Carbon Frames/Durability

[Pedal Wench]

Oh, I love the Campy stuff. I hate to admit this, but two of my bikes are Record, and one is Centaur. They all really ride the same. The Record is just a touch smoother and quicker. My Shimano bike is on my trainer, and it's been getting more use than I care to think about. Of course, I went out on Sunday on a Campy bike and started to freak out because it wasn't shifting. I was trying to move the brake, which on Campy, is just a brake... With my hand problems (ulnar nerve stuff and bad trigger finger issues) I do prefer the feel of Campy.

Back to the original post, I saw something on Sunday that I hope I never see again. I was riding with 4 other women. I had dropped my water bottle (damn those full-fingered gloves...) and stopped to pick it up, so I didn't see this happen, just the after effects. When I caught up to the rest of the group, one of the women was on the ground. Her brand-spankin' new carbon/alu Raleigh was cracked on the downtube and toptube. She was riding on a flat, straight bike trail, suddenly felt out of control and then ended up going over the handlebars. This was the bike's second ride - a total of 45 miles on it. As the owner of two very precious carbon bikes, I was freaked out. It cracked right at the joints between the carbon and aluminum. (It's a Raleigh Prestige.) I would say that if you go with carbon, go with one of the bigger names - a company that's been making carbon for a while, and in enough numbers to know they're doing it right. There's no way of knowing at this point if something else wasn't set up right - perhaps a loose headset, or even a faulty quick release, and the frame cracked as she crashed, and didn't cause the crash. Probably never know that.

[veloputt]

Hi all,

I'm 5'4" and found Campy was too big for my hands, and I chose Shimano since I was more comfortable w/ them on the hoods and working the levers. But I've not looked at shifters in the last few years, so maybe they've changed...

As for geometry, it's not just the frame, but I also got a stem w/ a shorter extension and bars that kept the levers about 1" or so shorter overall than "standard" components, and made the overall geometry great for me. (And of course the type of seat post and range of adjustment w/ the saddle, too). I have a Mercian frame and front fork made w/ Reynolds 531 tubing and built w/ various components chosen for quality, fit, and weight. It's soooooo silky smooth, after riding it I hated getting on my first real road bike--Specialized Allez Pro--steel frame, but Al fork (much stiffer than steel). It was a good bike, but not in comparison to my baby--"vintage" Mercian.

Ergo, Don't assume all steel (or carbon) frames are created equal, or that the fork material is the same as the frame, either. But it's fun to try to find what you like and if it's not comfortable, there are options!

And as a racing friend always said, it's not the chassis that counts, but the engine! And the caveat, if you can't be fast, at least look good!

Deal of the decade--this summer I added the vibration dampening plugs for the bar ends--they really do help! A great deal for under $10 and I highly recommend them to everyone!!

[caligurl]

)
And as a racing friend always said, it's not the chassis that counts, but the engine! And the caveat, if you can't be fast, at least look good!

ha ha!!!! someone at the century saturday commented that my ruby was one SUHWEET bike.. and i said "thanx... now if i was just fast enough to deserve it!" lol!

[caligurl]

Back to the original post, I saw something on Sunday that I hope I never see again. I was riding with 4 other women. I had dropped my water bottle (damn those full-fingered gloves...) and stopped to pick it up, so I didn't see this happen, just the after effects. When I caught up to the rest of the group, one of the women was on the ground. Her brand-spankin' new carbon/alu Raleigh was cracked on the downtube and toptube. She was riding on a flat, straight bike trail, suddenly felt out of control and then ended up going over the handlebars. This was the bike's second ride - a total of 45 miles on it. As the owner of two very precious carbon bikes, I was freaked out. It cracked right at the joints between the carbon and aluminum. (It's a Raleigh Prestige.) I would say that if you go with carbon, go with one of the bigger names - a company that's been making carbon for a while, and in enough numbers to know they're doing it right. There's no way of knowing at this point if something else wasn't set up right - perhaps a loose headset, or even a faulty quick release, and the frame cracked as she crashed, and didn't cause the crash. Probably never know that.

OMG! now I'M freaking out, too! is specialized a "big enough name"????



my hubby had a brand new carbon bike... isaac brand.. big in europe... new to US... it cracked in the seat tube within a month of having it....! they sent him a new frame (after giving him the 3rd degree on what HE did to the bike.. uhm.. NOTHING.. it's his baby!

[Pedal Wench]

OMG! now I'M freaking out, too! is specialized a "big enough name"????



my hubby had a brand new carbon bike... isaac brand.. big in europe... new to US... it cracked in the seat tube within a month of having it....! they sent him a new frame (after giving him the 3rd degree on what HE did to the bike.. uhm.. NOTHING.. it's his baby!

I think Specialized has made more than a fair share of carbon for you to be confident. Trust me, I'm still freaking, but hoping I can trust the Bianchi and Colnago names (yeah, I ride a bunch of bikes that I don't deserve, but I love them just the same!)

One thing that I keep thinking is that her frame cracked right where the carbon and aluminum meet. On one of my Bianchis, it has carbon and aluminum too, but the carbon is nested inside of the aluminum - it's not like a lugged frame, like the Raleigh appeared to be. I'll see if I can find out what the bike shop/manufacturer says with regards to her frame. Clearly, she didn't do anything wrong.

[veloputt]

I'm not sure about the Specialized carbon frames, but lots of folks I've known raced on Trek carbon frames (not to mention a big pro team) and they held up well thru thousands of miles of training and racing.

Just remember to take the bike off the roof rack before you drive into the garage! (LOL--a bf made that mistake--amazingly his Trek frame was OK, but his car roof had a crease from where the rack moved, and my garage frame had a dent from his seat!).

[Bike Goddess]

Speaking of carbon vs. steel- I have both. My first bike was a Jamis Quest- steel frame with carbon forks in the front and rear. It's been a great bike for me. I've ridden over 10,000 miles in two years with no problems at all.

One thing about steel- over time if you live in a wet or humid climate, it will, IF you aren't careful, have a tendency to rust at the bottom of the frame. Most steel bikes have a hole on the underneath for that very purpose- to keep water from collecting inside the tubes. My bike mechanic friend says to put some car paste wax on the frame from time to time to help it out. I need to do that at this point to preserve my frame.

I have a carbon bike from Scott.(CR 1) The difference between steel and carbon is rigidity. I am at the point in my cycling where I felt I would benefit from a higher end bike which is why I bought the Scott. However, this frame is designed for racing, so it is constructed a little differently than other carbon frames. They race a similar frame to mine in Europe and it seems to have done quite well. This is partly because of the weight. Carbon is light and rigid. Racers like that combo which is why you see carbon in the racing scene.

Most of the companies that make stock bikes have frames that are made in Taiwan. This isn't a bad thing. It's because labor is cheaper there and keeps the cost of a bike down. If you want to know more about carbon bikes and frames, check out how the manufacturers build them. I liked the Scott frame because of the way the carbon is wrapped. I don't think you need to worry about the manufacturer of the bike as much as the LBS from where you purchased the bike. That's where you will go to get any problems resolved most of the time. Specialized has been around awhile and has a great reputation so I wouldn't worry about them being big enough. Sometimes big is not necessarily good.

IF you are a beginner to cycling, I'd suggest steel. I enjoy riding my Jamis, even if it has taken a back seat to the Scott. Steel handles well and is comfortable for long rides. Try different bikes on the road to see what works best for you. That is the most important part.

[Veronica]

...I've known [folks who] raced on Trek carbon frames (not to mention a big pro team) and they held up well thru thousands of miles of training and racing.

I think the pros have more than one frame per season. And it's not so much about the number of miles with carbon fiber, as it is about time.

V.