Originally Posted by
CrimsonEclipse
Is it a Carbon Fiber thing or do people clamp the frame like it holds the Earth on its axis?
I can't imagine the force needed to dent my frames.
It is best to clamp any bike by the seatpost because that is a thick and supportive tube. Top tubes are meant to be very thin and it is easier to dent with the clamp if you tighten it too much. This holds true for aluminum and steel bikes because those can dent. A carbon fiber frame would just crack rather than dent, since the fiber layup isnt 'dentable'. Also, mounting by the top tube can easily lead to scratched/rubbed paint if the frame moves laterally in the clamp.
With that said, I mount bikes by the top tube all the time for quick issues on bikes that have a wedge bag in place and not enough easily accessible seatpost. I either wont clamp it at all and just balance the bike, or I will clamp it and tighten only to the point of the clamp contacting the tube and no tighter.
You also shouldnt mount it by the seat tube, to be clear.