......So how many carbon bikes (Nomads and now Jekylls) do you think Mark Weir goes through in a year? While I would love to own a carbon Jekyll, he has to destroy them!
Carbon is tough stuff and doesn't fatigue as rapidly as aluminum, so in theory if they are designed right and there are no manufacturing defects (big if...) then the bikes should be plenty solid
The integrity of the carbon could be compromised where you may never know there is a problem until too late. Don't get me wrong, first I am no expert and two I WANT one. I just know a XC pro racer friend went through a bunch of carbon frames when raced and he wasn't even a big guy who pounded. He said unless he was sponsored, he wouldn't buy one.
The integrity of the carbon could be compromised where you may never know there is a problem until too late. Don't get me wrong, first I am no expert and two I WANT one. I just know a XC pro racer friend went through a bunch of carbon frames when raced and he wasn't even a big guy who pounded. He said unless he was sponsored, he wouldn't buy one.
I bet you your friends legs are a beast! I have seen lots of XC riders who put out a lot of watts crack carbon and alloy frames left and right by the chain stay.
I own a SC Nomad carbon. If you see a cut away of some of these frames, you'd be less worried. The BB area around the DT junction on the Nomad is almost 1/2" thick. It would take A LOT to damage some of these bikes. Ibis sells the DT rock guard on their Mojo HD frames, but they put it there to protect the cables, rather than being worried about the frame down there.
You'll still have mfg defects that will come into play on any frame and material.
What you'll love about carbon frames is the added stiffness in most of the frames and the 1-2 lb weight savings.
How is your lower link area holding up? Any nasty rock damage? I've been interested in a carbon frame. I tend to slam rocks and am worried about that with a carbon frame, just curious.
There was a very short interview with Mark Weir in Dirt magazine. He said that he used to have special lightweight aluminium frames which he'd be lucky to get a season out of but now with the quality of carbon frames he can just use production ones and they last.
People seem very scared of carbon because of a few bad products that are out there. Lots and lots of aluminium bike break, but no one seems to blame the material, just the design. It should be the same with Carbon.
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