Crashing Carbon

[Miranda]

OK, I did a search with my thread title and the word matches were spread all over. (I'm sure it's been discussed before somewhere?) So, I'm just going to post...

How much impact can a carbon frame really take?

I know that's a trade off of having carbon--the crash and trash risk. Obviously there's some variances. But, what's typical?

If you unfortunately crash and trash your carbon, what do you do? Just suck it up and be out the $$$ of the frame and replace? Are there any manufacturer discounts for crash frame replacement situations? I know some of you have bike insurance (that I have seen a thread on in the past).

TYIA

[ttaylor508]

Depending on the manufacturer, I think most frames have a crash replacement policy. I think you get a new frame at a discounted rate.

[Eden]

Carbon, despite its rep is not egg shell fragile either. I've crashed my carbon race bike twice with no frame or handlebar damage.

[celerystalksme]

for the MOST part, any crash that'll destroy a carbon frame would also destroy an aluminum, titanium, or steel frame. for the MOST part.

but the scary part about carbon are the crashes where the bike is NOT destroyed. a carbon tube may show no damage, but integrity may have been compromised which can lead to catasrophic failure later. if you're in a crash with a carbon bike, have a reputable shop check it out.

as far as what to do with a carbon bike with real damage...lots of bike manufacturers do indeed have a crash replacement program and you should be able to get a decent deal on a replacement frame (but it'll still be expensive). calfee does a WONDERFUL shop repairing carbon frames as well...often times, the repaired portion has been claimed to be stronger than the original layup!

[Miranda]

Thx for those responses thus far. That puts my mind at a bit of ease. Just visiting shops looking at carbon frames, the horror stories are thick. It made me start thinking... well, if it's THAT bad, why would anyone risk buying it? But, I know the makers do alot of testing on the frames. Some manufacturers offer a lifetime warranty against defect. I will specifically ask about the accidental discount replacement policy. I also didn't know it was potentially repairable either. Good info.

[tzvia]

My first carbon bike lasted about 7 months. When I crashed, the guy behind me ran into me, and I think it was his pedal that gouged into my downtube, causing a noticeable amount of damage to a very small area, about a quarter in size. There was a big scratch which was cosmetic, but you could see the carbon in the area had changed color from very dark grey to off-white, as if something had delaminated or something. It was crash replaced, and I payed the difference and got the frame model up. If I was not run into after crashing, the frame would have been fine.

I paid a percent of the value of the frame; don't know exactly how much as I don't know the value of the frame separate of the whole bike, guessing about 20~30%. So I still had to come up with a fair chunk of change for the new frame; the labor to move my parts over, new shifters and a new saddle. It was just a freak thing- survive the crash only to get skewered by another rider.

[Aggie_Ama]

Miranda- I know Cannondale and Specialized have some sort of crash replacement programs. Only because we own those brands but I bet they aren't the only ones. That being said carbon isn't a glass bike. I think the reputation of being fragile is over played. Mine fell over changing a flat and had a knick in the fork. I flipped out, the LBS assured me 100x it would not break from this tiny scratch in the clear coat. 3,000 miles and some harrowing descents later they are still right. The worst damage I have personally seen was an aluminum frame, it was scary how messed up it was! He broke the top tube and rear triangle, didn't know him just saw it in the shop but wow.

[Miranda]

Thanks for those additional posts. That is good to know. I had one lbs mechanic tell me that sometimes with wear there can be slight cracks in the paint job. He said people will bring it in freaking out that they have a crack in their frame. It's not. It's just in the paint.

[SJCzar]

I had a crash with my carbon Trek last summer. Even though I ended up with 25 stitches, some road rash, and surgery to pin my hand back together the bike survived practically unmarked. LBS sent the frame back to the factory while I was recovering just to make sure there wasn't anything that they didn't see but she was fine. Besides the scratches on the rear derailler, and all the blood that had to be scrubbed off practically every part on the bike, it was as good as new. I would never hesitate to buy another carbon bike.

[Kiwi Stoker]

My seat stay cracked right through on my Specialized Ruby.
The bike flipped, landing on the saddle (which was ripped off the rails) and the seat stay must of taken all the force. Rear wheel was buckled as well

I took a lot of damage as well (seriously broken bones).

Whole bike was written off. Specialized only honour the frame replacement in the USA.

Thank goodness for insurance!

The bike had survived being dropped and slow speed crashes (falling at traffic lights etc) beforehand. I don't think any bike would of survived this crash anyway.

[sundial]

Ouch Kiwi! Good grief! Glad you are still with us.

[emily_in_nc]

My most serious crash on my carbon Aegis Swift fractured my pelvis from my right ilium to my sacrum, as well as sit bone fractures. My pelvis by far took the brunt of the fall and actually protected the bike from hitting the road with strong force. The bar tape had a small gouge, and the right brifter was turned in a bit - an easy fix. The frame itself was absolutely fine, no harm done at all (I did have it checked out by a good LBS).

In this case, I would have happily sacrificed the frame rather than my bones -- sometimes, breaking a frame is better than the alternative!

[Miranda]

Holy Injury Batman! On those carbon crash stories...

Glad the punch line wasn't then next a semi-truck came along and ran you over to boot. Yikes. Nice you are here to tell about it.

Sounds like the carbon is tougher than the fear. The crazy stories I heard about the instant trash was a direct hit to the chainstay at just the right angle... like by another rider impacting. I feel the same way about driving in bad winter weather... I'm happy to creep along at slow speeds on bad icey roads... it's the rest of the crazies that fly (and hopefully not into you as they pass).

[Fredwina]

When I got by a car, my full carbon beauty was largely unscathed. some grinding on derailleur and messed up handlebar tape,.

[aicabsolut]

Some carbon stuff is probably a little more fragile than the metal counterparts (things like handlebars, those new fancy derailleurs, shift/brake levers), and you have to be a little more careful about not over-torquing anything that clamps onto carbon (stems, seatpost collars), but as far as frames go, a lot of accidents can cause major damage to all kinds of frame materials, and carbon is not necessarily more likely to be trashed. It really depends on the circumstances of the crash. I've had some crashes on my carbon frame with no problems. Some aluminum parts (shifters, rims) have had to be sanded down after being gouged up. The frames were fine... until I backed into something with one of them on my hitch rack. The bike swung into the steel post of the rack and was crushed.

I've seen an aluminum top tube ripped in half, carbon forks splintered, aluminum chainstays busted at the welds, aluminum crankarms snapped in half due to a flaw in the cast. I would treat all bikes and components carefully. Crashes and other accidents can damage anything.