Cycling Advice

[bluemcr]

The manafacturers say if youve accidentally dropped your bike or had a spill and your set with carbon handlebars...that show no defect...'.bin em.'.. i dont know what the rule is for frames....

Think it's the same saying that not sure I would buy a second hand carbon bike. You would have to be meticulous looking it over for any hairline cracks. I don't like how alot of mountain bikes are made now look very cumbersome add an electric motor aswell! Not for me. U have to take it to a bike shop now for a service like a car lol

 

[shevtheblue]

I have a single speed bike (no gears). I can be working so hard going up-hill that my legs are burning like I’m doing Olympic bar squats but I’m barely moving. And then I too will see someone barely struggling up the hill at all on a bike suited to uphill climbs.

But then, we’re having a better workout them. We’ll see more muscular gains than they will because we’re working our muscles harder.

Workouts aren’t particularly about distance and time, they’re about stress put on muscles and the cardiovascular system.

In three months of cycling, my quads are unrecognisable to what they were pre-lockdown when I wasn’t cycling.

Oh aye, it's still disheartening getting passed by some **** in his jeans on a racer while you're putting in shit loads of effort and hardly moving :D:D

Yeah i've been working on my bambi calves for ages in the gym without much results, but you feel much more after a good biking session. While i'm using biking as a workout, i also want to enjoy it and my competitiveness is getting the better of me at times.

 

[Gareth Barry Conlon]

The manafacturers say if youve accidentally dropped your bike or had a spill and your set with carbon handlebars...that show no defect...'.bin em.'.. i dont know what the rule is for frames....

If humans had invented steel tmw it would be the new wonder material.

Not sure where you have picked that up. Carbon fiber has been around in cycling for 30 years and is perfectly safe. I've had carbon fiber bits and bobs on bikes for at least 10 years including handlebars on a mountain bike that i used to jump and generally hammer around mountain trails.

I've never had a full carbon frame but that is only a cost / value for money thing, given they are getting a lot cheaper I can see my next road bike being full carbon.

As for steel that would be my third choice, high end alloy frames are the best value for money by far - they are cheap, light and the tubes can be hydroformed so you get strength where you need it and bigger weld areas for strength. Carbon is the same but no welds and obs more expensive. Steel is heavier and you have to use straight tubes so the weld points are smaller weaker and you pay more for it.

 

[Trevor Morley's Tache]

Think it's the same saying that not sure I would buy a second hand carbon bike. You would have to be meticulous looking it over for any hairline cracks. I don't like how alot of mountain bikes are made now look very cumbersome add an electric motor aswell! Not for me. U have to take it to a bike shop now for a service like a car lol

My frame is 7005 Aluminium which is light and strong. It does have a little bit of flex in it (noticeable at the front forks) , but it is more than solid enough for what I use it for.

Carbon composite doesn't suffer fatigue in the same way metal does, and the top end frames are certainly getting better in terms of impact resistance. Modern manufacturing techniques and new nano-resins now mean that carbon frames could potentially last a lifetime, although you do get what you pay for. I suspect a £300 fame wouldn't last more than a few years of regular use.

I'm not buying one any time soon as I can't justify the cost. I would also be sceptical of buying second hand because you just never know the history of the bike.

 

[bluemcr]

My frame is 7005 Aluminium which is light and strong. It does have a little bit of flex in it (noticeable at the front forks) , but it is more than solid enough for what I use it for.

Carbon composite doesn't suffer fatigue in the same way metal does, and the top end frames are certainly getting better in terms of impact resistance. Modern manufacturing techniques and new nano-resins now mean that carbon frames could potentially last a lifetime, although you do get what you pay for. I suspect a £300 fame wouldn't last more than a few years of regular use.

I'm not buying one any time soon as I can't justify the cost. I would also be sceptical of buying second hand because you just never know the history of the bike.

My bikes a scandium frame hardtail although I'm thinking of converting to rigid for a change. I'm not sure whether to get carbon forks or alloy. I've heard stories of carbon forks snapping on impact off road. Looks like carbon is the future material but I've seen some manufacturers going back to aluminium or steel which is a plus. I just love quality welding. I get the whole electric bike thing, it can obviously get people back into biking but if your an average fit person you shouldn't get one. Just your missing out on the fun off road for instance. No pain no gain as they say lol

 

[Gareth Barry Conlon]

My bikes a scandium frame hardtail although I'm thinking of converting to rigid for a change. I'm not sure whether to get carbon forks or alloy. I've heard stories of carbon forks snapping on impact off road. Looks like carbon is the future material but I've seen some manufacturers going back to aluminium or steel which is a plus. I just love quality welding. I get the whole electric bike thing, it can obviously get people back into biking but if your an average fit person you shouldn't get one. Just your missing out on the fun off road for instance. No pain no gain as they say lol

Carbon fibre was the future about 10/20 years ago, its mainstream now. You will struggle to find a decent road bike that doesn't have carbon forks, even the cheapest road bikes from Trek, Giant, Specialized are all supplied with carbon forks and have been for years. Its perfectly safe and easily as reliable as alloy or steel. You would not need to check over a CF bike any more than you would an alloy or steel one for cracks or defects if buying second hand. They are all built to a strength / weight / flexibility formula and CF offers the best mix.

 

[bluemcr]

Carbon fibre was the future about 10/20 years ago, its mainstream now. You will struggle to find a decent road bike that doesn't have carbon forks, even the cheapest road bikes from Trek, Giant, Specialized are all supplied with carbon forks and have been for years. Its perfectly safe and easily as reliable as alloy or steel. You would not need to check over a CF bike any more than you would an alloy or steel one for cracks or defects if buying second hand. They are all built to a strength / weight / flexibility formula and CF offers the best mix.

Yeah I just meant carbon is like the go to material now and much more popular than 10 or 20yrs ago like u said. Are you a mtb or road bike biker?

 

[Gareth Barry Conlon]

Yeah I just meant carbon is like the go to material now and much more popular than 10 or 20yrs ago like u said. Are you a mtb or road bike biker?

I was a mountain biker but don't really have the time now so tend to just be a road biker. I have always been a commuter.

 

[bluemcr]

I was a mountain biker but don't really have the time now so tend to just be a road biker. I have always been a commuter.

I just wanted to ask have you been to llandegla because I was thinking of going with a few mates. I've been to cannock chase many times and really enjoyed it.

 

[Fat Chance]

Not sure where you have picked that up. Carbon fiber has been around in cycling for 30 years and is perfectly safe. I've had carbon fiber bits and bobs on bikes for at least 10 years including handlebars on a mountain bike that i used to jump and generally hammer around mountain trails.

Carbon rods have been around angling circles for the same amount of time...me pals on his third, his pals on his second and tales of 6lb perch snapping 60lb breaking strain state of tbe art carbon abound.
https://reviews.mtbr.com/when-should-you-replace-your-carbon-handlebar

As for steel that would be my third choice, high end alloy frames are the best value for money by far - they are cheap, light and the tubes can be hydroformed so you get strength where you need it and bigger weld areas for strength. Carbon is the same but no welds and obs more expensive. Steel is heavier and you have to use straight tubes so the weld points are smaller weaker and you pay more for it.

Best value for money aint got a lot to do with it if alu cracks or whether a tube is shaped to be sexy...marin presented riders with a bouncy fork or offered a steel triple butted rigid when they released their fire trail model...an alu lead fork may well have been lighter than a steel offering and possibly a bit more boxy but forgiving it wouldnt have been...alu cracks regular when used in bike components/frames..period.