There are so many different reputable manufactures who make these bikes like Guru (Tri-lite), Felt (B-2 and F-22) and Quintana Roo (older Caliente and Tequilo). Do they work? Are they any better than a carbon seat post and carbon fork only? I would love to hear from those who own them, have or do ride them, those who build them and those who sell them. I have also noted that many of these up-standing bicycle manufactures are moving away from the carbon rear triangle for their 2007 bikes. Is this due to faulty design or faltering sales?
I know litespeed also used to make bikes with them but ended up going away from the carbon stays. I’ve heard it was a warranty issue, but who knows. I feel like it is the least desirable of the three options on where to have carbon (fork, seat post, rear seat stays). Who knows?
The consensus seems to be that a front fork absorbs road shock, increasing comfort & reducing fatigue. I’m old enough to have ridden alloy forks & you felt everything. If I threw some change on the road you could feel the difference between a nickel, a dime & a quarter.
The 1st ride with a carbon fork I pulled over after about 100m to check if my tire was going flat. The tire was fine, but my brain related the lack of vibration to a soft tire. If it makes sense for the front, shouldn’t it make sense for the rear?
As mentioned the seat stays are a fixed structure so any vibration damping is internal to the carbon structure rather than through engineered flex as in the forks. Issues arise because carbon doesnt stick very well to aluminium (requires layer of fibreglass to insulate against galvanic corrosion) hence the creaking that many carbon/ally bikes are known for.
Carbon rear ends do seem to have an advantage for ally frames that use cheap and nasty 7000 series tubing in that slapping one in does help the ride quality. However, a well designed and built full ally, Ti or steel frame gains little if any and is potentially weakened by the glued joins. If you like carbon - get a carbon frame, if you want ally then get a brand that really works with it like cannondale or cervelo.
Of the bikes I’ve ridden with carbon rear ends I’ve noticed undesirable traits compared with well made versions of single material.
By work you could mean “Do they attract customers and sell more bikes for more money” and by that definition, yes they work excellent.
I have a full carbon bike (KM40) and a full steel bike (Waterford). The Waterford is more comfortable in every catagory you could rate, except maybe time to complete the course. There is more to a bike than what material it is made from.
The owner of Leader Bikes, who (partially) sponsors me didn’t have a frame with carbon stays in my size, so he talked me into the full alloy. When I asked the real difference, he said that it was mostly a marketing thing, and that “purists” out there feel it is faster. He told me that I’d be just as happy without, which I am.
I find it interesting that the frame designer didn’t seem to think it made much difference, if any. But he does make more $$ on the carbon stayed model.
Wishbone seat stays can stiffen the rear triangle of a bike. I have identical bikes with the exception of the wishbone carbon stays on one, and it is stiffer, you notice it when you are sprinting and climbing.
If you are looking for comfort, well, I can tell you that a carbon seat post is no more comfortable than a thomson aluminum.