chainzawz

Hey all, me again with yet another question! Ok so as I am sure some of you know I have been thinking of upgrading my LeMond. Then I though since I wouls spend the same amount on that I could most likely pick up a frame for a deal and then get the parts and build a bike up myself. OK no for the question. One of my friends who works at a bike shop can get me a real good deal on a carbonfiber frame. It's from a company that has been around for a few years and I have called they customer service center and they seemed real nice! Ok, so my question is this, me being a clyde and all is getting a carbonfiber frame worth it? Will it support my weight at 220#?

TIA!

(51)

You like fiberglass splinters in your bum?

J/K. At 220 I think you are safe.

ChunkyB

You shouldn't have any problem, but the main thing that will make a frame fail is if you're jumping curbs and hitting pot holes and what not. I don't know of a bike + clyde combination that would fail if you're just riding in good conditions. It seems like it's the momentary impact that can mess up a frame.

My dad weighed about 230 when he got his Giant OCR Limited, and he hasn't had any problems with it, and he crashes pretty frequently. It's actually the subject of much joking in our family. You should have seen the chainring scar he got on his left calf one time.

If you do get a new frame and build it up, I think you will really enjoy it. I'm sure it will be an awesome experience. I just got my first road bike used, so no building, but I'd like to build up my next bike from scratch. You'll have that special bond like mothers and children have because they carry them through the whole process (maybe I'm stretching that one a little).

2Faced

I was a little cautious when I bought my first carbon frame. At a normal weight of 250-260 I had concern over it's ability to withstand the stress. I asked an "educated" rider and his thaought was thet even though an average TDF racer is approximately 145 lbs he puts more significant stress on every part of his bike than I could ever dream of. The power those tiny little guys put into each pedal stroke far exceeds anything my chunky arse will subject the frame to. I went ahead and bought the frame and have since purchased two more carbon bikes. My most recent, a Parlee Z1, should be here any day.

Fear not the fiber magnanimous ones it is your friend!

chainzawz

Thanks for the replies guys! I am really thinking about getting the frame, it's from a new company in the bike scene been around for a year or two. I have seen lots of people riding the frame that I am interested in getting so atleast I know that people are riding it! I am going to plan on getting the frame (have to wait a week or so for the paycheck!) then I will be of to the LBS to get it! Then all I will have to do is figure out what parts to get! I was planning on getting the SRAM rival groupset since it's cheap and seems to be a good deal. Then I will have to pickout my Handlebars, stem, and other items and I should be good to go!

ChunkyB

You should post something to see if anyone here is getting rid of used components. That's pretty common, and you might be able to save a ton of money.

chainzawz

hey chunkyB. Thanks for the reply! Thats a great idea! I will have to keep that in mind!

OK now for another question regarding CF. Should I get a CF seatpost, bars, stem or should I get aluminum ones? is CF handlebars going to be strong enough?

ChunkyB

You're welcome. I'm living vicariously through you because I know I won't be able to buy another bike any time soon.

Here's my $0.02
Seatpost: Yes. These are really common, and they can help to quiet street vibrations. Your frame will quiet much of this, but it would pretty rare to find a CF bike with an AL seatpost. They're cheap and worth it, IMO.

Stem: Maybe.

Bars: Maybe. I don't think you need to worry about strength. You shouldn't be putting too much weight on your bars anyways, so I don't think that would be a problem. Some CF bars look really comfortable, and many people swear by them (I don't have them).

Good luck. When it comes down to, I don't think you need to worry about strength on any CF parts in particular. If you want all the CF you can get, just get it, especially if you're riding in normal conditions. And, honestly, 220 isn't too much. You're a clyde, but you're on the leaner side of clydes (I'm 265).

chainzawz

Thanks for the reply! The information is really helpful! I am not sure what I will do for parts. I am a bit worried about installing the BB by myself, I guess I could always get the LBS to do it. I am trying to keep this as cheap as possible since I still have to get myself some shoes and pedals (which costs a bit) so I am still looking into parts. I will let you guys know if I do end up going this route, I am still not sure if I am going to or not!

chainzawz

ok does this sound right to you guys, ok the frame is 2.7 Pounds and the groupset that I picked out (just for a weight, I wanted to know how much it might weigh) ok, so the frame is 2.7 pounds and the groupset with pedals seatpost bar and handlebars, so thats the whole bike it only weighs 9.7 pounds! Plus whatever the wheels will weight (im getting some of those too) Does that sound right?

CliftonGK1

CF frame/fork are usually not a problem, unless as someone mentioned above, you're jumping it off curbs and bunnyhopping potholes. The tech used in making CF frames has come a long way since the days the early bonded carbon tubes. Heck, I raced an early model Trek 2100 (CF tubes on aluminum stays/forks) and had no problem with it, and I was about 210 at my top racing weight. I still rode it when I was around 240 pounds, with no problems.

CF bars are light and have nice shock damping quality, and unless you really torque on your bars all the time, you shouldn't have a problem with them.

The CF seatpost is the only place I'd worry. They're strong and well designed and all... but they're also designed with smaller riders in mind.

CliftonGK1

When you say groupset, are you sure it's everything?

cranks
der's
cassette
chain
brakes

don't forget the oft overlooked, but significant weight items (when added up) like:
bottom bracket
headset
saddle

With a 2.7 pound f/f, the average total weight I've seen for lightweight equipped bikes ends up being around 16 pounds (for a 56cm frame)

chainzawz

Thanks for the reply, according to the guy at the LBS the frame, fork, and headset weigh in at 2.7 LBS, I am not sure if this is right (seems a little off to me). As for the Groupset I came up with 3170 grams, this includes the brakes, cranks, derailers, cassett, chain, seatpost, stem, bottom bracket, handlebars, everything but a saddle (lol) BTW the frame is a 54 (I have an odd body).

2Faced

OK chain spill it...what frame are you looking at? I think it unlikely that you can build a 2.7 lb frame into a 9-10 lb bike using SRAM Rival. Using any multi speed group actually will prevent you from building a bike that light. All that being said, don't sweat the weight weenie aspect and build yourself a nice strong bike that you will enjoy riding for years to come. I have two bikes right now one Ti and one Carbon neither of which weigh under 16 lbs. My Parlee will probably weigh just a hair under 16 when it's all built up. My thought provcess is such that I am at least 40 lbs overweight, why should I sweat my bike being just one or two.

I have a carbon post, carbon stem and carbon bars on my Lynskey (Ti Bike). Carbon all around on my BMC (carbon Bike) and will have an Akuminum post, carbon stem and bars on my parlee (carbon bike).

I'm more interested in ride quality than weight and think I have hit on the best combo's for each frame. Of course I won't know for sure until I puit a bunch of miles on the Parlee when I get it.

Cheers!

chainzawz

2Faced, thanks for the reply! The frame I am looking at is this one https://www.velovie.com/product_info....bb18a2dee2ff5f

It retails for 999 USD through the company, but the guy at my LBS say that he can get it for less (atleast thats what he said). The comment is funny about being a weight weenie! I never thought I would be worrying about the weight of the bike. The info on the site says that it's a 2.7 pound frame, and when I asked my LBS guy today he said that included the fork and the headset (not sure if thats right, does sound a bit off). It seems like a good frame, and my LBS guys had nothing to say but good stuff about it! So I am hoping that it is good!

Daveyboy

I've 5,000 miles on my CF frame, forks and seatpost - no problems whatsoever (at 220 lbs down from 245). My only complaint is the cheap wheelset that came with the bike (Shimano WH R560). Velocity Deep V's or DT Swiss RR 1.2's come to mind as a good clyde-proof wheel set.

DieselDan

Get a well made set of 32 or 36 spoke wheels and you should be good. If you are using an aluminum post in a CF frame, take care to remove the post every time you clean the bike to prevent galvanic corrosion from forming and seizing the post into the frame. This is a problem with aluminum post in steel, CF, or titanium frames.

ChunkyB

I love the frame. It's really nice looking. I wish the picture would actually enlarge when you click "enlarge image", but it looks really sweet. Good luck with the build. I'm sure the guys at the LBS will help you with some of the harder parts, and they might even let you help and not charge as much, so you can learn, but that will depend on the shop. Good luck with the build if you do it.

chainzawz

Thanks for the reply! Yeah I hate when "enlarge Image" nevery works. The company offers a few other frames but I see no reason to spend the extra money on it. As for building it up, I do plan on doing most of it myself. The only thing I plan on letting the LBS do is the bottom bracket and the crankset. I can do it myself it is just I don't feel like it (haha, plus if somthing goes wrong with it I can bring it to them and get free labor). other than that I will do everything else myself!

ChunkyB

I don't have much experience with it, but I'm pretty sure you have to pack the bearings in the bottom bracket with grease. I definitely wouldn't try to do that myself, so that's understandable. It seems like that would be an easy part to mess up, and it could have pretty bad consequences. Good luck, and be sure to post some sexy pics when it's all done. I've never seen that frame before, so I'm excited to see some actual pictures of it.

v1k1ng1001

No, you should definitely try to find a hot deal on a 60cm CAAD9 from Cannondale.

chainzawz

I will post pics! I am hoping that I have enough money for it! It's all riding on my paycheck! I have been saving up!

Wogster

Carbon fibre, or more accurately carbon fibre reinforced plastic, is an amazingly strong, light weight material, it will not rust, absorbs shock and can be oriented differently in different components, making it even stronger. It has only one problem, it tends to hide damage, which weakens the material, when weakened it can suffer catastrophic failure. Nothing like catching the door prize on a car, then having your fork break half way down suicide drop, because you didn't realize the fork was damaged.

Now CF is very expensive, but doesn't really offer as big an advantage as most people think, a CF frame and fork may be 3lbs, a steel frame and fork, for 1/3rd the price is 5lbs, AL is 4.25lbs for little more then the steel, and Ti is 3.5lbs for just under the price of the CF.

Is it worth it? That's rider and budget specific, see the frame is only one part, so if you spend a large portion of your budget on the frame, then the other components need to be cheaper and heavier, it doesn't take much to use up those 2lbs you saved on the frame, so you might actually end up with a heavier bicycle.....

Halthane

Not likely. Will most likely be using cartridge or external bearing bb. The thing I'd recomend having them do is actually the headset especially as that one is an integrated headset. BBs are easy.

Out of curiosity what group are you planning on putting on it?

Be aware that you will very likely spend substantially more money buying a frame, groupset, wheels, stem, bars, and etc than buying a production bike. The Experience of building and learning to maintain your bike is worth something but keep this in mind as well.

Honestly, if you are going to shell out that kind of cash, I'd take a long hard look at the cervelo soloist you were looking at last week, I'd put money on it being a better bike (quite a bit of money actually).

chainzawz

Thanks for the reply! I was actually thinking about this last night, I am all for the whole carbonfiber thing, but I am just worried abou the whole unseen damage thing (I am moving and I have no ideas what the roads are like...so I am kind of playing it safe!)

So you are suggesting getting the cervelo soloist?