From watching the tour and other bike races, it seems like the pro riders continue riding on when they suffer a minor crash.
I, on the other hand, crashed twice on two different carbon bikes, and both times, the top tube got cracked.
So my questions is, are the higher grade carbon fibers more crack-proof?
Has anyone crashed their carbon bike without it being cracked?
May Madonna del Ghisallo watch over us as we battle the hellish traffic.
I think my 1992 Specialized Carbon Epic comes close… carbon fiber tubes with aluminum lugs. The only broken one I’ve seen broke at the lugs.
maybe they do damage their bikes but they keep riding them anyways they are comfortable with the remaining integrity of the frame until they can get a new one
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From watching the tour and other bike races, it seems like the pro riders continue riding on when they suffer a minor crash.
I, on the other hand, crashed twice on two different carbon bikes, and both times, the top tube got cracked.
So my questions is, are the higher grade carbon fibers more crack-proof?
Has anyone crashed their carbon bike without it being cracked?
May Madonna del Ghisallo watch over us as we battle the hellish traffic.
Most of the high end carbon frames these day use a tougher blend of composites, they’re more likely to survive minor spills. If you’ve brkoen toptubes twice, you’re prolly riding older gneration carbon.
I had minor crash on my 2009 Argon 18 and it is fine.
I have been in four crashes with my Felt FC and no cracks. However, in none of those crashes did I run into something or have a the bike really impact anything. It more or less skipped/skidded until coming to a stop. I have seen plenty of carbon bikes get damaged in crashes but they have usually been pretty nasty affairs.
The most crash proof carbon bike… is the one on the trainer.
I haven’t seen a five star crash rating test done on a bicycle yet.
I crashed on my 2011 Specialized 6 weeks ago. Traveling along around 25-27 mph in the aerobars. Fractured my clavicle, road rash from shoulder to ankle, bursted my helmet but the bike is fine. Scratched the base bar and pedal, no indication of any carbon damage. My LBS claims that the newer carbon bikes don’t normally fracture unless you have a major impact with something solid.
Man. Hope you are recovered.
My two crashes/spills were both very stupid.
First one was on a bridge with some sharp bends. Tailing the rider in front of me too close and ran into the barricade. Orbea cracked.
Second one happened when going down a street fast when a truck going in the opposite direction started making a left turn. Slammed on the brakes and the front wheel got out of control. Ended up tipping over but didn’t hurt anything. The driver at least had the courtesy to ask if I’m ok and told me that stopped to let me go first. But how could I have known that seeing he is already crossed the median. Kuota cracked.
Thankfully no one was hurt in both crashes.
Ride safe.
Orbea. Kuota.
Boom, found your problem!
Orbea. Kuota.
Boom, found your problem!
Ok. Gonna support my country and go with U.S. this time (Felt!).
From watching the tour and other bike races, it seems like the pro riders continue riding on when they suffer a minor crash.
I, on the other hand, crashed twice on two different carbon bikes, and both times, the top tube got cracked.
So my questions is, are the higher grade carbon fibers more crack-proof?
Has anyone crashed their carbon bike without it being cracked?
May Madonna del Ghisallo watch over us as we battle the hellish traffic.
…the one made of titanium!
In all seriousness, it’s just the nature of the material. Aluminum doesn’t elongate as much as ti before it permanently deforms or dents. Carbon… doesn’t deform or dent - it cracks. Yes, it will bend to some degree. How much depends on the modulus. Manufacturers throw “high modulus” a lot. Why? “Cause it’s stiffer!” Yes, it is. But it’s also more brittle. Almost no frames are made purely from what could be considered “high modulus” carbon. They’d just break too easily if the bike falls over. Usually things like frames, forks, and cranks are made with different layers of carbon in different modulus. They start with the higher modulus on the inside, and gradually move to lower modulus. The lower modulus is more forgiving. It will bend more before it breaks… it isn’t as brittle.
This being said, it’s really hard to know what you’re actually getting. Frame manufacturers don’t detail this stuff on a spec sheet. In general, though, the lower end frames have more low modulus, and the lighter/higher-end have more high modulus. It’s exactly what they do with cycling shoe soles. The stiffer soles sound better, so they’re on the expensive shoes. But - if you listen to what Sidi says, the SUPER stiff soles can put too much stress on your plantar tendons. So, some pro cycling teams have custom shoes made that look like the highest end model, but are actually made with the “cheaper” and slightly more flexible soles.
Take the amount of money you intend to use to buy a carbon frame from one of the big brands and divide by 600. Buy that many no-name carbon frrames direct from Taiwan. Hang them in your closet. When one cracks, pull one off a hanger and have it built up. Voila! No more worries about breaking a frame.
A double plus good is that the no-name frames are not trying to be the lightest frame on the market so they are less susceptible to breaking. Some big brand frames have top tubes that can be flexed with your fingers. Durability is not really a concern when they are designed.
The bests solution for road bikes is to buy one made from a new fangled material called metal. Mmmmm. Moots.
Flipped my trek 5200 a few times going fast and the bike flipped and slid no damage. See crit riders do it all the time with no damage.
I’ve crashed my 08 Felt twice and there was no damage to anything but the bars.
The most crash proof carbon bike… is the one on the trainer.
Most crash proof, yes…however…
Unless someone doesn’t quite have it set up right…evening group trainer session behind the LBS, rider 2 over from me, went zero to 30 in 1 second, hit wall, wrote off front wheel/forks/frame top tube mashed, and got a real bleeder of a small cut on head…next week, some wags turned up wearing helmets.
I actually crashed in my rec room, standing effort, left pedal unclipped (worn cleat), me/bike fly over to right, bike trainer still attached, I’m on floor with everything on top of me as wife runs in laughing…thank god she didn’t have a camera, and luckily it was an Alu frame, as the top tube made a good attempt to snap my thigh, I’m sure if it was my P2c the top tube would have blown up
…
I actually crashed in my rec room, …
Klutz.
…
I actually crashed in my rec room, …
Klutz.
Yup, I got nothing