How to tell if carbon has been damaged?

[Welsh wheels]

I had a bit of an off on the club run last night. One of the lads thought he heard the sound of carbon cracking. I'm worried about my carbon forks now. Is there any easy way to tell if carbon has been damaged?

 

[S-Express]

Simply look for damage. If you can't see any, there probably isn't any.

 

[Yellow Saddle]

Inspect, manipulate, listen.

 

[Drago]

Inspect, manipulate, listen.

And then have a close look at the frame!

 

[Welsh wheels]

Simply look for damage. If you can't see any, there probably isn't any.

I have heard that damage to carbon isn't always obvious though

 

[Globalti]

If someone heard a crack, the damage will be obvious, in fact you'd have been walking home.

 

[Welsh wheels]

If someone heard a crack, the damage will be obvious, in fact you'd have been walking home.

Hmm, well I did manage 15 miles after that!

 

[Markymark]

Are you sure it wasn't bone??

 

[Welsh wheels]

Are you sure it wasn't bone??

If it was, I have the lowest pain threshold that anyone has ever had

 

[Globalti]

A carbon frame is a massively strong structure, almost like a cardboard tube, which is rigid up to a certain point when it collapses catastrophically. Also like a cardboard tube it''s easy for point penetration to happen and if a fork leg or a rear stay is locally damaged you might not even notice until you inspected the frame closely because the opposing leg or stay is strong enough to keep riding. So check it over by trying to crush the tubes between your fingers while listening for creaks and looking for surface cracks and pulling and pushing the different parts.

 

[Drago]

It's massively strong..in the directions and planes it's designed to be.

 

[fossyant]

I've been knocked off my fixed gear bike enough to know carbon is very strong. Just a small scratch on my carbon forks when a car drove into me. Shame my spine wasn't carbon as that cracked clean in two

Fortunately, bone self heals, carbon doesn't

 

[Welsh wheels]

I've checked them over, they seem to be okay. Done various tests that people have suggested as well. Not sure if it's worth getting them x-rayed to be sure though?

 

[Deleted member 35268]

Get some photos off to these guys for a free appraisal

http://carbonbikerepair.co.uk/#healthcheck

 

[fossyant]

I've checked them over, they seem to be okay. Done various tests that people have suggested as well. Not sure if it's worth getting them x-rayed to be sure though?

Xrays... how much cash do you have.

It will be fine. If you can't see any delamination or when tapping the frame with a coin it doesn't change sound then it's ok. This stuff is very strong. No need to be more worried than a steel or aluminium frame.