Captain Crunch
10-09-02, 12:10 PM
How long do carbon frames last? Are they as durable as steel and aluminum or do they wear out quickly?
Road Cycling - Carbon Frame Durability?
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khuon
10-09-02, 04:56 PM
Originally posted by Captain Crunch
How long do carbon frames last? Are they as durable as steel and aluminum or do they wear out quickly?
It depends on how you ride I guess. My CF MTB is still holding up strong after about 4 years. This is not to say that with proper care another frame material won't last as long. My old 10-year old steel hardtail was in rather good condition.... at least until I gave it to my brother... who left it on his front porch... unlocked... where it got stolen... but that's a family affair. |8^) Many others from the K2 bike forums also report their Oz/4500C/5500C frames as being bulletproof. I don't think CF fatigues like Al does nor will it rust like steel. It is however more succeptable to catastrophic failure resulting from a chip or crack so if you get into a crash, make sure to have the frame closely inspected. There were issues with galvonic reaction problems with earlier frames at CF/A (or any metal as I recall)l junctions (dropouts, metal threaded inserts and lugs) but those have been ironed out within recent years. I also think earlier frames suffered from delamination issues too. I think if the frame was made in the last 5 years, they should be safe. I see no reason why a CF roadbike shouldn't last a lifetime unless you crash a lot. I'm glad my roadbike has a lifetime crash replacement warranty. I don't think CF is any less durable than steel or Ti.. you just have to know how to take proper care of CF frames and CF components.
Caveat - not all CF are equal. |8^)
How long do carbon frames last? Are they as durable as steel and aluminum or do they wear out quickly?
It depends on how you ride I guess. My CF MTB is still holding up strong after about 4 years. This is not to say that with proper care another frame material won't last as long. My old 10-year old steel hardtail was in rather good condition.... at least until I gave it to my brother... who left it on his front porch... unlocked... where it got stolen... but that's a family affair. |8^) Many others from the K2 bike forums also report their Oz/4500C/5500C frames as being bulletproof. I don't think CF fatigues like Al does nor will it rust like steel. It is however more succeptable to catastrophic failure resulting from a chip or crack so if you get into a crash, make sure to have the frame closely inspected. There were issues with galvonic reaction problems with earlier frames at CF/A (or any metal as I recall)l junctions (dropouts, metal threaded inserts and lugs) but those have been ironed out within recent years. I also think earlier frames suffered from delamination issues too. I think if the frame was made in the last 5 years, they should be safe. I see no reason why a CF roadbike shouldn't last a lifetime unless you crash a lot. I'm glad my roadbike has a lifetime crash replacement warranty. I don't think CF is any less durable than steel or Ti.. you just have to know how to take proper care of CF frames and CF components.
Caveat - not all CF are equal. |8^)
pat5319
10-09-02, 05:37 PM
It depends on the frame (maker)
ride lots
Pat
ride lots
Pat
Davet
10-09-02, 10:41 PM
I had a '94 CarbonFrames (very early Calfee) Tetra Pro that was just fine. I sold it earlier this year to get a Calfee that better fit me in my 'older' age. I expect that it will last longer than I care to keep it.
L J Horton
10-10-02, 03:34 PM
I've had an AEGIS for 7 years. Still going strong.
ImprezaDrvr
10-11-02, 09:05 AM
As a material, carbon fiber has a virtually infinite fatigue life, allowing it to be worked with in lighter form than many metals. Take that as opposed to aluminum, which has a much shorter fatigue life. (In other words, over several cycles of the same stress on the frame, you see failure in aluminum before carbon.) Yes, carbon is a brittle material, but brittle only refers to how it fails when it fails, not how easily it fails. Aluminum is brittle, too, compared to steel or ti. This simply means that, when a steel frame will bend under high stress, an aluminum or carbon bike is going to break.
None of this speaks to carbon's actual strength. You can apply as much of a load to carbon as you can to steel. Same with aluminum.
That's the basics of the materials, but it's ultimately in the hands of a framebuilder. I have a 10 year old steel mountain bike that's in great shape, a 5 year old aluminum roadie bike that gets ridden alot that's in great shape, too. Failure in carbon frames is, typically, at a joint or lug. Except in unusualy circumstances, such as a crash, you don't see failure in the middle of a tube.
Simple anwer: It depends on who builds the frame, but carbon will last as long as steel, both of which will last just slightly longer than aluminum.
None of this speaks to carbon's actual strength. You can apply as much of a load to carbon as you can to steel. Same with aluminum.
That's the basics of the materials, but it's ultimately in the hands of a framebuilder. I have a 10 year old steel mountain bike that's in great shape, a 5 year old aluminum roadie bike that gets ridden alot that's in great shape, too. Failure in carbon frames is, typically, at a joint or lug. Except in unusualy circumstances, such as a crash, you don't see failure in the middle of a tube.
Simple anwer: It depends on who builds the frame, but carbon will last as long as steel, both of which will last just slightly longer than aluminum.
Xavier
10-11-02, 10:19 AM
It depends greatly on how you treat it and the construction.
There are basicly 2 types
Internal lugs and external lugs.
I have seen that external lugs (Colnago, Calfee, Parlee) tend to last much longer than the internal lugs (Trek) They are beffier and stiffer.
Bottom line is a frame if treated good will last many many years no matter what material.
There are basicly 2 types
Internal lugs and external lugs.
I have seen that external lugs (Colnago, Calfee, Parlee) tend to last much longer than the internal lugs (Trek) They are beffier and stiffer.
Bottom line is a frame if treated good will last many many years no matter what material.