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Old 05-15-17 | 10:58 PM
  #16  
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mstateglfr
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Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 18,699
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From: Des Moines, IA

Bikes: '18 class built steel roadbike, '19 Fairlight Secan, '88 Schwinn Premis , Black Mountain Cycles Monstercross V4, '89 Novara Trionfo

Originally Posted by willibrord
Carbon neutral? Carbon is a more environmentaly friendly frame material than Steel or aluminum.
I am not disagreeing, I have simply never seen a good study to back up your comment.

How is it more environmentally friendly? At the manufacturing point? At the end point? Overall in every way measurable?

What i have read is this-
- it takes 14 times more energy to create a CF frame vs a steel frame.
- steel and aluminum frames and components can be recycled. There is no established recycling process for CF frames or components.
- CF doesnt break down over time due to the very properties which make it so appealing as a finished product.


There are steel frame bikes still in use which are 50 years old. Millions of 20-40 year old steel frame bikes are still able to be used in the US alone. Seriously- millions.
At what year of use does a steel frame catch up to carbon?...after 10 years? 20?


I am genuinely interested in this topic so please link specifics showing in what way(s) metal frames are environmentally worse, and measurably how much worse they are.

Really- Worse in terms of water use at the point of manufacturing? Worse in terms of pollutants released durong manufacturing? Worse how?
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