Vintage Carbon Fiber Frame Still Safe and Usable?
09-06-20, 07:57 PM
#26
Senior Member
Built up and been riding my 1990 cadex since 2016. One of the best feeling bikes I own. No creaks, cracks, delamination, etc. Perfecty fine. A couple years back everyone poopooed vintage carbon for being fragile or a health risk but then detractors had a lot of trouble finding solid mass evidence of this. Most vintage carbon is over built and thicker and stronger than it needed to be.
Last edited by GhostSS; 09-06-20 at 08:04 PM.
09-07-20, 12:14 PM
#27
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My faux pas, I am being serious.
09-07-20, 12:16 PM
#28
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And remember, winter is coming.
09-07-20, 01:18 PM
#29
Senior Member
Well made carbon will outlast steel as it doesn't rust. It isn't as susceptible to stress cracks as Aluminum.
It will likely outlast you.
It will likely outlast you.
04-26-21, 12:29 PM
#30
Junior Member
More Giant CADEX 980C love. This thing is immensely ridable with a few modern parts on it (well, just about everything but the frame and seatpost). Think I paid $100 for it last summer.
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04-26-21, 03:15 PM
#31
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[QUOTE=TimothyH;20462727
I ride a 16 year old carbon fork with 60,000 miles on it. An acquaintance rode a carbon frame for 170,000 miles over a decade.
-Tim-[/QUOTE]
You know someone who rode 17,000 miles a year for 10 years? That is totally impressive.
I ride a 16 year old carbon fork with 60,000 miles on it. An acquaintance rode a carbon frame for 170,000 miles over a decade.
-Tim-[/QUOTE]
You know someone who rode 17,000 miles a year for 10 years? That is totally impressive.
04-26-21, 03:43 PM
#32
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Oh man, great thread. I have a 1995 Giant CFM-4 that probably has less than 100 miles total on it. All on pavement and hardpack trail stuff. I've been thinking about fixing it up as I could probably only get $75-$100 max for it on the used market. I'll put another $100ish in it and have a nice hardtail/mtb/cruiser. Is this thing still good for many more years?
04-26-21, 04:23 PM
#33
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Calfee TetraPro from 2000
20 year old CF. 1st fork replaced after about 15 months of hard riding in earthquaked Santa Cruz Mts. Continued hard use for another 3 years. Then moved where the roads were smoother and mountains didn't exist. Then my bike count rose - so now it's in a big rotation of bikes = fewer annual miles.
It still rides excellently. 60cm = 3.0 pound bare frame, heavy enough to be sturdy with gusseted lugs. Some upgrades over the years and one factory repaint. Still in warranty. Should probably cut the steerer after so many years of use, but I keep telling myself I will ride it til I'm old and stiff and need a riser stem.
Thanks, Craig.
It still rides excellently. 60cm = 3.0 pound bare frame, heavy enough to be sturdy with gusseted lugs. Some upgrades over the years and one factory repaint. Still in warranty. Should probably cut the steerer after so many years of use, but I keep telling myself I will ride it til I'm old and stiff and need a riser stem.
Thanks, Craig.
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Vintage, modern, e-road. It is a big cycling universe.
Vintage, modern, e-road. It is a big cycling universe.
Last edited by Wildwood; 04-26-21 at 04:27 PM.
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04-26-21, 04:33 PM
#34
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Oh man, great thread. I have a 1995 Giant CFM-4 that probably has less than 100 miles total on it. All on pavement and hardpack trail stuff. I've been thinking about fixing it up as I could probably only get $75-$100 max for it on the used market. I'll put another $100ish in it and have a nice hardtail/mtb/cruiser. Is this thing still good for many more years?
Please ignore the absolute BS posted by rydabent. He's spent years trying to convince people that CF used in bike frames will assplode when it gets old. Meanwhile, MANY people continue to put thousands of miles on perfectly good older CF bikes.
Enjoy your bike
.
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"Swedish fish. They're protein shaped." - livedarklions
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04-26-21, 06:41 PM
#35
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I have a 2003 CF road bike that was ridden hard for a couple of years when it was new, set aside for 15 years, and is now getting ridden hard again. It's every bit as good as it ever was.
Please ignore the absolute BS posted by rydabent. He's spent years trying to convince people that CF used in bike frames will assplode when it gets old. Meanwhile, MANY people continue to put thousands of miles on perfectly good older CF bikes.
Enjoy your bike .
Please ignore the absolute BS posted by rydabent. He's spent years trying to convince people that CF used in bike frames will assplode when it gets old. Meanwhile, MANY people continue to put thousands of miles on perfectly good older CF bikes.
Enjoy your bike
.
04-27-21, 09:16 AM
#37
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Just rebuilt my mothers old 1995 Trek Carbon 2120 up for my wife. She took that bike all over the world during her stewardship, lots of airline baggage smashers tossed that that bike around. She finally bought a hard case for it. Frame still look new, after thousands of miles, my wife loves the ride.
Tim
Tim
Last edited by tkamd73; 04-27-21 at 09:24 AM.
04-27-21, 09:47 AM
#38
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...carbon fiber.
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"Swedish fish. They're protein shaped." - livedarklions
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04-27-21, 10:06 AM
#39
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The ability of a frame to withstand fatigue cycles depends on much more than the material. This is basic stuff.
This is a teaching moment for you. Will you learn?
"The myth of indestructibility collapses: Relatively early, considering the price and the high expectations, a crack spiraled around the down tube of the Merlin Team Road titanium frame. Point of origin: the small weld at the shift-lever boss."
https://www.sheldonbrown.com/rinard/...tigue_test.htm
This is a teaching moment for you. Will you learn?
"The myth of indestructibility collapses: Relatively early, considering the price and the high expectations, a crack spiraled around the down tube of the Merlin Team Road titanium frame. Point of origin: the small weld at the shift-lever boss."
https://www.sheldonbrown.com/rinard/...tigue_test.htm
Rydabent won't learn. He has shown his determination to remain willfully ignorant. Worse, however, is his determination to promote false information.
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Last edited by Eric F; 04-27-21 at 10:14 AM.
04-27-21, 10:11 AM
#40
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Though not really vintage I bought my first used carbon road bike last week. A 2013 Ghost Race Lecture 7000, and I have to say that I am enjoying it immensely so far. EFBe Biketest: TOUR-Frametest (wscope.com) This test is from 1997 and it shows that the Carbon Fiber Trek lasted longer then the steel and titanium frames and CF tech has gotten even better since then. I think like any bike it's all about how well it's taken care of. If it's been in a crash etc. I also think a lot of failures were from bike techs without torque wrenches.
I borrowed this pic from google but here's a new Titanium bike where it wasn't welded correctly. That break is as bad as it gets.
I borrowed this pic from google but here's a new Titanium bike where it wasn't welded correctly. That break is as bad as it gets.
04-27-21, 01:03 PM
#41
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27 yo carbon frame...still love the ride.
04-27-21, 07:56 PM
#42
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I am using CF fishing rods from trout to big surf poles that are as old as 35+ years and my wife is using golf clubs with CF shafts almost as old. Never a break, delamination, split, unwinding, or other damage to those items. Ditto for CF arrows that experience heavy shock. I figure a properly designed, built and cared for CF bike frame should last a long time.
