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It was 41 degrees in my plastic roofed workshop at the weekend. Is my bike safe?
40.2 if I remember right.
Carbon, or the epoxy?
Depends on the carbon used and what resin is used.
Lowest I've seen is 120degrees Celsius. And even at that point there was just a small amount of surface debonding.
Epoxy is a thermosetting polymer so elevated temperature shouldn't affect it -I.e it won't soften and melt. I'm pretty sure you can get it pretty warm before it starts to breakdown. Though do modern carbon bikes use epoxy or some newer, modern stuff?
get a Pinarello - they come pre melted.
aren't hey baked in an autoclave to cure? That would suggest they'll be OK up to "high enough that you don't have to worry about" degrees C
I'd be more worried about tyres and rubber seals getting damaged than frames, tbh.
Think your roof might melt first.
No clue although the manual that came with my Look says not to leave it in direct sunlight whilst in a car, it doesn't say it will melt if I do though...
I rode around in temperatures over 40 degrees last year - I wasn't particularly good at that temp but my bike frame seemed okay with it...I wouldn't worry unless it got to around 100 degrees C, by then you'll have stopped worrying about the bike though!
contact the manufacturer, ask them what the glass transition temperature of the epoxy they use is. I think you'll probably be fine...
In fact, we've just got a new climate chamber here at the factory i could probably fit a bike in. do you want me to test it?
I left my (carbon) MTB in the boot of my car the other day, unthinkingly. The front tyre randomly lost all it's pressure because the rim tape had been pushed into the well of the rim, can only imagine it was to do with the increased tyre pressure from the heat and the glue softening on the tape. Needs replacing now.
I also burned my hand on the stem. Luckily the CO2 on the seatpost was wrapped in an inner tube which seemed to insulate it slightly!