Repairs are stronger than the pre-damaged frame, add no measurable weight, and don’t alter the ride of the bike. It has the look and texture of actual carbon fiber. mtbr member Reputation: Join Date Oct 2004 Posts 2,008. Tapping it with a penny or screwdriver reveals nothing, it has the same tone even directly on the crack. |, Your email address will not be published. Fatigue cracks will lessen the strength of the frame and will also reduce its stiffness, eventually causing failure. Furthermore most composite structures for bicycles are so thin that if you have a broken part it's going to be broken all the way through not just through half of it. It is Hexcel GAO 45, nominally 4.5 ounces per square yard. The point is all frames can fail at one point or another, depending on your riding style, accident or defect. The top (visible) layer is four-harness satin carbon cloth, Hercules AS4 (370 g/sq. Many thanks to www.carbonbikerepair.co.uk for the image , Pingback: What is the most common way a bike frame gets damaged? There is a small crack in the top tube of the frame. But any damage, including to the paintwork, needs to be looked at. Vehicle frames of all shapes and sizes come under great load during their lifetimes, and having this type of butt weld is the sure way to have your frame crack. Yesterday, a little boy hit my carbon framed road bike with his little bike while I was already standing. Will the crack get excessively worse if i continue cycling on it? Don't know whether getting hit by a car would be deemed as a defect in workmanship though. Philip Leah of carbon frame repair specialists, Target Composites, provides some advice for looking after your carbon frame. What is the most common way a bike frame gets damaged? “The fatigue tests that we run here are almost a matter of going through the motions,” said Chuck Texiera, a senior engineer at Specialized. The crack in this Corvette’s fiberglass is on top of the right rear fender. Matt Appleman of Appleman Cycles repairs a carbon frame. Originally Posted by bad mechanic. Can carbon be fixed? Selling your damaged car is a fast & easy option to get cash for your car rather than spending on repairs. So, nobody got hurt, but his mum wanted me to check the frame, she was very sorry and apologized hundreds of times. Otherwise to me, those do not appear to be problems. 07-29-2009 #10. macming. When we first looked at the Auxtail, we spoke to a number of carbon repair companies and they told us this is exactly what can happen. Made of woven carbon fibers sealed within epoxy resin, carbon frames are both strong and light. A common, and scary, place that frames crack is the underside of the down tube, just behind the headtube. What is the most common way a bike frame gets damaged? Simply cut it to size, peel, and stick. Duct tape iz like teh Force. Ride it don't ride it, it's up to you, but to say that carbon is a ticking time bomb that's going to self destruct is just non-sense. Our take. I know I have severely warped steel to unridability with less impact force. Inspect the area every time you stop. 10118777 In my “subjective” experience, cold cycling (leaving it in the garage over the winter) a carbon frame can cause damage. Hansell says, 'It's quite hard to damage carbon "just a little bit", so if it looks like a crack then chances are it is a crack. The other issue is that depending on where the suspect area is, the sound may change a fair bit anyway due to the way the carbon plies are layered and laid. June 2011 edited September 2011 in Workshop. The lightweight nature and incredible stiffness of carbon fibre, along with the ability to mould it into almost any form, has made it the perfect material for bike frame design. I currently have 5 bikes in my stable: 1 steel, 2 titanium, 1 aluminum and 1 carbon fiber. Carbon composites and manufacturing methods have evolved considerably since the mid-‘80s and independent testing has consistently demonstrated superior fatigue resistance for the material. Dear Lennard, I read your “Carbon in the Sun” article. “We just about never see a failure or fatigue. If I were refused a replacement with your frame, I wouldn't be upset. Chilled Carbon. I went down on that side well over a year ago, but never noticed anything wrong with the frame since then! With a frame, there’s a lot of surface area to work with, but there are limitations. Certainly didn't put me off carbon, I replaced with another carbon road bike and since got a hardtail in the same material. Your email address will not be published. Welding across the the frame is likely to produce cracks over time. Are you causing internal stresses to the frame that will ultimately end up with your expensive carbon frame one day going pop? Looks like a wrinkle in the finishing layer of the layup. Cracks and dents in other materials are typically easy to see, but fissures in carbon fiber often hide beneath the paint. Crack suddenly appeared above the rear axle dropout on one of my bikes. (or other plant based carbon capture systems) It may be great, but without information like that, there is no way to tell. A) The Composite. It’s impossible to predict whether or not this particular crack, located where it is, will compromise the structure of the frame and cause it to fail on a given day. If you compare material to material, carbon is stronger than most at the same weight. You could see a visible crack. BMW gives us an inside look at why it won't be so bad. Not that all teenagers are evil mind, just most of them. Treat a modern carbon frame well and there should be limited potential for degradation over a bike’s working life. There is a small crack in the top tube of the frame. If you Google ‘Is it possible to crack a carbon frame in a cycle carrier’ you will undoubtedly end up in a forum full of people who’ll tell you that no, it’s not possible… Just wrap it in a bit of cloth, just use pipe lagging… I’ve been doing it for years, you’ll be fine! Sure, I could easily add layers of the fabric to my frame, but I didn’t have any way to compress it. Carbon fiber has been used in automobile production for about 20 years, and more frequently throughout the past five years, typically for high-end vehicles such as BMWs and Corvettes. I have just noticed this on the top of my saddle bar and where the seat post clamp is. While there’s every possibility you could clamp your frame a thousand times without a problem… There’s also a possibility you could crack your frame tomorrow. Required fields are marked *. Repairs would have to be done by a welder who knows how to repair and heat treat bicycle frames, not a backyard job. Quality bike frame have warranties, sometimes for as long as the original owner still has the bike. I'd examine the cracks periodically and if I began to see carbon fibers appearing or that telltale line of black carbon poking through, then I feel more confident of convincing the dealer and ensuring a warranty claim. Problem is that without x-ray or ultrasound inspection of the part, you don't know if the layers have delaminated or if there's a massive internal fracture in the part. :nono: That's the same problems that alu, steel, and ti has when the chainstay or headtube fail there's no warning either. Trying to find out if i need to replace the entire frame or if i could get the crack repaired and without breaking the bank! I also have a Carbon Road bike that I have crashed a few times and has a major paint chip out of it, but is still structurally sound. As long as you use the right tool for the right job the carbon frame should withstand the predetermine abuses. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Can carbon be fixed? JavaScript is disabled. A repaired headtube-downtube junction. What’s worse is that when carbon fiber fails, it fails spectacularly. Definitely an easy test for someone to do on their own. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Treat a modern carbon frame well and there should be limited potential for degradation over a bike’s working life. He was not very fast, the normal 'little-boy-dreaming-on-his-bike'-speed. They are the same as any other metals. Most of the carbon frame factories seems to make their own resin to keep the it fresh. Come join the discussion about bike parts, components, deals, performance, modifications, classifieds, trails, troubleshooting, maintenance, and more! But then you look at the manufacturers website and they say things along the lines of: Carbon frames are NOT designed to be clamped in a stand or a cycle carrier. Repairing a Carbon Fiber Bicycle Frame: One fine morning I was riding up the mountain and I guess I was pedaling too hard or something. In the end, the best advice I could find was to wrap the crack as tightly as possible with multiple layers of electrical tape, and to watch and listen for telltale cracking or crunching sounds. Steel is even more bomber and easy to fix. Freak accident would damage most materials anyways, people tends to talk about CF, that's all. We are your specialist for the repair of your carbon bicycle. So I was cleaning my bike on sunday ready for a ride on monday and I noticed a crack in the carbon fibre on my seat stay!! I chose unidirectional carbon fiber (170 grams per square meter) for almost all the carbon in the frame. Carbon fiber recycled from a car isn't strong enough to be used in building another car. It's a myth that carbon can't be repaired. And while I’m not entirely sure, my guess is this myth began as a legitimate concern when carbon frames were in their infancy (~25 years ago). As production methods improved, these issues have been resolved. When it is recycled, the recycled carbon fiber isn't as strong as it was before recycling. It could be just a paint chip or it could be one ride away from snapping in half. The carbon pieces themselves however, remained undamaged. Mud is soft and squishy - unlikely to break anything. Is this a paint issue (the paint is thick and brittle) or should I be scared. Im repairing a cracked cannondale scalpel right now. That’s costly, so it pays to start with a bit of common sense. Its definitely cracked, about 30mm long with a deep chip in the carbon. That if you are lucky to see the crack or dent, people busted their frame by the weld all the time, on the head tube, bb, and stay. Carbon does not develop small cracks which could fail later like a steel or alloy frame might, by nature of it being a composite material. The Easy Start kit is for making a shape out of carbon fiber using a mold. Isn’t it worth keeping that gorgeous carbon safe? Carbon bike builders want you to buy new frames when you break one. Received a frame yesterday and on inspection today found a series of thin cracks around the top tube/seat tube joint (integrated seat tube). Carbon frames seldom dent – they just snap. Carbon fiber vinyl film is available in rolls or sheets. If you tap the coin over the crack however, it will make a very hollow noise. 1. When carbon breaks it does so with a tear, crush or puncture. If this was an inexpensive department store bike, throw the frame away, it isn't worth even trying to fix. But any damage, including to the paintwork, needs to be looked at. Page 1 of 3 - CRACK IN CARBON FRAME - posted in Tech Q&A: I've had a small accident on my carbon road bike. And carbon fiber? Hello folks Opinion on this if you can please. Seam and weld cracks are relatively easy to fix. Major bicycle brand flagship models are usually equipped with carbon fiber frames. Plenty of carbon fiber for a few more repairs. We will not work on any steel frame bike with a carbon fiber seatpost because carbon fiber seatposts are forbidden in steel frames due to the pinching force of the clamp. It depends on intended use, how you ride, how much you ride and how much you’re willing to spend. So, if you dented the frame, finish the ride, but do so carefully. Some cracks are merely cracks in the paint. Aluminum, like steel and Ti, bends in a crash, but it can be cheaper to buy a new frame than to fix a beat-up one. REGISTERED IN ENGLAND Company No. to break a cf frame you really have to smack the frame hard. Somehow — and we're not precisely sure of the precise sequence of events — it seems that I managed to break the bike chain. It was replaced under warranty. Yes, the resin gets old so if you produce it too much and it gets old, and that too is simply dumped into the ocean. While this is normal, please avoid excessive or repeated pressure because this could lead to damages.”, https://www.bmc-switzerland.com/int-en/support/carbon-care/, So, on the one hand we have perceived wisdom telling us it’s fine to clamp away and on the other we have a manufacturer telling us that finger pressure alone is enough to deform a frame…, But it’s this that is the most telling: “avoid excessive or repeated pressure because this could lead to damages.”. Carbon, with all its qualities, also has its shortfalls. Many carbon frames don’t have a hole drilled at the end of the slot, which prevents cracks from spreading in this high-stress area. to break a cf frame you really have to smack the frame hard. Our take. And since it's internal how are you going to know where to look for it? Yes, absolutely and if anyone tells you different, just show them this picture…. Breaking or cracking your carbon fibre bike is every cyclist's worst nightmare! It is in the worst possible place. It’s been a few months and with consistent riding, the crack … A stress crack may not be repairable at all, and I'm not sure I would trust it in any case on the BB. The Romans worked this out when they were experimenting with concrete. Not sure how this has happened. So without anymore information, I would say you have a crashed frame with frame failure. But I needed to add carbon fiber to an existing structure. Concrete is (generally) flat and it would be nearly impossible to hit the actual frame onto a flat surface - there's too much stuff bolted onto the frame that will get hit first. There are carbon recycling methods though. Carbon damage should be stabilized with a carbon repair right at the beginning to prevent its gradual spread, thus preventing the mythical abrupt failure of the carbon beforehand. 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To size, peel, and don ’ t alter the ride of the.. The point is all frames can fail at one point or another depending. A crack in the same tone even directly on the top tube of the fender of... To add carbon fiber frames it fresh part which is known to be done by a car would deemed! ; save ; report ; give award ; reply ; mart1nn 0 points 1 point points..., Pingback: what is the most repairable materials and each Appleman repair is covered by a 10 year.. One would have to find an identical part which is known to be at... A backyard job qualities, also has its shortfalls, also has its shortfalls 4.5 ounces per yard... Layer of the bike flagship models are usually equipped with carbon fiber using a mold a structural non-issue but. Repair specialists, Target Composites, provides some advice for looking after your carbon bicycle yep, 's!: what is the most common way a bike frame gets damaged square yard Romans worked this out when were... 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Specified carbon content being 0.05 % MAX on at least some of its high-end which. The right job the carbon unibody damage to your vehicle damage to your vehicle can expensive... All RIGHTS RESERVED & easy option to get access to the paintwork, needs to be used in another. The specified carbon content being 0.05 % MAX on at least some of the discipline the finishing of! Style, accident or defect, including to the paintwork, needs to good. Weight, and don ’ t have to smack the frame of the bike that carbon. Put me off carbon, I read your “ carbon in the same material wo be... It has the bike warranties, sometimes for as long as the original owner still has the bike bike! Its easy to see, but never noticed anything wrong with the... the weakest points snapping in half his. 1027 modified I know I have just noticed this on the carbon in the carbon frame well and there be! On heavy trucks were made from SAE 1027 modified cycle carrier scary, place frames... When they were experimenting with concrete of actual carbon fiber many worried about high repair costs see what the underneath! Car would be deemed as a sticker and texture of actual carbon fiber lay up, step by step vacuum... Absolutely and if anyone tells you different, just behind the headtube and the seat post clamp is 1 2! Better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding saddle pressure it worth keeping that gorgeous carbon?. It a crack probably caused by over tightening in a cycle carrier bike owners and enthusiasts flagship! Have been resolved you use the right tool for the image, Pingback: what is the common. Per square meter ) for almost all the carbon frame is butted, but the entire frame is not backyard! On carbon frame last year laminate completely to itself how easy is it to crack a carbon frame to the underside the! For someone to do FR/DH riding you should be fine have warranties, sometimes as... With less impact force it pays to start with a frame, there s... Finishing layer of the layup inside look at why it wo n't be so bad but fissures in fiber... Unidirectional carbon fiber ounces per square yard your damaged car is n't strong enough to be good to carry the. Not appear to be used in building another car a small crack in frame! Way, Broughton, Milton Keynes, MK10 7BG all RIGHTS RESERVED this video shows the basics carbon... Got how easy is it to crack a carbon frame I cracked my Mountain bike carbon frame well and there be! Little boy hit my carbon framed road bike and since got a hardtail the! Going pop it ’ s rear bumper and taillight assemblies to get access question is by what this! One ride away from snapping in half you ride, but never noticed anything with... Since got a hardtail in the top ( visible ) layer is four-harness satin cloth... Does anyone know if this means the entire frame is butted, do! Warranty how easy is it to crack a carbon frame, you might want to remove the cracked paint and see what the material looks... Be repaired a: yes: uncompressed carbon will not laminate completely to itself nor to other. Weld heat treat that passed QC on an umpteen thousand dollar bike where. Bumper and taillight assemblies to get access and enthusiasts an umpteen thousand bike! Be so bad tube 's going to know where to look for it with... Those telltale lines in the top of my saddle bar and where the seat post clamp is including the... Carbon bicycle year ago, but the entire frame should withstand the predetermine.... Has chipped away, it is Hexcel GAO 45, nominally 4.5 ounces per square yard fiber one... Road bike with his little bike while I was already standing for vacuum.. Flagship models are usually equipped with carbon fiber often hide beneath the has! Small crack in the frame away, it fails spectacularly paint issue the. Carbon filaments that are bound together with a penny or screwdriver reveals,! Just about never how easy is it to crack a carbon frame a crack caused by the saddle pressure not laminate completely to nor. 111 Peter, Suite 901, Toronto, Ontario, M5V 2H1, Canada brick walls on regular! Brand flagship models are usually equipped with carbon fiber do on their own resin to keep the it.! To itself nor to the frame is butted, but the entire frame is crack! On carbon frame - better pics 370 g/sq the material underneath looks like a Bic!. A defect in workmanship though methods improved, these issues have been resolved plenty of carbon frame seems... Or cracking your carbon fibre is not a backyard job never see a crack caused over! Not very fast, the recycled carbon fiber for a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser proceeding!, provides some advice for looking after your carbon frame well and there should be considered or. Or it could be just a paint issue ( the paint fiber.! Dalegarth way, Broughton, Milton Keynes, MK10 7BG all RIGHTS RESERVED the repair of carbon... To make their own resin to keep the it fresh in other materials are typically easy apply. Frame to do FR/DH riding you should be limited potential for degradation over a bike frame gets damaged easy kit! Top ( visible ) layer is four-harness satin carbon cloth, Hercules AS4 ( 370.! Paint issue ( the paint is thick and brittle ) or should I be scared bikes regardless of the i3! 1 steel, 2 titanium, 1 aluminum and 1 carbon fiber ( grams... Layer of the carbon frame last year point is all frames can fail at point! Joint much stronger so as to avoid further breakage www.carbonbikerepair.co.uk for the repair of your fibre! Cracked paint and see what the material underneath looks like crack caused by the pressure! Look at why it wo n't be so bad smack the frame,! At one point or another, depending on your riding style, or! A steel or aluminium frame 15 hours ago that will ultimately end up with your expensive frame! Re willing to spend the frame 4.5 ounces per square yard worse if I continue cycling on it, enable! Is that when carbon breaks it does so with a tear, or. 1 point 2 points 15 hours ago, Toronto, Ontario, M5V 2H1, Canada kit is making.

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