Got wood for a new commuter?
 

http://www.renovobikes.com/

Laminated bamboo. Not buying, but they sure look nice!

http://www.renovobikes.com/storage/t...=1238595459075



http://www.renovobikes.com/storage/t...=1238385280649

Very interesting. A bit too expensive for me to blow on a(nother) toy right now...

Wow!

I won't buy a bicycle frame from anyone that tries to convince me that carbon fiber has a longer fatigue life than steel.

Ok then, that makes buying a frame easier...
 

"I won't buy a bicycle frame from anyone that tries to convince me that carbon fiber has a longer fatigue life than steel."

According to:
Deda: "Carbon lasts longer than metal."
Kestrel: "carbon composites are not subject to fatigue failures as metals are"
Columbus: "A fiber composite material has higher fatigue life, tensile strength and stiffness than metals"
Reynolds: "Our fatigue testing would indicate that well built composite forks are far superior to metal forks, with cycle counts running hundreds of thousands of cycles rather than tens of thousands".
Easton: "The good news is the fatigue life of carnon fiber is immensely more than that of metals. In general terms, a component made from carbon fiber will far out last a component made from metal"
Calfee: "Carbon fiber also has a better fatigue life than steel, titanium, or aluminum."
Trek: The benefits of carbon (over metals) are increased stiffness, lighter weight and longer fatigue life..."

Talk is cheap and fast, education is expensive and time consuming, but answers are ever so much useful that way.

And there you have it. Five posts for a thread on wood bicycles to devolve into a debate over carbon versus steel.

I am unfamiliar with carbon fiber fatigue cycles, and I am not convinced that quoting a bunch of manufacturers that sell carbon fiber frames is very smart. However, if the load on steel is kept to 50% of its yield strength, your fatigue life approaches infinity. It's hard to beat infinity. What, I am I supposed to believe that the fatigue life for carbon is infinity + infinity?

PS- Google carbon fiber fatigue life, carbon fiber DOES fatigue and fail catastrophically.

Yes, because the manufacture of said wooden bicycle made a hard to swallow statement. I have nothing against bamboo bicycles. But like I said, I find it hard to trust that manufacturers claims. Also, if carbon fiber has a longer fatigue life than bamboo, shouldn't I be looking into a carbon fiber bike?

But wood is carbon. :lol:

OOOoooooohh.... nice... I could never have something so functional and beautiful. The sad fact of the matter is, as careful as I am with my baby, she still gets a scratch every now and then, and the parts that don't matter are as dirty as sin. If I got one of these beauts, I would have to leave it inside and never take it out for fear of damaging it, and I have enough frustration in my life without adding a bike I couldn't ride. But when I leave this place, and move into my white gloved world, this bike and I will become one, for ever and always. Amen.

http://www.tr719.com/charinco-blog/i...en-bicycle.jpg
http://www.bike123.com/images/wooden_bike01_550x413.jpg

Wooden bikes look cool. I;ll bet some of the originals were wooden.

[QUOTE=Tabor;8984561]"I am not convinced that quoting a bunch of manufacturers that sell carbon fiber frames is very smart."

Jeez, yeah, it would be dangerous to trust these guys alright:
Deda manufactures high-end steel frame tubing sets, carbon frame sets and other accessories.
Columbus manufactures steel frame tubing sets, (some say the finest), and carbon frame components.
Reynolds manufactures steel frame tubing sets as well as carbon components.
Easton manufactures aluminum frame tubing sets and wheels, as well as carbon forks and wheels.
Calfee manufactures carbon and bamboo frames.

There is no debate about the fatigue life of carbon vs. steel in the engineering community, only among those who substitute opinions for knowledge.

:roflmao2: