…on an XC bike? Used on variety of natural trails and the boring end of trail centre reds eg Dalby. I have a Stumpy FSR evo I tend to use anything more.

I go fast enough so some degree of robustness required,basically, will I die the moment I both wheels leave the ground.

No.

Yes

Maybe

Possibly.

Ignore the above – it’s a tissue of lies

They will snap and shatter with shards impaling you, just like that road disc brake fiasco.

Carbon is a very versatile material that can be made tough, strong and light. It’s easier to repair than aluminium. My xc and trail bikes are carbon and have not exploded in about 7000km of abuse.

(they explode at 7500km)

Each or is a contagious thing they share?

Thanks! The context is my old XC bike is finally dead, frame has cracked and forks were already on way out. I do tend to push the definition of XC, did a TMB on my old bike.

What with it being my 50th birthday next week I thought I’d get something reasonable as present to self. I assumed that carbon must be fine, but everything seemed to be carbon a few years ago, but less so now?

A subset of the question is there any benefits to carbon other than weight?

is there any benefits

It will make you 0.8754% more attractive to people that like carbon.

but everything seemed to be carbon a few years ago, but less so now?

Few years ago everyone wanted carbon. Now people are realising that cheap carbon is a bit rubbish and that aluminium and steel bikes at that price point are usually better bets.

they explode at 7500km

Glad I only keep mine for 4650 miles then

I go fast enough so some degree of robustness required,basically, will I die the moment I both wheels leave the ground.

Doubt you’ll be as fast as a WC XC rider, so odds on you probably won’t die as a result of riding a carbon frame, probably.

I bet I am a lot heavier than a WC XC rider. I have limbs that areheavier than some

Part of the problem I’ve got is that XC bikes seem to be either full on race bikes or lower spec sub £1000. I just want something to cover high mileage rides efficiently but capablof dealing with some abuse. Full on racing rigs maybe sacrifice robustness for lightness

PS I realise the carbon discussion is about five years old, but I’ve been under a rock

Go and get the Canyon Grand Canyon CF on offer at £1049. Good carbon & kit for the money. Almost tempted myself…

Don’t do that unless you want to wait 8 months and then get charged the list price at the time of dispatch rather than the sale price you agreed to buy it for.

don’t buy a canyon – I know a few owners and they are often using the excellent warranty

olddog – Member
I bet I am a lot heavier than a WC XC rider. I have limbs that areheavier than some

Part of the problem I’ve got is that XC bikes seem to be either full on race bikes or lower spec sub £1000. I just want something to cover high mileage rides efficiently but capablof dealing with some abuse. Full on racing rigs maybe sacrifice robustness for lightness.

I don’t believe racing XC bikes do sacrifice robustness for lightness, after all, to win a race you need to finish and XC racers aren’t easy on their kit. And at 215lbs, my carbon race bikes for both road and mtb seem to be holding up just fine.

However, take a look at the Specialized Camber. It’s a middle ground between the full on a race Epic, and the trail Stumperjumper FSR.

https://www.specialized.com/gb/gb/bikes/mountain/trail/camber

Available in both carbon and alloy, and 650b and 29.

I don’t believe racing XC bikes do sacrifice robustness for lightness, after all, to win a race you need to finish and XC racers aren’t easy on their kit.

Yep some of the hardest on their kit in many ways.

If your not racing then I’d go with the above suggestion, avoid the out and out race machines. There are a lot of 120ish mm FS 29r’s out there and the 130ish 650 bikes that are light, nimble but a bit more forgiving and fun to ride(not as steep etc.)

I may have mis understood what bike you currently have – but if you have a I have a Stumpy FSR evo and the frame is cracked – send it back and get a replacement. Spez have a lifetime warranty on the frame.