Environmental impact of carbon fiber frames?
01-09-11, 09:24 AM
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Environmental impact of carbon fiber frames?
Anyone have a good link or summary of what happens to the environment during the entire lifecycle of a carbon fiber frame, from production to discarding? Just curious.
01-09-11, 09:32 AM
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Originally Posted by hhnngg1
Anyone have a good link or summary of what happens to the environment during the entire lifecycle of a carbon fiber frame, from production to discarding? Just curious.
01-09-11, 09:45 AM
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**********?? If you are that concerned, take up walking.....barefoot....LOL
01-09-11, 10:04 AM
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01-09-11, 10:25 AM
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Originally Posted by hhnngg1
Anyone have a good link or summary of what happens to the environment during the entire lifecycle of a carbon fiber frame, from production to discarding? Just curious.
And never mind the environmental impact of what it took to feed you last week.
01-09-11, 10:38 AM
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Originally Posted by hhnngg1
Anyone have a good link or summary of what happens to the environment during the entire lifecycle of a carbon fiber frame, from production to discarding? Just curious.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_...forced_polymer
01-09-11, 10:55 AM
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i hardly think that the volume of carbon bikes ammounts to very much in the grand scheme of industrial activity by the human race. Don't do the knee jerk reaction when you hear the word carbon. carbon bad...oooo ahhhhh.
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01-09-11, 11:02 AM
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The amount of carbon fiber used by the cycling industry is a drop in the bucket compared to aviation and other industries. Worrying about CF from bikes is akin to worrying about the mercury content of energy-saving light bulbs.
01-09-11, 11:04 AM
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Lots of landfill space is being taken by exploded frames.
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Originally Posted by Velo Vol
People here don't get it.
01-09-11, 11:08 AM
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Originally Posted by kenji666
It's carbon and resin. All natural.
Originally Posted by ciocc_cat
The amount of carbon fiber used by the cycling industry is a drop in the bucket compared to aviation and other industries. Worrying about CF from bikes is akin to worrying about the mercury content of energy-saving light bulbs.
I have a hard time seeing what's wrong with someone wanting to make informed decisions. If everyone did that we might have a lot less toxic materials in the environment.
01-09-11, 11:08 AM
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So, so far, the answer to your original question is "no". No one has a good summary or link. For what it's worth, I'd like to know, too. Just saying it's less of an impact than this or that other activity isn't really the point is it? What would be interesting would be to compare carbon to aluminum to steel to bamboo. I'm going to ride bikes. To me, an environmentally better product adds value. It's not the sole deciding factor, but it matters to me. Besides, it's an interesting topic.
01-09-11, 11:20 AM
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My google-foo didn't turn up much on this. Here's one attempt at comparing aluminum v carbon
https://carbonneutraljournal.com/word...icycle-frames/
https://carbonneutraljournal.com/word...icycle-frames/
01-09-11, 11:23 AM
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Originally Posted by bikerjp
That's like saying plastic is natural. It's not.
Originally Posted by bikerjp
I have a hard time seeing what's wrong with someone wanting to make informed decisions. If everyone did that we might have a lot less toxic materials in the environment.
01-09-11, 11:30 AM
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Here's another link. This author reaches a completely different conclusion
https://thesustainablecyclist.com/200...rame-material/
https://thesustainablecyclist.com/200...rame-material/
01-09-11, 11:30 AM
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Originally Posted by bikerjp
That's like saying plastic is natural. It's not.
I have a hard time seeing what's wrong with someone wanting to make informed decisions. If everyone did that we might have a lot less toxic materials in the environment.
I have a hard time seeing what's wrong with someone wanting to make informed decisions. If everyone did that we might have a lot less toxic materials in the environment.
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01-09-11, 11:52 AM
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BRaIN did an article on recycling CF frames, it was in the July or August issue IIRC.
Edit: Found it!
Edit: Found it!
Last edited by keisatsu; 01-09-11 at 11:54 AM. Reason: linky
01-09-11, 11:56 AM
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Originally Posted by achoo
Why is humanity and its activities "unnatural"?
01-09-11, 12:15 PM
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Originally Posted by bikerjp
Because it is often in conflict with nature.
But then again, conflict is natural.
01-09-11, 12:15 PM
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Arguing about this is silly without first agreeing on your terms. What does natural mean?...to me 'natural' means that something occurs in nature and not made by humans. This is an arbitrary definition, and there is, of course, a fuzzy zone between natural and artificial within which we could fruitlessly argue. However to simply argue that everything is natural, including people, so everything, including carbon fiber bicycles, is natural, is circular and meaningless.
Of course the materials from which carbon fiber is made are, on some level, natural...carbon fiber and frames made of carbon fiber, on the other hand, are most certainly not natural (using any meaningful definition of the word). That does necessarily mean that carbon fiber, or anything else artificial, is in 'conflict with nature'* either.
*Whatever the hell that means.
Of course the materials from which carbon fiber is made are, on some level, natural...carbon fiber and frames made of carbon fiber, on the other hand, are most certainly not natural (using any meaningful definition of the word). That does necessarily mean that carbon fiber, or anything else artificial, is in 'conflict with nature'* either.
*Whatever the hell that means.
01-09-11, 12:38 PM
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Originally Posted by z90
Here's another link. This author reaches a completely different conclusion
https://thesustainablecyclist.com/200...rame-material/
https://thesustainablecyclist.com/200...rame-material/
01-09-11, 12:43 PM
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Old frames get recyclyed into styrofoam cups and "give a hoot - don't pollute" signs
01-09-11, 12:46 PM
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There are many ways to look at the environmental impact of a product. Here are some questions:
How energy intensive is the construction of a frame from a given material?
What impacts do the extraction of the raw materials have?
What pollutants are produced over the life-cycle of the frame, from extraction to obsolescence?
Can the materials be recycled after the product is no longer usable?
What is the lifespan of the product?
How energy intensive is the construction of a frame from a given material?
What impacts do the extraction of the raw materials have?
What pollutants are produced over the life-cycle of the frame, from extraction to obsolescence?
Can the materials be recycled after the product is no longer usable?
What is the lifespan of the product?
