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36 votes

Why can't a child bike seat be mounted on a carbon frame?

Carbon tubes tend to be very strong at withstanding forces in the direction they are designed for, but weak at resisting other forces (such as clamping forces compressing the tube), hence why bolts ...
Andy P's user avatar
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23 votes
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Is it worth buying carbon fiber road bike for short commutes?

Comfort isn't really an issue for a 30-minute ride, as long as the bike fits. Also, for any given price point, an aluminium bike will have better components than a carbon bike, so will probably be ...
David Richerby's user avatar
20 votes

What do I do when I am unsure if damaged carbon fiber is safe to use or needs replacing or repairing?

Carbon fiber composites are made up of sheets of carbon fiber filaments. These are usually impregnated with resin. To make CF structures, manufacturers will cut up the sheets, then lay them up onto a ...
Weiwen Ng's user avatar
  • 29.5k
18 votes
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Does carbon fiber not have a fatigue life?

Fatigue is a concept in metallurgy with a very specific meaning. It is degradation of the crystalline structure of a metal. A metal object or material's fatigue limit is the amount of load it can ...
Nathan Knutson's user avatar
18 votes

Do carbon MTB frames crack easily?

First of all, carbon is stronger than aluminium. It's mechanically on par with steel, while being much lighter. That's why it's the go-to material in aerospace and race cars, and it's also why it is ...
leftaroundabout's user avatar
17 votes
Accepted

Is it safe to ride the carbon bike with a small crack on the bottom of the chain stay? Looks cosmetic but fails the tap test

Only the manufacturer or a competent frame repair person can tell you of it is safe. It does not look just cosmetic to me, but I have no qualification whatsoever. However, this small damage is very ...
Vladimir F Героям слава's user avatar
14 votes
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Why do bikes have carbon forks?

There are an intersection of a number of reasons: Public Perception - Carbon as that "wow" factor. Colloquial it is associated with "space age" technologies. Therefore it must be better! The ...
Rider_X's user avatar
  • 30.4k
14 votes

Frame dropout cracked, what can I do? (Allied Alfa Disc / carbon)

A crack, unfortunately, is a crack. That’s dangerous no matter what the material. You could contact Allied to see if you have any options in terms of warranty. However, if you didn’t secure the bike ...
Weiwen Ng's user avatar
  • 29.5k
14 votes
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Little "holes" on carbon rims' profile: what are they used for?

They are drain holes to let water out. Light bicycle go into slightly more detail on their webpage: https://www.lightbicycle.com/newsletter/Holes-On-Your-Carbon-Fiber-Rims.html
Andy P's user avatar
  • 18.3k
13 votes

Should I do anything about this minor nick in a carbon fork?

It is superficial, cosmetic paint damage. If that concerns you, you should replace the fork with a aluminum or titanium one. Reason for saying this is you need confidence in you bicycle to enjoy ...
mattnz's user avatar
  • 49k
13 votes

Carbon chainstay damage assessment

That does not appear to be damage, in as much as it conspicuously appears to be the shape of where a chainstay chain-slap protection sticker was originally placed. what you are possibly seeing is the ...
Ted Hohl's user avatar
  • 6,089
12 votes

carbon vs aluminium frame vibration absorption? bumpiness?

Aluminum has gotten a bit of a bad reputation from the early generation of frames which were overly stiff. This is less the case today as manufacturing technology fixed most of these earlier problems, ...
Rider_X's user avatar
  • 30.4k
12 votes

Scratch or damage on carbon frame

That's just a light scratch. No issues. if you are worried that the carbon-fiber composite has been damaged by an impact or scratch, the abrasion is far too shallow for that. It has not even ...
Argenti Apparatus's user avatar
12 votes

What's the best way to stow (winter storage) an all-carbon bike?

I don't see a problem hanging a bike from a carbon fiber composite rim. The amplitude of the load would be much, much lower than when riding over even moderate bumps. OK, the load is radially outward ...
Argenti Apparatus's user avatar
12 votes

Are these shallow gouges and imperfections on a new carbon fork steerer benign or serious?

I don't normally go around inspecting fork steerers, but I suspect that's highly abnormal and a significant cause for concern. I don't clearly see torn fibers. If you did, that should mean the steerer ...
Weiwen Ng's user avatar
  • 29.5k
12 votes

I'm not sure if a torque wrench was used in assembling my carbon bike

He is unlikely to have damaged anything unless he's a complete gorilla. Loosen off any bolts or bolt pairs that you are concerned about, then do them back up to torque.
Noise's user avatar
  • 13.5k
11 votes
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Can I use brake pads for carbon wheels with aluminum wheels?

In short yes you can, carbon brake pads will stop you but you shouldn't. Firstly the brake pads will not be as effective on the alu rims. Secondly the change between alu and carbon rims could be risky ...
Ben Poulter's user avatar
  • 1,096
11 votes
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Crack in fork or just paint

On the surface it doesn't look good, but I wonder if there is a reinforcement wrap for the brake posts, with an unfinished edge). There are some informal ways to try and confirm whether the structural ...
Rider_X's user avatar
  • 30.4k
11 votes
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Does this carbon fork have a crack in it that would make you replace it?

What is visible in the photo is a paint scratch. Letting the bike simply fall over will not structurally damage carbon fiber composite. People seem to think CFC is fragile but it’s really quite robust....
Argenti Apparatus's user avatar
11 votes
Accepted

Do I need to apply something on thru axle?

I usually put a very small amount of grease on the threads at the end so that it will be easier to remove when you need to take it out again. As with all threaded connections these tend to seize-up ...
jwh20's user avatar
  • 978
11 votes
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Chain damaged carbon frame. How to remedy?

It's very likely only cosmetic, but the fine hairline-looking scratches (hopefully only scratches) are not the most common thing to see in damage that occurs from a dropped chain. The other thing to ...
Nathan Knutson's user avatar
11 votes

Attachmentpoint rim brakes carbon bike, sratches/crack?

The frame is cracked and should be repaired. It's likely nothing to do with the crash, unless perhaps the brake was impacted. This could result from the recessed nut either being overtightened, from ...
Nathan Knutson's user avatar
10 votes
Accepted

What are these mounts for on inside edge of carbon fiber fork?

They're for full fenders. Many disc road and fitness/urban/hybrid bikes now have them here in order to completely avoid strut interference with the brake. To install the fenders neatly I've been ...
Nathan Knutson's user avatar
10 votes

Carbon frame that is designed for strength and durability rather than lightness?

Why produce a heavy but durable carbon frame if one can have a heavy and durable steel frame that is cheaper? Apparently there are no (mass) buyers for such technology. The bicycle industry is mainly ...
Grigory Rechistov's user avatar
10 votes

Crack in fork or just paint

I'm sorry to say that looks like a crack rather than a scratch. Bike looks quite new (I notice the dual pivot calipers), but I believe Trek's lifetime warranty covers CF frames and forks beyond 5 ...
Argenti Apparatus's user avatar
10 votes

Cycled through pothole on carbon frame - damaged?

CFC frames are not as fragile as many people seem to think they are. If you got a heavy jolt but didn't feel like you were going to be thrown off the frame is probably fine. I'd be more immediately ...
Argenti Apparatus's user avatar
10 votes
Accepted

Post crash damage assessment: can I keep this carbon fork and this front wheel?

I can't see the marks on the fork to which you are referring. They may not show up well in photos. The rim brake track appears to have some road-rash damage. I would remove the tyre/tube, and gently ...
Criggie's user avatar
  • 121k
10 votes

Do I need to apply something on thru axle?

I have a different question for you. What happens if the thru-axle threads and shaft are not greased (or the grease has washed out)? Answers: On a Cube eMTB with a 12mm rear thru axle and a Shimano XT ...
Noise's user avatar
  • 13.5k
10 votes
Accepted

What's the difference between more or less expensive carbon wheels?

First, I wouldn't recommend buying from Aliexpress brands that you don't know at all. There are some mainland Chinese brands that sell on Aliexpress or other channels that are likely to be trustworthy....
Weiwen Ng's user avatar
  • 29.5k
9 votes

Safest way to carry luggage on my carbon frame?

The safest way to carry luggage on a carbon frame is to use a trailer, like the BOB trailers. Carbon frames are very strong, but each area of the frame is designed and tested for the loads it ...
zenbike's user avatar
  • 29.9k

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