun).

I do believe that Whyte make excellent well regarded products & see no reason why yours won't be among the best.

 

[buggi]

ride it til it breaks and then that's a good excuse to get a new one

seriously you are worrying about nothing. Any frame can be compromised

 

[400bhp]

Have you tried hitting an alloy spacer with a hammer twelve times?

That was his next weird experiment.

 

[Salty seadog]

Yeah, thanks for the input guys and there's nowt wrong with a bit of fun either SteCenturian, as I said earlier I have a friend who describes me as both sides of the coin and a contradiction.... ask me if I want tea or coffee and I'm stumped for the next two minutes flitting between the two until I finaly grab my balls and make a choice...( thats true too).

 

[screenman]

Are you related to the women who was on TV in Open All Hours.

 

[Cuchilo]

To be fair , hitting a carbon spacer with a hammer X amount of times isn't actually a test . Its just hitting something with a hammer until it breaks . You cant form an opinion on carbon bikes or anything else doing that .
Have you tried hitting yourself with a hammer ? I bet you only do it once !

 

[Salty seadog]

Cant remember her name but I know who you mean..."Take your t,t,t,t, time mrs......"

 

[SteCenturion]

Are you related to the women who was on TV in Open All Hours.

Are you related to the women who was on TV in Open All Hours.

Not nurse Gladdys Emmanuel surely ?

 

[Cuchilo]

Ste , did you get the TCR 1 Advanced ?

 

[mr messy]

To be fair , hitting a carbon spacer with a hammer X amount of times isn't actually a test . Its just hitting something with a hammer until it breaks . You cant form an opinion on carbon bikes or anything else doing that .
Have you tried hitting yourself with a hammer ? I bet you only do it once !

You have to do it at least twice to confirm your findings.....