I’ve never ridden a carbon-framed bike, what do owners think of it?

Is it springy and nice, or very light but a bit wooden?

How long is a piece of string?

it’s mostly like riding a bike.

I’ve never killed a kitten for a ‘frame material’ thread, but this one has caught my eye…

I rode a carbon Scott Strike for ten years. Great bike. Didn’t notice the carbon frame apart from being light and making a Clack! Noise when it hit a tree once.

Frame died when the metal pivot failed

I think what our obtuse peers are attempting to coney is Bitd carbon used to be about moar stifferers but because its so easy to work people use it to get lots of different characteristics. So. Depends on’t bike dunnit?

Thanks stabiliser and WCA.

I actually didn’t realise you could manufacture different characteristics into it. Not being a chemist, and not spending my life with my face in bike reviews and whatnot.

Now carbon seems potentially to be in my budget, the question of what it’s like popped into my head and it seemed like a reasonable question to ask. But apparently it’s a stupid question and I am so deeply ashamed of having asked it, now.

Bitd carbon used to be about moar stifferers

?

Not a daft question, but does depend on the bike.

I used to have a giant xtc advanced and I thought it was pretty comfortable. After it was stolen, I rode a 456C for around 20 miles, which seemed a lot harsher.

Carbon frame designers will more wrap layers where they want stiffness and less where they don’t. The xtc had really skinny seat stays, which no doubt made it less rigid, but only in the direction the designer intended.

Hug?

‘Carbon’ frames are sort of a bit like wetsuits, with different pieces of different fabric, placed in just the right position, in just the right orientation.

Change the fabric, the number of layers, the orientation, etc. and the structural properties of the assembly will change.

Ideally, a frame will be designed so that the desired balance of strength, stiffness, flex, etc, are achieved.

At least, that’s the idea…

Try one, you might like it, but there’s no guarantee you’ll notice anything special, just because it’s made of plastic…

(as an interesting aside, we all think of ‘carbon’ and composites as aerospace technologies. But because the layup of the ‘fabric stack’ is both labour intensive, and easy to get wrong – undetectably, the aerospace industry is VERY suspicious of composites. If you want a new technology to get adopted by the aerospace industry, it needs to be automatable)

Road or MTB?

HT or FS?

Cheap or pricey?

attempting to coney

Something to do with rabbits?

I’ve got a whippet, it’s made of carbon and a fair bit stiffer and more acceleratery than the 853 RM Blizzard it replaced. It took some getting used to, but I imagine it could be a whole load stiffer and uncomfortable than it is.

imnotverygood > How long is a piece of string?

It depends on the atmospheric conditions.

Full suss – Rode a Blur XC for 8 years, riding a Tallboy XC now back to back with aluminium framed bikes (Heckler & Rumblefish).

10 months on and I can’t tell a difference. Apart from the cost. All feels a bit ’emperor’s new clothes’ to me. They’ll invent a new wheel size next. Oh. Hang on……

how long is a piece of string?

Get any length of string. Cut it in half. Cut one of those halfs in half. Repeat with another one of those halfs you’ve halved. Repeat on and on. You will never get to zero… in theory. Therefore a piece of string is infinitely long. ❗

How long is a piece of string?

And burnt toast with a bit of glue thrown into the mix.
Everyone knows that’s what all carbon frames are made of don’t they?

I’ve had two Blur trc and now a Turner Czar light weight strong Turner rides amazing great geometry probably has a lot to do with it. Blur trc was another dream bike but sadly I never got on with it couldn’t get comfortable, I had a SCBUTCHER at the same time really liked that bike very comfortable and climbed great in comparison to the carbon blur

MTB, hard tail, pricey. Yeti.

I don’t trust carbon you see. Can’t say why. But I can see the benefits and I know I’m stupid.

It is a bit of a silly question in a sense – how does an Aluminium car accelerate? Really badly if it’s a Mk1 LandRover but really well if it’s an Ariel Atom.
Top end carbon frames are fantastic and almost all are light. I’ve three mid range carbon bikes and like them all but also like my steel bike and aluminium bikes. Read reviews, test ride them and avoid unbranded ebay specials unless you enjoy having dentists and surgeons reconstruct your face

tbh, when it comes to mountain bikes, the intended useage of the bike makes much more difference than what the frame is made from. Because they are designed much stronger than what is required for “average use” (because some people do huck 6 foot to flat… 😉 they are always stiff and strong. So a 20lb XC whippet bike is going to feel a LOT different to a 32lb DH sled, irrespective to the material it is made from!.

All my bikes (4) except 1 are carbon and i can’t say i’ve ever noticed the frame material, as they range from an 80mm XC race bike to a 180mm DH bike 😉

Um, I didn’t ask if carbon accelerates fast.

I was wondering what distinctive characteristics it has as a material in bicycle frames, if any.

I find alu frames feel quite hard in comparison to my ti frame, for example.

So it seemed reasonable to wonder what carbon feels like. Don’t see anything in your comment that backs up your ‘silly question’ position to be honest 🙂

I don’t really mind what other people like and dislike, I was interested more in riding impressions, qualitative and subjective but possibly useful in the early stages of deciding which bikes to try to find examples of to test ride. And that’s going to be easier said than done given that bike shops seem only to have about 5 bikes in stock at any one time nowadays.

i can’t say i’ve ever noticed the frame material,

Thanks!

See, part of the question was to poll impressions on that sort of thing.

I hate the feel of aluminium – always have, even since BMX days. Just feels bad to me.

Mind you, I bet most people’s carbon bikes are full sus? I reckon that would insulate from a lot of feel of the material. I’m thinking hard tail – where vibration, buzz and feel are transferred directly up your spine into your brainbox, via the anus I suppose.

Most carbon frames manage to be lighter than alu or steel equivalents while also being as stiff or stiffer and having some inherent damping properties, cutting out some of the trail or road buzz that you get on aluminium bikes in particular.

There are exceptions of course, but I think that’s a good rule of thumb.

It would certainly be my material of choice for a hardtail.

I’m on my third carbon Roubaix, the first was built in 2006, the second in 2013 and this one, an SL4, in 2014. The difference is amazing; it’s light of course and stiff in the right areas so it handles superbly but above all…. it’s got a liveliness that the older bikes didn’t have, it soaks up shocks thanks to the curvy stays but it feels so satisfying to ride. Hard to explain. It’s definitely the best bike I’ve ever ridden and I love it. I’m sure Trek and cannondale have equally good bikes.

My son has a Tarmac SL4 with almost the same wheels and the same saddle and groupset; it feels faster thanks to the lower position but thanks to the slightly stiffer build I find it a bit dead in feel. Each to their own.

I hate the feel of aluminium

some of the best aluminum (not cheap!) Is comparable to mid/high carbon, in ride feel. Depending how the carbon had been laid up of course. Only issue is top end aluminium is a rare beast, as carbon is so good these days! You can beat the best aluminium on price, performance and weight these days. So very few have persevered with aluminium.

Bitd carbon used to be about moar stifferers

LOL. Bitd carbon was all over the place. Chopped up small diameter tubes glued into lugs.

Vague steering was the least of your worries.

In order I had a Specialized Allez Sport, then a Tarmac SL2, then a Tarmac SL3, then a Tarmac SL4. All had similar components bolted on, as they were frames provided under warranty. There was a noticeable difference between the Allez (aluminium)and the Tarmac SL2.

Also a very noticeable difference in ride quality between the SL2, SL3 and SL4 despite each being carbon fibre. I then had a Giant TCR Advanced Pro, felt very “efficient” and stiff under power but more comfortable than the SL4 which in retrospect felt a bit wooden and bruising from road shocks

Then had a Defy Advanced Pro, a different feel to the TCR. Then a Cannondale Super Six Evo which is an incredible ride, friends had always raved about them. About 300gm lighter than my Tarmac SL4 and feels very quick / efficient but also relatively comfortable.

In terms of MTB’s I can directly compare I had a Stumpjumper Evo (aluminium) 29’er hardtail. this had an issue with the BB shell so was given a Stumpy carbon fibre 29’er frame under warranty and transferred the components.

Very different feel, much stiffer under power and when cranking turns, but also more comfortable on rough ground. Went through another 2 frames (all warranty after cracks developed in each frame). In each instance, bolting similar components (some replaced due to wear and tear) so a good comparison.

Finally sold the last Stumpy frame whilst still as new, got a Giant XTC Advanced 29’er and rebuilt with same components. Very different ride feel, actually much stiffer than the Stumpy which in retrospect felt a little soft under power and also a little twisty from rear dropouts to head tube. The XTC you can feel the rear dropouts when you turn the bars. It’s an incredible ride feeling, but also mutes the trail chatter.

To sum up all my waffling, Carbon Fibre is truly dependent on design, materials (carbon fibres and resins) and layup, quality control, etc. Its all very different. Its really tricky to judge because its rare to own enough different bikes with the same components to make valid judgements, and until you ride better quality frames you don’t know any better!

However, I’d always take a good quality aluminium alloy or heat treated cromoly steel frame, over a cheap carbon frame!

A good top end carbon frame will be lighter, stronger and stiffer than its aluminium counterpart. I got my first one when I saw Tinker riding a carbon Rush and I have purchased carbon frames/bikes ever since.

Depending on their proposed use/discipline they can be extremely stiff in parts and more forgiving in others and they achieve this by using different carbons and different lay ups in manufacture.

All the bikes I have had have been extremely stiff and quick to accelerate and just allow the suspension to work exactly as it should.

You can tell the difference immediately in my opinion. And carbon wheels are a revelation, I could not believe the difference from a high end aluminium set to a carbon set. It blew my mind. I’d recommend buying one all day long.