Results Posted:
After poll is taken
Do you own or plan to buy a carbon frame or bike?
48 Comments
- + 90
Amukinado
(Oct 23, 2012 at 11:03)
Where's the "I would if I had the money" option?
- + 7
Not necessarily... You see, in Europe we have this Merkel problem and therefore I can't buy a carbon frame.
- + 4
Whether a bike is carbon or not doesn't matter to me. I would buy one if I happened to like a bike that was carbon, but I wouldn't limit myself to just carbon bikes if I was looking to buy a new bike.
- + 13
My option is:
If it happens to be the best frame for the price. I don't have plans to buy one but I'm not against it.
If it happens to be the best frame for the price. I don't have plans to buy one but I'm not against it.
- + 4
I have full trust in carbon parts strength, but bikes are expensive as is and I just can't justify spending nearly twice the money to save a few hundred grams or not even.
Aluminum bike builds can also turn out to be quite light as well.
If costs come down in future, than sure, but right now I think I will just stick with aluminum and steel
- + 2
Carbon doesn't mean expensive anymore. Well, not if you're too scared to buy used. My first foray was an '10 Ibis Mojo C for $1,200. I sold my frame and saved a couple hundred and bought it. I put links in it and rode it for a year. Then I sold it for $1,100. locally. Its been sold again. Locally. The end.
Blah, blah, flame.
Blah, blah, flame.
- + 0
Carbon is the future for DH and AM. Lighter, stronger in flexure, bening, and more resistant to impact point loads. Quieter. Less small vibration feedback. The difference is definitely noticeable, and appreciated after trying it.
Lots of comments about the price...laying up a carbon front triangle is much faster and cheaper than fabricating the aluminum equivalent. The high manufacturing cost is in the mold construction. Look for the trend in prices for DH carbon bikes to be on the decline in the future, specially as both supply and demand grow, and competition across bike manufacturers in the carbon market increases!
- + 0
Carbon can be the proper material for certain applications - bike and car industry definitely not. The epoxi resin used is an environmental nightmare and it really shrinks your balls.
Small vibration feedback - your point is moot - that is what the suspension is for, not the frame.
Carbon is a way of keeping startup competition out by raising the manufacturing complexity. It will boil down to 2 vietnamese factories and 2 chinese factories doing all the frames. It curbs the 2nd hand market because carbonproduct wear fast and damage cannot easiley be discerned. There are also massive production variance. One frame might last, the other is damaged in production.
Best bikematerial is cromoly and titanium tubing, cheapest to source and manufacture is aluminium. Carbon is great for serious applications like giant flywheels, f1 crumplezones, wingboxes, superlight throwaway payload covers on rockets. Bikes? Not.
Small vibration feedback - your point is moot - that is what the suspension is for, not the frame.
Carbon is a way of keeping startup competition out by raising the manufacturing complexity. It will boil down to 2 vietnamese factories and 2 chinese factories doing all the frames. It curbs the 2nd hand market because carbonproduct wear fast and damage cannot easiley be discerned. There are also massive production variance. One frame might last, the other is damaged in production.
Best bikematerial is cromoly and titanium tubing, cheapest to source and manufacture is aluminium. Carbon is great for serious applications like giant flywheels, f1 crumplezones, wingboxes, superlight throwaway payload covers on rockets. Bikes? Not.
- + 1
I can't imagine better bike then SantaCruz v10 carbon 
I love my Commencal DH v3, but v10 is in different level.
I love my Commencal DH v3, but v10 is in different level.