Found a Rocky Mountain carbon frame, how do I know it's not defective/broken?

[vmhatup]

Hi everyone,
I'm new to this forums and I needed some help buying a newer bike.

Brief intro: I've been street riding for about a year now, but I use a KMart mongoose MTB that I bought used for about USD$ 60. It's slowly breaking down so I'm thinking of buying a newer one.

I recently saw a Rocky Mountain Vertex 70 carbon frame for USD$ 200. How can I know that this frame is actually carbon and is not defective or broken? Is that a good price for this frame?

Thanks.

[kaimat]

Someone else may likely correct me, but I think the only way to tell would be to bring it to a bike shop and they have some kind of xraying tool or something that can look for cracks. Idk, how I'd feel about a $200 carbon frame.

[fishymamba]

Someone else may likely correct me, but I think the only way to tell would be to bring it to a bike shop and they have some kind of xraying tool or something that can look for cracks. Idk, how I'd feel about a $200 carbon frame.

This is the only way to be 100% sure. If you can't do that, just look over the frame for any small cracks or chips. That is a $1000+ frame, if it is OK it is a killer deal.

[gregf83]

You can try going up and down the tubes tapping them with a nickel. You'll hear what normal tubes sound like and if you find any places that sound significantly different then you likely have a problem.

[punkncat]

Being able to see through the frame to the interior parts in places you are not supposed to is usually a good indication. Same goes for angles that seem out of place or splinters hanging off a tube....