Fancy buying one. Namely a Grand Canyon CF8.0
Was wondering what experiences people have of riding any sort of CF HT.
Interested in how you would view/compare them to your aluminium/steel rides.
The weight saving does not seem to be significant over their aluminium counterparts so what made you opt for one?
I am slightly concerned that in the event of a crash any damage is not noticeable until failure occurs at some point in the future, perhaps at a really unfortunate moment.
I do mostly natural stuff and trail centres year round. I want something that climbs well and would be comfortable for around 5 hour rides, 3 rides in a row over a weekend as this is the max I tend to do.
Is CF a suitable material choice for these requirements?
Your views much appreciated.

Personally can’t see the benefit unless you’re a racer looking for the lightest bike possible.

Carbon is a little more forgiving than Aluminium so you end up with the softer feel of a steel frame but with the lightness of an Alu frame.

Looks a nice bike that… Carbon’s a great material, very versatile- you can make a superlight XC weapon or a big blunt axe like the 456, and you can make it act very differently too- some carbon bikes are super-stiff while my C456 is like a blend of the classic titanium and steel feels (ironic really since the steel 456 doesn’t have that much steel “spring”)

Thinking of buying a crbon HT myself in the new year.. I’m going for an Ellsworth Enlightenment

wish people would stop going on about carbon breaking, fatigue etc. There’s as much chance of breaking a titanium, aluminium, steel etc bike than there is of breaking a carbon, thats why everything from planes, cars, bikes etc is made of the stuff.

Carbon frames weigh a lot lighter than there counterparts, aesthetically can be made to look really nice and lets face it, its the material of the moment and is looking to stay that way for a while. I dont see why nowadays, if you have the cash, you would go for anyhing different.

Just ordered a C456 raw frame for £299 can’t wait to get it built up.

Just built up a BeOne Raw hardtail frame from CRC for race use – frame was Christmas present that I was allowed early. Haven’t tried it properly yet but it seems to have built up at around 20lbs or so (only have a spring balance scales) and feels veerry stiff and responsive around the garden 😀

I went through the same familiar ‘should I buy carbon’ conundrum 18- months ago. Just get on with it.
I Love my carbon Whyte 19 – can’t fault it at all. Climbs and descends perfectly, it’s light, it looks nice.

Personally can’t see the benefit unless you’re a racer looking for the lightest bike possible

– unless you’ve ridden one how would you know?

My carbon 456 with wide rims, big tyres and a bigish fork is such a smooooooooth ride.

dont worry about it breaking, i recently emailed on one about a C456, i was worried if it was strong enough for a bloater like me, (22 stone)
their reply was dont worry about it on a 456.
so, if you are nearer normal weight its a non issue i would say.

I have two 🙄

A 2009 Whyte 19 and a 2011 Scott Scale. I have had the Scale for about 3 months now and absolutely love it. Had been riding a Spesh Epic for the last two years.

For me it rides more like a carbon road bike than a mountain bike. It just makes you want to ride it harder and harder. I ride up hills in 2 or 3 gears higher and it just seems a lot easier to keep the momentum going.

I was a bit concerned about my aging back but it hasn’t been a problem. That said, I probably haven’t ridden it for more than 3 hours in any one ride. And when I was off work for a week and rode it every day then by the end my back was starting to ache a little, but that could have happened anyway, not used to riding more than 2/3 time a week.

Don’t know about the Whyte 19 still haven’t ridden it in 2 1/2 years 😳

I raced a light carbon hardtail last year and have recently bought an alluminium hardtail for winter training (cos it’s cheaper and I can abuse it more) and going from carbon to alluminium you can really feel how much of a harder ride it is on the alu.

The carbon also feels alot quicker everywhere – up, down, twisty stuff, fast straight stuff.

Would definitely go for a carbon if it’s your primary bike, and not an on the side training bike.