I throw my carbon frame down some proper DH tracks and ride it as hard if not harder than my old aluminium bike. However for some reason I worry about it. I am worried about jumping on it in case I rip off the head tube when coming up short. I even made my mate put his bike in the car boot first as I was worried about the weight crushing my frame.

Now I know all of this is stupid but it is the first time I have had a plastic bike and can’t help worrying.

Does anybody else have these stupid concerns?

Nope, me and just about everyone i know ride carbon bikes hard and no issues.

Metal gives you signs of damage and hints of cracks etc. It gives you time to do something about it.

Plastic frames are sudden and unexpected.

Oh dear

it’s always when you least expec..aaaaarrrrrrrggggggghghhhhhhhhh!!!!

Have a think about an F1 or Le Mans driver, do you think he would fancy going back to an Alu chassis? Probably not.

Don’t they melt if you leave them by a radiator or in a hot car?

skolt – Member

Don’t they melt if you leave them by a radiator or in a hot car?

Mine looked like it had, but it was just ugly.

Metal gives you signs of damage and hints of cracks etc. It gives you time to do something about it.

Eh? Alu not always…

http://fcdn.mtbr.com/attachments/passion/348072d1207018162-broken-handlebar-mtb-video-001.jpg

Is it Groundhog day?

I’m sure we had this thread a week ago…

Is it Groundhog day?

I’m sure we had this thread a week ago…

Plastic frames are sudden and unexpected.

Have you got scientific examples of this, maybe a paper? Or is it just a made up fact?

Is it Groundhog day?

I’m sure we had this thread a week ago…

I have a lightweight skimpy carbon road bike. It’s got nicks and scratches everywhere, and the wheel slipped in the dropouts once and the wheel rubbed a chunk out of the chainstay. That was 7 years ago, still going strong.

I’m not saying that it is rational, in just wondering if anybody else is as stupid as me.

Before I got a carbon frame I was fully convinced about how strong they are and how F1 uses carbon etc. Look at the videos that Santa Cruz and Cannondale have put out, carbon looks fantastic.

I know I am being thick and have nothing more to worry about than I used to but I can’t help it.

TheArtistFormerlyKnownAsSTR – Member
Is it Groundhog day?

I’m sure we had this thread a week ago…

Apologies if it was done a week ago, I didn’t see it. And anyway, like groundhog day, the film, it’s the minor details that make it interesting.

I came off my carbon hardtail tonight. First time since I got it, last November. Gave it a good look over, but no damage obvious.

I think you’re being overly hard on yourself and are certainly not stupid – no shame in being concerned about your own safety and confidence in your bike is a big part of mtb. I must say that personally I would be more than happy to put my trust in a carbon frame, they’re extremely well developed now and have exceptionally good structural integrity.

Metal gives you signs of damage and hints of cracks etc. It gives you time to do something about it.

Plastic frames are sudden and unexpected.

Don’t they melt if you leave them by a radiator or in a hot car?

Can’t tell if these are serious remarks.

I’ve seen dead Alu bikes but no carbon ones.

In the spirit of this thread that is FACT and carbon bikes cannot snap but Alu ones are fragile death traps.

Nope because I don’t ride carbon anymore.

Is it Groundhog day?
I’m sure we had this thread a week ago…

A white hole?

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xreZdUBqpJs[/video]

Santa cruz testing of carbon versus ally frames.

Its worth a watch, if you can’t be bothered to watch it all just skip to 5 mins and think what an ally frame would look like after been swung as hard as you could swing it in to a concrete block…

It’s a mental thing. Get over it.

My carbon bike is a Santa Cruz, so I’m not worried. If it was a Yeti, I would be worried.

I too would be concerned ‘re plastic v metal.got a carbon/ally roadie at present which.is a pure joy to skip around on along my local pothole riddled roads, it flies along, ahem, and softens all the bumps for me, as.soon as.I look at the plastic bits of the build I get this irrational paranoia of riding it again ffs. Can’t bring myself to buy the bargain carbon spesh enduro I’ve been viewing recently, because the irrational paranoia thing :-(.

I reason that it’s our ancient brains’ survival thing kicking in and saving us from the unknown, it got us this far, didn’t it?

I actually managed to break my old Yeti SB66c frame, fell off down a trail and a sharp rock managed to put a small crack in the top frame (just before the seatpost). Didn’t actually notice this until a week later when a mechanic at my LBS pointed it out just before I had planned to sell it, long story short, had to pay for a crash replacement but that week in between I rode it as I usually did and I did not die.

I ride its replacement, a Mach6, just the same as all my previous bikes, carbon or alloy.

If you are wary of carbon or other exotic materials then probably better not to fly, or drive, or even ride a bike probably.

I’ve got carbon bars
In my carbon world
Life in plastic
Is fantastic

My Rune’s not that heavy you cheeky sod! Just because you’re plastic bike is sub 30lbs, so sent mean that my ali (fashion) bike will break yours in the car!

I reason that it’s our ancient brains’ survival thing kicking in and saving us from the unknown, it got us this far, didn’t it?

It’s more that our adventurous minority paved the way for the timid majority. anyway it’s not carbon frames you need to be worried about it’s the big sea monsters and the edge of the world if you go to far.

What Kayak said ^

Iache- is it anything to do with that photo of my frame?

I’ve ridden mine harder than any other bike before, and the only frames I have broken in the past have been aluminium ones, not other carbon fibre ones. I have complete faith in carbon, and as my frame shows, IF they do crack then it’s not a case of bits of the frame falling away skewering your genitals on the shards, it cracks. Just like normal.

oh the merciful one, please save us!

On a serious note, have ridden carbon for years, no issues. My bike is now 80% carbon and the rest alu. A whole carbon bike (no alu in any components) cant come soon enough as far as i am concerned.

My carbon bike is a Santa Cruz, so I’m not worried. If it was a Yeti, I would be worried

I cracked the alu front end of my AS-R, the carbon rear is still in perfect nick.

A white hole?

so what is it?

mindmap3 – Member
My Rune’s not that heavy you cheeky sod! Just because you’re plastic bike is sub 30lbs, so sent mean that my ali (fashion) bike will break yours in the car!

That is exactly the problem. You fashion bikers with your banshees and fluro helmets. I bet you wear your goggles with your open face helmet when I’m not around.

unrobiker – Member
Iache- is it anything to do with that photo of my frame?

I don’t think so to be honest, I had forgotten you had done that. Have you got it all sorted now?

I think it is partially down to that it isn’t metal and partially the weight. It is the lightest proper mountain bike I have owned at 29lbs but I ride it the same as my last bike which was 35lbs. It seems like it should be fragile. Having said that it still feels solid and not at all fragile when riding. And I do have plans to make it lighter still.

I know it’s all in my head and I need to get over it.