[This is copied from an e-newsletter, RoadBikeRider.com Newsletter
Issue No. 234 - 03/02/06: Carbon Care ISSN 1536-4143, a freebie newsletter filled with sometimes interesting and sometimes useful - for me anyway. 🙂 Having recently been introduced to the joys of carbon comfort I've been a little worried about stories of things breaking with no warning so found this... comforting... On reflection I'd have put noises down to moving bits of the bike, and weird handling to my own lack of skills :o Oh... and I ride a Giant, have only ever ridden Giants, all my family have Giants, all my extended family have Giants, etc.😄 ]
2. Uncle Al: Carbon Care o^o o^o o^o o^o o^o o^o
I'm a Trek dealer and proud of it.
I'm sure plenty of you have experiences and opinions
regarding different bike brands that make you either loyal
followers or harsh critics. I'm not trying to sell bikes
here, but I think you should know how committed Trek is to
the safety of riders, particularly those that use carbon
fiber components.
Riders keep asking the question: "How do I know if my carbon
frame/fork/bar/stem is damaged and about to fail?"
One good way is to follow the lead that Trek has established
in the industry with its Carbon Care Program. Using Trek's
guidelines, you'll be able to make a very educated guess as
to the condition of your equipment following that fall in a
sandy corner or drive into the garage with your prized
possession still on the roof rack.
It goes like this:
---Visual test. Check the carbon for gouges, scratches,
cracks, loose fibers and other unexplained visual flaws.
When you're cleaning your machine (I know you do that often)
and the rag gets snagged, it's a sign that something isn't
right and needs a closer look.
---Audible test. Listen for uncommon sounds when you're
riding: creaks, pops, groans and other weird noises you've
never heard before. If these sounds are coming from your
body, that doesn't really count. You might want to go see
Andy Pruitt.
---Tactile test. Pay attention to how your bike shifts,
brakes, corners and accelerates, feeling for any strange
changes to handling or ride quality. If the bike pulls one
way or the other, if it's suddenly ghost shifting or if it
has simply lost that loving feeling, investigate what's up.
When a shadow of doubt creeps into your mind, follow your
instincts.
Carbon fiber components do not always show obvious signs of
impending failure. So if any of these three tests make you
suspicious about the health of your carbon widget, run,
don't walk, to your favorite bike shop and have them scope
it out. They'll use an expert eye and experience to give you
what might be the most important opinion you ever hear.
Of course, other materials can fail too. As a matter of
course, check every frame, fork and component for signs of
stress and damage no matter what they're made of. You'd be
amazed at how much cracked equipment we've discovered at the
shop when the owners had no idea.
You can save yourself from needless pain and suffering by
simply doing Trek's three tests. My hat's off to them on
this one.
(Click [email hidden] to tell us a mechanical
matter you'd like to see Uncle-ized. To read more from Uncle
Al, click here.)