Why do carbon bikes have a life of 5-7 yrs?

[Fletch456]

Hi,

I've been riding an alu/c bike and have started looking around at a new bike - a cycling buddy, who is a lot longer in the tooth reckons that the life of a carbon bike is 5-7 years.

I didn't ask him what he based that on or why but will when I next see him...what does everyone else think?

Is the reason something to do with why titanium bikes are called bikes for life?

Am very curious

Craig

 

[StuAff]

Plenty of people on various forums, including this one no doubt, have carbon bikes considerably older than that.

 

[lukesdad]

Ive got a 10 year old XC race bike thats had some abuse and still going strong.

 

[Noodley]

My carbon frame has a lifetime warranty...

 

[Gerry Attrick]

Methinks your cycling buddy is raising your leg!

 

[e-rider]

I remember when Alu frames became common and they were given 10 years life expectancy, and the cycle media was always talking about the Aluminium time-bomb; I imagined this as seeing peoples' bikes falling apart everywhere you looked - people sprawled all over the roads and discarded bikes in the gutters - didn't happen did it!

 

[Ian H]

I remember when Alu frames became common and they were given 10 years life expectancy, and the cycle media was always talking about the Aluminium time-bomb; I imagined this as seeing peoples' bikes falling apart everywhere you looked - people sprawled all over the roads and discarded bikes in the gutters - didn't happen did it!

Al forks give me the heebeejeebees.

Carbon will last according to how well built it is - hand lay-up probably being the worst way to make one - and how light-weight it is (the same as any frame in any material).

 

[Fletch456]

Methinks your cycling buddy is raising your leg!

Being mighty long in the tooth perhaps his knowledge is getting out of date...harder to accrue new as we get older.

Not like he is a long term owner of steel or something; he owns at least carbon that is a recent purchase

 

[mark barker]

Its a myth put around by owners so they can justify the next purchase to their partners!

 

[numbnuts]

Many years ago they said that about fibreglass and that's still going strong, they even build mine hunters war ships out of fibreglass now

 

[ianrauk]

you friend knows diddly squat

 

[HLaB]

My carbon frame has a lifetime warranty...

If you believe Chris Juden of the CTC a carbon frame is good for twice its warranty; twice a lifetime sounds good to me

 

[Alembicbassman]

I remember when aluminium bikes came out, their warranties were 5 years, when the same manufacturers offered lifetime warranty on steel frames.

Aircraft have a 30 year life cycle. They are now being made of composites. Go figure.

 

[Smokin Joe]

I remember when aluminium bikes came out, their warranties were 5 years, when the same manufacturers offered lifetime warranty on steel frames.

Aircraft have a 30 year life cycle. They are now being made of composites. Go figure.

There are plenty of 30 year old airliners around with aluminium airframes. And these millions of steel frames that were being churned out up to a decade ago, funny how you don't see many of them now.

For the vast majority of cyclists a frame in any material will last until they are sick of it and want something newer.

 

[TheDoctor]

The carbon structures I work with have a lifespan of well over 20 years, and it's not fatigue that does for them in the end.
I don't ever expect to replace my carbon frame.