I'm looking about for a used (non boost) longer travel frame.
I'm looking in the usual places but not finding a huge price difference between carbon and alloy.
I'm looking at something like a Capra and sticking 160mm Pike on the front and I more or less have the rest of a non-boost bike .
Going carbon is tempting... but it seems a riskier prospect on a used frame ?
I know alloy doesn't last for ever but at least for me assessing a frame would be down to obvious cracks and knocks..
What does the hive think ??? Worth the risk on carbon, is it even a bigger risk?
Carbon is much easier to repair than alu...
Carbon is much easier to repair than alu…
Perhaps ... although to some extent more likely?
Other than welds about to fail I feel I can spot something critical on an alloy frame vs a bit of a scratch... but less so on a carbon frame.
Head agrees with Tomhoward, if a carbon frame cracks or gets smashed into a rock you can even fix it at home if necessary.
Heart worries about the slow but exponential once it starts failure by delamination. But in reality bike frames aren't designed to flex so should not be delaminating like that at any reasonable timeframe (it's a comparable mode of failure to cracking aluminium anyway).
If it had a rock guard on the downtube and was in otherwise good condition I'd be happy with a 2nd hand carbon frame. Maybe less happy with the kind of 3rd/4th hand hardtails I usually end up buying though! If it was battered and scratched I'd pass.My gut feeling though is that a carbon frame is going to be a lot stronger to start with, so what you're really asking is "has this frame already been in a crash big enough to have written off an aluminium frame, and come out without any cosmetic marks?
Because lots of people feel like steviextc's second post, but in fact any damage that's really going to compromise the frame will be visible, you can get a decent price on carbon. Just remember that the only real difference is a few grams though.
Perhaps … although to some extent more likely?
Depends on how long the bit of string is.
Pick a bike that has a good track record in what ever material and you will have better odds.
Other than welds about to fail I feel I can spot something critical on an alloy frame vs a bit of a scratch… but less so on a carbon frame.
Given most Alu frames fail on the welds it's not offering you much more.
I sold 2 2012 SC frames one carbon one alu for about £25 difference
On the carbon look fro cracks and worn spots, about the same as the Alu
I think it's natural to be cautious, I've bought second hand carbon, and they've been fine. Look over it carefully before handing over cash if you can, most legitimate sellers don't mind. Try to keep to new-ish frames (lees than 2 years old) as 1. they've probably had less time to get damaged, and newer frames mean better manufacturer techniques, and don't be afraid to walk away if there's a sniff of an issue, there are always more bikes for sale
Yep, I am being a bit cautious but I have previously had my own Carbon frame repaired but this was a XC frame.
I'm aware it cost a shedload... but also when it went to the repairers (who were certified by the manufacturer) but then alloy frame welding it's exactly cheap done properly...
<span class="skimlinks-unlinked">My</span> gut feeling though is that a carbon frame is going to be a lot stronger to start with, so what you’re really asking is “has this frame already been in a crash big enough to have written off an aluminium frame, and come out without any cosmetic marks?
There is stronger and stronger... hitting with a blunt object vs sharp object.
I know SC do the whole hit it with a hammer vid... but they don't hit it with a 2oz pickaxe for good reason.
I guess though what that comes down to is that the sharp object part is likely to be obvious.
but they don’t hit it with a 2oz pickaxe for good reason
They did smash it against a sharp edge though that would have knackered an alu frame
but they don’t hit it with a 2oz pickaxe
Not sure that would worry me if mine was hit with a 2oz axe...
what mfr hits their frame (any material) with an axe as part of the testing process?
what mfr hits their frame (any material) with an axe as part of the testing process?
Santa Cruz? https://www.pinkbike.com/video/243228/
(Skip 5 minutes in, on the very unlikely chance that you've not seen this before)
I know SC do the whole hit it with a hammer vid… but they don’t hit it with a 2oz pickaxe for good reason.
I'm sticking with anything that would destroy carbon would destroy aluminum too.
what mfr hits their frame (any material) with an axe as part of the testing process?
Well presumably the same one hits it with a sledge hammer .... (as per darn's link)
I’m sticking with anything that would destroy carbon would destroy aluminum too.
I don't really agree either way round... (there is plenty will destroy al alloy before carbon fibre...) but I'm specifically more worried about what I can see vs can't.
but I’m specifically more worried about what I can see vs can’t.
Well, unless you have access to an Xray machine stop worrying.
The one thing I look at for used frames is simply have they been snapping a lot, it's easy to establish if they have.
If it's had a couple of years production run then it's as good a bet as it gets if you give it a good look over
Try to keep to new-ish frames (lees than 2 years old) as 1. they’ve probably had less time to get damaged, and newer frames mean better manufacturer techniques, and don’t be afraid to walk away if there’s a sniff of an issue, there are always more bikes for sale
Here is my problem... unless anyone has ideas...
This is only really economic IF I reuse my non-boost forks and wheels...
I can get a 170mm Lyric version for £2200 but I've also potentially got a spare 160mm Pike and several sets of 650B non boost wheels... I'd need to take the current Pike from 140 to 160... and stick the Revelation back on the T-130... and use single pot brakes and no dropper for a while but if I got frame and shock for £600 I'd be up and running under £1000.... and i could stop sticking the T-130 on the uplift... and sell my hard tail carbon XC and fork.
Quite honestly it's not the value... as I feel like it's LESS value than buying the NEW one and getting Boost and a slightly updated Geo and Lyrics and quite possibly go for the carbon model and hope the crash replacement isn't needed or such.... but it's something I can afford today... and reuse the stuff I've got.
IMO doesn't matter. You can run into even a cracked steel frame too, at least i've seen a few.
Do you worry about an invisible crack existing in an al frame? Propagating from the inner face maybe? What's the critical crack size before you get brittle fracture?
I would hope that an aluminium frame has been designed such that the critical crack size is visible.
Similarly, I'd hope that a carbon frame has been designed such that damage that would cause it to be dangerously weakened would also be visible.
That's not to say in either case you couldn't have significant damage that just isn't visible (yet) on a second hand bike.