Mountain Biking - Carbon Fiber do you use it or not?

Do you have carbon fiber handle bars and seat post and so on?

Just handlebar and brake levers. Oh and the shell of the saddle is carbon too. That's only on one bike.

I guess the road bike has some carbon too...seatpost and fork.

yeah those carbon brake levers look bad ass

I would use it in places like levers, rims, frames, pedals. I'm not a fan of using it in handlebars, stems and seatposts.

EDIT: I just remembered - my new road bike has everything carbon except cranks, wheels, brakes and headset.

dude that P3 carbon is the freakiest thing I have ever seen... I want it!

oops I voted wrong, I have some old sram carbon brake levers.

Don't trust it yet off road...

I'll hang on a few more years - once it starts showing up in earnest on the FR/DH scene, I'll trust it for my nancy-boy XC/AM riding :D

Road use on the other hand, I've got carbon seatstays and forks on my Litespeed, and like it fine.

What is the big deal with CF? Sorry, Im new and have no idea

its just some of the lightest material you can put on a bike... it has some issues of durability though

I don't trust carbon fiber....and I'm not a weight weenie so no worries:p

The Selector,

Stop Trolling, you have been warned about this before.

Konarider24,
Forum Moderator

dude I knew you would be talking about that... its a legitimate question... people have opinions and experiences. can't we here about them?

This has been discussed numerous times. It would be easier to do a search.

i know but its usually about road bikes. we were having a discussion the other day, many people chimed in, and I thought I would make a new thread about it

It has been discussed quite a bit in the mountain bike section as well. In my opinion carbon is safe on an xc bike anywhere but the seatpost. It doesn't belong on a downhill or freeride bike though (unless it's an X.0 rear derailleur or shifters).

Durability questions, if it was 8 years ago then yes a valid argument, but today, carbon is much more acceptable, and it is starting to appear in the DH ranks.

[qoute] it has some issues of durability though[/quote]

Stop, just stop.

I don't get it? I even did a search of his posts (because I can't do anything else right now...horay for being kaput) and didn't see any trolling.

Perhaps his posts aren't the most informative, but seems far from trolling.

His points are in type to spark arguments. Just acting before it gets out of hand.

yup, an mtb frame & some componentry.

I would only use it for some parts such as handle bars or a seat post.

[qoute by konarider24] Durability questions, if it was 8 years ago then yes a valid argument, but today, carbon is much more acceptable[/quote]


I'm not the only one...

http://www.lhthomson.com/carbon_seatpost.htm

why don't you read it and learn something

who cares about other peoples heated argumentive battles..
Try it if you don't like it don't use it.
I think i heard something like this somewhere before "Shut up & ride"

if you get easton seatpost and bars then youll end up with almost the same weight with a stronger setup

I'm not the only one...

http://www.lhthomson.com/carbon_seatpost.htm

why don't you read it and learn something



http://www.bcdracing.com/

Read and eat crow. Only one of the inedibles have ever broken and that was due to a car running over it. Carbon Fiber is durable so HA!

http://www.bcdracing.com/

Read and eat crow. Only one of the inedibles have ever broken and that was due to a car running over it. Carbon Fiber is durable so HA!


who is that? your dad or something? just because one place made one fork that didn't break means next to nothing.

quote form the thomson article (I see you didn't read) "Bikes are used in rigorous ways in the outdoor environment. Bikes are prone to being scratched and dinged in their use. The strength of carbon fiber is vulnerable if it gets a surface scratch."

why dont you research what you say before you say it

eat my crows taint buddy

Carbon fiber is fine for bicycles. I used to run EC70 handlebars, but wanted handlebars outside of the few that Easton suggested. So i sold that and bought a Ritchey aluminum setup.
THat thing saw drops, crashes, it was fine. I would not hesitate riding a reputable carbon fiber frame either...

Carbon fiber is used on space craft, it is ment for high strength application. You will see it on cars, and I believe now some aircraft. Its used as the turret for giant windmills to generate electricity. Yes its strong enough for a bicycle :rolleyes:

why dont you research what you say before you say it

Why don't you ride some and gain some real world experience?

I have used various flavors of carbon bars and seatposts for more than a decade and the only issues that I have had were some small cracks in one type of handlebar (Easton, promptly warrantied BTW).

For the past 3+ years I've trashed the same carbon handlebars on my trail rig and my FR/DH rig.

No issues, despite many surface scratches.

Oh and about the "scratch diminishes strength", get real folks. Look at a carbon fiber component, the top layer is all for looks anyways. Unless you go at it with a hatchet, and get into the weaving, its fine.

whatever I dont use it and it fails catastrophically... get over it

who is that? your dad or something? just because one place made one fork that didn't break means next to nothing.

quote form the thomson article (I see you didn't read) "Bikes are used in rigorous ways in the outdoor environment. Bikes are prone to being scratched and dinged in their use. The strength of carbon fiber is vulnerable if it gets a surface scratch."

why dont you research what you say before you say it

eat my crows taint buddy

Why don't you read past the mainscreen of the site, the whole bike is carbon fiber, the overall history of the bikes is only one bike broken due to getting run over by a car. Thomson is going to say that to get more people to buy their metal posts. I don't need to do the research, especially with the seat post thread where you said you never held a thomson before, is that where you heard of Thomson.

Why don't you ride some and gain some real world experience?

I have used various flavors of carbon bars and seatposts for more than a decade and the only issues that I have had were some small cracks in one type of handlebar (Easton, promptly warrantied BTW).

For the past 3+ years I've trashed the same carbon handlebars on my trail rig and my FR/DH rig.

No issues, despite many surface scratches.

yeah, I've ridden them and I dont like them... sorry

Why don't you read past the mainscreen of the site, the whole bike is carbon fiber, the overall history of the bikes is only one bike broken due to getting run over by a car. Thomson is going to say that to get more people to buy their metal posts. I don't need to do the research, especially with the seat post thread where you said you never held a thomson before, is that where you heard of Thomson.


dude you have no argument. you said to somebody stop trolling... wtf are you doing right here right now

I am believer that 96ish % of the people who say "carbon fails catastrophically" have never had it fail, and are saying this completely from "well my friend has a friend who read an article about some guy that said his girlfriends top of the line Giant frame totally failed and she got splinter from it and had to go to the ER"
ANd then 50% have never even used a carbon component

I have a BMX bike that has carbon. Carbon handlebars, carbon top tube, carbon bottom tube, carbon fork, carbon cranks. Thomson seatpost:) (Carbon headset spacers!! YAY!) Bottom of seat is carbon also.

carbon is cool!

yeah, I've ridden them and I dont like them... sorry

So why don't you like them?

There's no need to apologise. It won't make me laugh any less.

yeah it looks alright

THis kind of makes me laugh, I don't even have a peice of carbon fiber on the bike. That is changing though.

Wasn't it khuon who had that XC bike that was almost 100% carbon fiber? I'm sure he will have things to say about it

Carbon fibre? Nope. I don't touch the stuff. :D

http://www.neebu.net/~khuon/albums/1999-k2-ozm/PICT0004.thumb.jpg (http://www.neebu.net/~khuon/albums/1999-k2-ozm/PICT0004.jpg)http://www.neebu.net/~khuon/albums/1999-k2-ozm/PICT0018.thumb.jpg (http://www.neebu.net/~khuon/albums/1999-k2-ozm/PICT0018.jpg)http://www.neebu.net/~khuon/albums/1999-k2-ozm/PICT0019.thumb.jpg (http://www.neebu.net/~khuon/albums/1999-k2-ozm/PICT0019.jpg)http://www.neebu.net/~khuon/albums/1999-k2-ozm/PICT0039.thumb.jpg (http://www.neebu.net/~khuon/albums/1999-k2-ozm/PICT0039.jpg)

Carbon fibre? Nope. I don't touch the stuff. :D

http://www.neebu.net/~khuon/albums/1999-k2-ozm/PICT0004.thumb.jpg (http://www.neebu.net/~khuon/albums/1999-k2-ozm/PICT0004.jpg)http://www.neebu.net/~khuon/albums/1999-k2-ozm/PICT0018.thumb.jpg (http://www.neebu.net/~khuon/albums/1999-k2-ozm/PICT0018.jpg)http://www.neebu.net/~khuon/albums/1999-k2-ozm/PICT0019.thumb.jpg (http://www.neebu.net/~khuon/albums/1999-k2-ozm/PICT0019.jpg)http://www.neebu.net/~khuon/albums/1999-k2-ozm/PICT0039.thumb.jpg (http://www.neebu.net/~khuon/albums/1999-k2-ozm/PICT0039.jpg)
Not too shabby :).
How is that 'Smart shock' by the way? I remember a while ago it was on ebay a lot, and was always hesitant to buy.

Not too shabby :).
How is that 'Smart shock' by the way? I remember a while ago it was on ebay a lot, and was always hesitant to buy.

It works pretty well. It's a tad heavy though. It uses a technology that was originally developed to handle damping in landing struts on carrier aircraft. First generation SmartShocks had problems with their water seals and they'd short out but I have a later generation one and haven't had any problems. Also remember that these things were developed before the age of more intricate valved shocks that are currently on the market. Regardless, they work as advertised. They have three settings:


Smart/Full-range - the damping is applied across the full range of travel
Soft - the damping is biased for low frequency hits
Hard/Lockout - Initially locked out with blowoff and biased towards damping very big hits


I normally leave it in the smart mode but if I'm doing lots of climbing then I'll switch it to lockout. I only use the soft mode if I'm intending to do big jumps or somesuch.

I suppose I should also mention that there's a fourth setting... off. With the SmartShock turned off or if its batteries have died, the damping qualities revert back to a baseline that is similar to the old Noleen NR-2 from which it was derived.

AHHH! that mountain bike fork scares me! the drop outs are wacky!!!

AHHH! that mountain bike fork scares me! the drop outs are wacky!!!

It only looks scary. ;)

Well, to use carbon fiber or not. It seems as though you can trust it on your ass. Seriously.

http://www.bikemannetwork.com/biking/p/COMPSASI/SA5189

You might want to look at it in a larger veiw.

I actually broke my SLR. I mean, I got it used for free, but I rode on it for four months or so before it split in half, laterally. It was weird. It was comfortable before it broke but I am not paying for another one. Atleast not until I lose 30lbs atleast (or get a road bike)

well, it all depends on you, if you are planning to change your carbon components after a few years then go ahead cause remember, carbon is not metal its non-metal, its stiff and lightweight but its brittle. Something for you to keep in mind

And let's not forget this guy (http://www.bmeres.com/index.htm). He not only manufactured his own CF frames but headsets, seatposts, brake booster and hubs. He also built a CF/bamboo MTB frame.

http://www.bmeres.com/images/bamboobike.jpg

I think his axle-less CF front hub (with CF Q/R levers) is pretty cool too.

http://www.bmeres.com/images/axleless4.jpg

I voted Yes. I have carbon seatpost, handlebars and cranks. Having said that, I only weigh 140lbs, and yes I'd probably re-consider if I was any heavier.

well, it all depends on you, if you are planning to change your carbon components after a few years then go ahead cause remember, carbon is not metal its non-metal, its stiff and lightweight but its brittle. Something for you to keep in mind

There is no need to change carbon components after a few years.

Depending upon the application, carbon doesn't have to be stiff(in fact it can be quite flexy, the mast in the picture below is carbon) nor is it brittle (as in seatposts, handlebars, etc.).

http://www.paradigmhosting.net/images/sherman.jpg

After using it for quite a time like 2 years then it will start become brittle, but if you are sponsored its a different thing cause every year you change your bike

After using it for quite a time like 2 years then it will start become brittle

Nope, you're wrong.

Sorry.