Carbon crack with pictures - advice

[Cycleops]

Bit of a scratch on a steel frame and a dent in a aluminium but still would be rideable without having reservations about the structural integrity

 

[DCLane]

@Jameshow - I thought it odd as well. They're not the most organised but their workmanship is impressive.

The only downside is they only do black as a colour.

 

[Jameshow]

@Jameshow - I thought it odd as well. They're not the most organised but their workmanship is impressive.

The only downside is they only do black as a colour.

Do you sail? had a couple of dinghies....

 

[DCLane]

@Jameshow - nope, although SWMBO used to. I prefer wheels to sails.

 

[Big John]

View: https://youtu.be/DHWsTg9mkTg?feature=shared

I did a repair on my bike over 10 years ago (not as pretty as the one this guy did, by a long way) and I'm still riding the bike. I'm not suggesting you do it yourself, like I did, but it does suggest your frame is fixable.

 

[DogmaStu]

If your shears made a gash like that just dropping them I would be getting a new frame.
The tube looks very thin and I would be wondering where else they may have skimped on materials and construction. Fork would be a major worry due to what might happen to you in the event of an accident or just through plain failure.

It's likely built ok.

Carbon design tends to be very scientific and therefore thicker in places where it needs to be and less so where the stress is much less - typical cycling stresses, that is. Carbon is stronger than steel pound for pound as we know so the frames and forks are actually stronger than steel at the usual stress points when cycling, stiffer and lighter too.

That said, steel would often fare better in an accident though due to carbon having these 'thin' weaker points that don't affect cycling use. Still, I've never broken a carbon frame, only steel. Especially wheels, carbon rims are astoundingly strong, as demonstrated by GCN recently when their resident Mountain Biker took a road bike with carbon rims (standard Chinese cheapos at that) and went down a technical off-road section without a tyre (!) deliberately trying to break the rim and only managed to damage the bead, the wheel still ran true.

Zipp perfected carbon rim strengths designing for the Paris - Roubaix cobbles with Cancellara at full gas. Steel and alu rims destroyed, carbon not.

As for frames, carbon top tubes are relatively thin in that area., hence why clamping the top tube of a carbon bike on a stand is a big no-no and the seatpost is recommended.

 

[Cycleops]

I know all that @DogmaStu but I'd still be worried, maybe I'm just an old luddite.
Don't know if you've seen Hambini on YouTube 'roasting' carbon frames but it does seem it's easier to cut corners when laying them up creating possible dangers. Obviously the the bigger name brands who make in house are a fairly safe bet, especially if they give a good guarantee.

 

[DogmaStu]

I know all that @DogmaStu but I'd still be worried, maybe I'm just an old luddite.
Don't know if you've seen Hambini on YouTube 'roasting' carbon frames but it does seem it's easier to cut corners when laying them up creating possible dangers. Obviously the the bigger name brands who make in house are a fairly safe bet, especially if they give a good guarantee.

Not a fan of Hambini actually, he has been caught out a number of times not really knowing his subject in the context of cycling. He admits he is no cyclist and his engineering cred is somewhat compromised by this in certain areas. He also harbours a particular bias.

Fakes and cheaply made carbon can of course be suspect and it is possible to find duds even with the big brands. The best have good guarantee's though. Most as we know come from just a few Taiwanese factories where Western companies submit a design brief and quality spec for them to build. Mass production, while often perfectly fine, can sometimes yield flaws.

While I do prefer carbon overall as a cycle material, the most beautiful bikes are steel no question. How about this absolute dream:
https://officinabattaglin.com/products/custom-steel-bikes/portofino-r/

 

[cougie uk]

I know all that @DogmaStu but I'd still be worried, maybe I'm just an old luddite.
Don't know if you've seen Hambini on YouTube 'roasting' carbon frames but it does seem it's easier to cut corners when laying them up creating possible dangers. Obviously the the bigger name brands who make in house are a fairly safe bet, especially if they give a good guarantee.

Hambini needs to find stuff to get outraged about. I'd trust him as much as I'd trust Clarkson on cars.

 

[Jameshow]

It's likely built ok.

Carbon design tends to be very scientific and therefore thicker in places where it needs to be and less so where the stress is much less - typical cycling stresses, that is. Carbon is stronger than steel pound for pound as we know so the frames and forks are actually stronger than steel at the usual stress points when cycling, stiffer and lighter too.

That said, steel would often fare better in an accident though due to carbon having these 'thin' weaker points that don't affect cycling use. Still, I've never broken a carbon frame, only steel. Especially wheels, carbon rims are astoundingly strong, as demonstrated by GCN recently when their resident Mountain Biker took a road bike with carbon rims (standard Chinese cheapos at that) and went down a technical off-road section without a tyre (!) deliberately trying to break the rim and only managed to damage the bead, the wheel still ran true.

Zipp perfected carbon rim strengths designing for the Paris - Roubaix cobbles with Cancellara at full gas. Steel and alu rims destroyed, carbon not.

As for frames, carbon top tubes are relatively thin in that area., hence why clamping the top tube of a carbon bike on a stand is a big no-no and the seatpost is recommended.

Steel and alu bikes have thin points too!
Called butting!
I doubt a 853 / 953 or caad13 frame would have come off any better.

 

[Cycleops]

Hambini needs to find stuff to get outraged about. I'd trust him as much as I'd trust Clarkson on cars.

I don't like him as he's always swearing but he's upset a few frame importers and others.
And what's wrong with Jezza on cars? He was spot on about Megain Markle.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

Not a fan of Hambini actually, he has been caught out a number of times not really knowing his subject in the context of cycling. He admits he is no cyclist and his engineering cred is somewhat compromised by this in certain areas. He also harbours a particular bias.

Fakes and cheaply made carbon can of course be suspect and it is possible to find duds even with the big brands. The best have good guarantee's though. Most as we know come from just a few Taiwanese factories where Western companies submit a design brief and quality spec for them to build. Mass production, while often perfectly fine, can sometimes yield flaws.

While I do prefer carbon overall as a cycle material, the most beautiful bikes are steel no question. How about this absolute dream:
https://officinabattaglin.com/products/custom-steel-bikes/portofino-r/

Good grief - that is way beyond gorgeous!

 

[C R]

I don't like him as he's always swearing but he's upset a few frame importers and others.
And what's wrong with Jezza on cars? He was spot on about Megain Markle.

The NACA forum is that way ->

 

[DCLane]

Good grief - that is way beyond gorgeous!

It's also phenomenally expensive. Way beyond my meagre budget.

 

[DRM]

Good grief - that is way beyond gorgeous!

I know, that is absolutely beautiful, I think it's way beyond my budget as well though!