Is it just me or does any one else think its crap.Out of my group of mates my motolite seat stays broke,ibis mojo rear triangle cracked,lapierre hard tail dropout cracked,scott ransome creakes like my grannies knees and not to forget the masses of 575 owners whos seat stays part company with the dropouts at regular intervals.Going back to good old aluminium and a bike whos suspension is inspired by a 1860's beam engine(ellsworth).Thats my rant over for today,feel better now
Bike Forum
Carbon fibre its rubbish
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Posted 1 year ago #
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yup. So, am I mad to get carbon bars for my SS. Probably tougher than me, but I'm a fatty and put a lot of leverage through the bars when straining up hills?
Posted 1 year ago # -
Right application it's great, wrong its not. wouldn't trust it on MTB rims or saddles, but anywhere else can't get enough; never had a part fail on me yet
Posted 1 year ago # -
Yep - aluminium never fails.
Posted 1 year ago # -
No its not crap. Is that good enough?
Oh, you'd better not ever fly in a commercial jet again as on most of the modern ones the bits that stick out of the sides and hold the engines on are made of carbon fibre (unless its on a treadmill when its actually the wheels that make it fly).Posted 1 year ago # -
Lost confidence in my 575 as my friends bikes crumbled around me. For all mountain I've gone back to aly. Even ditched my carbon bars. I never for one moment thought they would fail but they had to go for peace of mind.
Posted 1 year ago # -
not to forget the masses of 575 owners whos seat stays part company with the dropouts at regular intervals
Simply not true. Not even close. Yes, there have been failures, but name a bike that hasn't......
I've broken 3 steel and one titanuim frame, and dented an alloy one.
Does that make them just as bad?
To be fair, carbon is pretty much the only material I've not seen broken in my circle of riding buddies, and there's a fair few of them that I know of.....
Posted 1 year ago # -
PeterPoddy - Member
Aye - but you should hear what they say about you behind your back!
my circle of riding buddies, and there's a fair few of them that I know of.....Posted 1 year ago # -
Personally I had the 575 built up for light duties but now and then I'd throw on some 36's and fat tyres and ride some silly stuff and for this I wasn't confident that it would stay in one piece with the back end flexing all over the shop. Also it had very little mud clearance and the abrasion was starting to show on the inside of the stays. A material that you can slice with a Stanley knife, in mind isn't tough enough for throwing down rocks. Torsionally rigid yes but as tough as alloys. No. IMHO of course.
Posted 1 year ago # -
A material that you can slice with a Stanley knife
are you talking about aluminium again? there was a lot of alu can cutting going on in that bivvy thread.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Posted 1 year ago # -
I've broken 3 steel and one titanuim frame, and dented an alloy one.
Is there a weight issue here?
Posted 1 year ago # -
Love me Yeti ASR C but too much on my mind every time I fall,every time it creaks.
Best bike I have ever ridden tho!Posted 1 year ago # -
my VF2 is performing superbly, albeit a carbon rear end only.
sublime bike. and suprememly stiff at the rear too...
loving it
Posted 1 year ago # -
Oh, you'd better not ever fly in a commercial jet again as on most of the modern ones the bits that stick out of the sides and hold the engines on are made of carbon fibre (unless its on a treadmill when its actually the wheels that make it fly).
I'm not going to get directly involved in this debate, as the only carbon bike thing I have ever owned is the seat post on my Trek road bike.
Anyhoo, I once met a bunch of materials engineers on holiday, and they said that they had tested some CF bike frames and components, and their conclusion was that the quality of the CF was seriously poor, compared to aeronautical CF. As a result, none of them would go near CF on a bike.
Just sayin'....
Posted 1 year ago # -
I'm going back to string n glue for my new SS, but I won't use carbon bars on the single speed, I maul them to death and they all get very creaky and flexy after about 6 months abuse.
Quite happy with carbons on the 5" boingy bike though.
As with most things, use the correct material for the right application and there are minimal issues.
also worth bearing in mind that lots of bike bits used to be designed for typical rider weights of around 12st, whereas lots of british riders are seriously lardy boys who still think a 3 lb carbon hardtail will be fine with a 20stone rider
Posted 1 year ago # -
I still have carbon bars and rigid forks on my winter hack 29er. Oops, mentioned 29er! I'm not totally against witchcraft but like me old trail pixie mate Taz says, certain materials for certain jobs init.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Often read posts on here about people breaking all manner of components whether it be carbon fibre, titanium or aluminium.
Do I think these materials are crap. No. I think the riders are crap and need to learn how to ride!Posted 1 year ago # -
CF quality for bikes may be poor compaired to the Aerospace industry, but then was the last time you saw a bike fly like the Dreamliner?
Posted 1 year ago # -
lardy boys who still think a 3 lb carbon hardtail will be fine with a 20stone rider
Mine is
Posted 1 year ago # -
No... (Carbon) best bike I have ridden and I have ridden quite a few nice ones
touch wood nothing broken!
Posted 1 year ago # -
I have no issue with CF as long as it cannot be hit by large rocks and leave it impossible for me to see whether/how it is damaged or not.
I would rather not have it on a MTB tbh but would not object to it on a road bike.Posted 1 year ago # -
Mine is
for now
Posted 1 year ago # -
Do I think these materials are crap. No. I think the riders are crap and need to learn how to ride!
Posted 1 year ago # -
I would rather not have it on a MTB tbh but would not object to it on a road bike.

Posted 1 year ago # -
"I would rather not have it on a MTB tbh but would not object to it on a road bike."
There is probably a lot more stress subjected to a road bike frame/forks on thin tyres and no suspension than your average MTB!
Posted 1 year ago # -
Is it only me that remembers exactly the same being said about aluminium, around 15years ago - poor quality, too weak and it'll fail catastrophically, and probably kill you in the process..?
I've got lots of CF on my CF frame and I love it
. Oh, and I've snapped 2 aluminium frames.....
Posted 1 year ago # -
tazzy that might just be crash damage
coleman I said it was the effect of damge by rock strikes that worried me not how strong it was though I am nit sure you are correct re stressPosted 1 year ago # -
I know junky, but it's a funny picture
Posted 1 year ago # -
Junkyard. OK. Fair comment.
But, hitting a pot hole at 50 mph downhill on Tarmac puts one hell of a jolt through the fuselage!
Posted 1 year ago # -
Indeed ..there is a website dedciated to failed CF iirc
I dont think it is pants or worse than anything else itis just rock strikes that worry me

EDIT: is the bike forum always this civilised and polite
Posted 1 year ago # -
You know you want one....
Posted 1 year ago # -
I had a 2008 yeti 575 which I used for mainly xc trail riding and the carbon swing arm snapped ! my mate would follow me and see my rear end flex so much it was scary ! I stick to alloy now as I have had a bad experience with carbon
Posted 1 year ago # -
Yep - aluminium never fails
Though i think the picture you show is down to an installation/design fail rather than material choice?
Posted 1 year ago # -
Pastcaring - no not trolling you Muppet! Stupid? well the jury's still out on that one.
However, in over 25 years of riding offroad and road, I've not yet managed to break any major components whether they be carbon, titanium or aluminium! Although I have managed to break various bit of myself in the process! So feel suitably qualified to have an opinion.Posted 1 year ago #
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