carbon frames

Quoted message said:

What is the status of carbon road frames now with regard
to durability and maximum weight of the rider?

Carbon is no different from any other frame material. You
can build a really nice frame out of it, or a dreadful one.
You can build something strong enough to survive 100,000
miles, or you can build something cheap & flimsy... or
expensive but outrageously-light & flimsy.

There's no magical material that never fails, nor one that
always fails. It's what you do with it. If you want to push
the envelope and get a sub-2-pound frame, don't be surprised
when it doesn't last forever. It wasn't designed to. At
around 2.5 lbs, there are frames out there with great
durability (including the TREKs I sell). Look for a bike
with an established reputation, good warranty and a shop
that stands behind them. Ask questions regarding what
happens in the event of a legit warranty claim... how long
does it take, who has to see it, that sort of thing.

--Mike Jacoubowsky Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReaction.com IMBA, BikesBelong, NBDA member

"himself" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hello gents.

What is the status of carbon road frames now with regard
to durability and maximum weight of the rider? Is there a
website where one might get some more info?

Best regards

Walther

"Mike Jacoubowsky/Chain Reaction Bicycles" <[email hidden]> wrote
in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

What is the status of carbon road frames now with regard
to durability

and

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

maximum weight of the rider?

Carbon is no different from any other frame material. You
can build a really nice frame out of it, or a dreadful
one. You can build something strong enough to survive
100,000 miles, or you can build something cheap &
flimsy... or expensive but outrageously-light & flimsy.

There's no magical material that never fails, nor one that
always fails. It's what you do with it. If you want to
push the envelope and get a sub-2-pound frame, don't be
surprised when it doesn't last forever. It wasn't designed
to. At around 2.5 lbs, there are frames out there with
great durability (including the TREKs I sell). Look for a
bike with an established reputation, good warranty and a
shop that stands behind them. Ask questions regarding what
happens in the event of a legit warranty claim... how long
does it take, who has to see it, that sort of thing.

--Mike Jacoubowsky Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReaction.com IMBA, BikesBelong, NBDA member

"himself" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hello gents.

What is the status of carbon road frames now with regard
to durability

and

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

maximum weight of the rider? Is there a website where
one might get some more info?

Best regards

Walther

How about the weight of the rider part of the question. Do
you recommend Trek CF frames for 240 lbs?

On Mon, 24 May 2004 22:30:15 GMT, "Mike Jacoubowsky/Chain Reaction

Bicycles' may have said:

Quoted message said:

What is the status of carbon road frames now with regard
to durability and maximum weight of the rider?

Carbon is no different from any other frame material. You
can build a really nice frame out of it, or a dreadful one.
You can build something strong enough to survive 100,000
miles, or you can build something cheap & flimsy... or
expensive but outrageously-light & flimsy.

I would just add one thing to that; carbon frames must be
handled with greater care than metal. They are much more
susceptible to damage in mishandling and misrepair.

--
My email address is antispammed; pull WEEDS if replying via
e-mail. Typoes are not a bug, they're a feature. Words
processed in a facility that contains nuts.

Quoted message said:

How about the weight of the rider part of the question. Do
you recommend Trek CF frames for 240 lbs?

We have a very good customer who weighs about 260lbs @ 6'2".
He's also extremely strong. We sold him a TREK 5200 OCLV
back in 1997, and it's still going strong (with a *lot* of
miles on it!).

At 240lbs, your main issue will be with tires. 25c will be a
lot better than the stock 23c that most bikes come with.

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
chainreactionbicycles.comchainreactionbicycles.comOpen ↗

command-<< What is the status of carbon road frames now with
regard to durability and maximum weight of the rider? Is
there a website where one might get some more info?

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

<BR><BR>

I can only speak for Calfee and they are very strong, will
last a lifetime and have no weight limits.

calfeedesign.comcalfeedesign.comOpen ↗

Peter Chisholm Vecchio's Bicicletteria 1833 Pearl St.
Boulder, CO, 80302
(303)440-3535 vecchios.comvecchios.comOpen ↗ "Ruote convenzionali
costruite eccezionalmente bene"

Werehatrack said:

On Mon, 24 May 2004 22:30:15 GMT, "Mike
Jacoubowsky/Chain Reaction Bicycles"

may have said:

Quoted message said:

What is the status of carbon road frames now with regard
to durability and maximum weight of the rider?

Carbon is no different from any other frame material. You
can build a really nice frame out of it, or a dreadful
one. You can build something strong enough to survive
100,000 miles, or you can build something cheap &
flimsy... or expensive but outrageously-light & flimsy.

I would just add one thing to that; carbon frames must be
handled with greater care than metal. They are much more
susceptible to damage in mishandling and misrepair.

I disagree. Carbon frames are probably more resistant to
damage than lightweight aluminum or steel frames, which dent
very easily. Carbon/epoxy is extremely tough, and
carbon/thermoplastic (like those old GT MTB frames) is
practically indestructable. I've watched carbon MTBs tumble
over rocks with only superficial damage, where any metal
frame would have been dented, perhaps irrepairably.

As far as repair goes, carbon is more easily repaired than
modern, lightweight metal frames, and doesn't require
special skills. While it requires a little more care, it's
essentially no different from doing fiberglass repair on
boats or surfboards. I've successfully repaired several
carbon frames.

The biggest problem w/ carbon is that key items like fork
steerers and handlebars may have internal damage without
showing it. Failures are sudden, and leave dangerously
sharp pieces.

Matt O.