All those broken steerer tubes don’t seem to be “not dangerous”. Also most people haven’t access to professional carbon scan and repair like you and your time provide, so for me it just seems like a big risk to take for my personal safety. Carbon might be a nice material to look at, it is lighter and easier to get aero shapes. All this doesn’t contribute to my safety though. It might be safe in 80% of cases and might be a rather strong material. But it seems like it is highly unpredictable for the non-expert. and not suitable for the average person to maintain. If my aluminum frame has a damage, 99% of the time I will see it and know how to handle it (or trash it). Financial pain is better than body pain through carbon failure. Because if carbon fails, it often cracks. And if it is the steerer tube f.e., which is one of the more fragile parts of the whole thing, it can be very serious. Got one cracked steerer tube already and I used a torque wrench. Never got such things with aluminum. If I install new components on an aluminum frame I wouldn’t have to worry about breaking it right away by accident through a torque wrench not clicking or using the wrong paste, etc. I don’t know what to do homestly, because every true race bike is made out of carbon nowadays and I have no opportunity to get it checked after every crash. I have to do maintenance by myself and I don’t feel secure doing something with this material, because it feels like glass to me.
Thank you for your input to the debate. I can’t say I disagree with your comments . Like all things we call ‘progress’ there is a price. That price is to loose a level of control for a marginal gain. Personally carbon bikes are amazing as long as you don’t have too many mishaps then your points come into the picture. However as I’ve heard many arguments for aluminium frames other than cheap and practical work horses they don’t stack up against a carbon bike. Carbon is infinitely repairable where distortion and buckling in an alloy frame is not always salvageable and they do hide nastily surprises too. Other than that they have 2 wheels and some gears and a whole lot of fun. Cheers for chiming in. Appreciated!
Rob is the man!! # My Restoration
👍
All those broken steerer tubes don’t seem to be “not dangerous”. Also most people haven’t access to professional carbon scan and repair like you and your time provide, so for me it just seems like a big risk to take for my personal safety.
Carbon might be a nice material to look at, it is lighter and easier to get aero shapes. All this doesn’t contribute to my safety though. It might be safe in 80% of cases and might be a rather strong material. But it seems like it is highly unpredictable for the non-expert. and not suitable for the average person to maintain.
If my aluminum frame has a damage, 99% of the time I will see it and know how to handle it (or trash it). Financial pain is better than body pain through carbon failure. Because if carbon fails, it often cracks. And if it is the steerer tube f.e., which is one of the more fragile parts of the whole thing, it can be very serious. Got one cracked steerer tube already and I used a torque wrench. Never got such things with aluminum.
If I install new components on an aluminum frame I wouldn’t have to worry about breaking it right away by accident through a torque wrench not clicking or using the wrong paste, etc.
I don’t know what to do homestly, because every true race bike is made out of carbon nowadays and I have no opportunity to get it checked after every crash. I have to do maintenance by myself and I don’t feel secure doing something with this material, because it feels like glass to me.
Thank you for your input to the debate. I can’t say I disagree with your comments . Like all things we call ‘progress’ there is a price. That price is to loose a level of control for a marginal gain. Personally carbon bikes are amazing as long as you don’t have too many mishaps then your points come into the picture. However as I’ve heard many arguments for aluminium frames other than cheap and practical work horses they don’t stack up against a carbon bike. Carbon is infinitely repairable where distortion and buckling in an alloy frame is not always salvageable and they do hide nastily surprises too. Other than that they have 2 wheels and some gears and a whole lot of fun. Cheers for chiming in. Appreciated!
Carbon bikes cannot hold a line resulting in death.