Carbon DH bikes

indica

indica

Serial flasher
Maybe we can get the discussion in one thread?
Lot of love, lot of hate, lot of misinformation too.
Sure, they break, everything does.
I have one, bought myself a Fury - why? Cos I can - I also own a Force and love the GT iDrive.
I have owned a Stab and a Stinky, ridden a Giant Glory and a Nicolai Ion - this is by far the best bike I have thrown a leg over.



That is my bike. I thought I would be precious about a carbon DH bike, but I have dropped it, scratched it and crashed it and it doesn't worry me.
The ride? Stiff, fast out of corners, picks up speed with a few pedals strokes and shit it is quiet.
No sound at all apart from the squealing Saint brakes.
 
needaride

needaride

Likes Dirt
Good thread.. and yep, carbon bikes definitely seem to be noticeably quieter. Does the de-lamination, that can happen to carbon after a few years, effect the strength of the frame or just the look? I've got a mate who has a full carbon Scott Ransom and its de-laminating badly, looks like the top clear layer is peeling away..
 
Nerf Herder

Nerf Herder

Wheel size expert
It needs a carbon guide Indica :)

I'll admit to being a carbon skeptic ... but I'm now desensitized, given pretty much every brand has an offering. I can now see the benefits of using carbon, but I think we are also back to the days when quality control and build reputation plays a big part in who's carbon offering your going to drop your bundle on.

For me the turning point was seeing the santa cruz V10 test vids and all that stuff showing potential buyers what they do to test their rigs and giving us confidence in the strength of the puppies. This is what really got me on the band wagon ... more so then knowing that the WC riders like Mick and Peaty etc have been flogging the carbons for a couple of seasons now.

Re the delam on the scott ... doesn't it have a long warranty ... or is he the second owner ...
Second hand purchases (and or resale) are still an issue for me, but that won't stop me getting a new carbonium frame I guess, although I'm not unhappy with the Alu and Steel frames I'm on now.

Just to add another discussion point ... are there any Dirt Jumpers or Slope Style bikes made of Carbon ... I don't know of any, but happy to be educated. Would have thought this was the next testing ground.
 
D

driftking

Wheel size expert
*snip*
Nerf Herder said:
For me the turning point was seeing the santa cruz V10 test vids and all that stuff showing potential buyers what they do to test their rigs and giving us confidence in the strength of the puppies. This is what really got me on the band wagon ... more so then knowing that the WC riders like Mick and Peaty etc have been flogging the carbons for a couple of seasons now.
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This also was a major turning point in my opinion on carbon, the santa cruz videos were very impressive and they were not been gentle with them at all.
My only concern with carbon is that damage can be hidden to a greater extent and in terms of resale can be a bit more of a gamble.
But we cannot deny that carbon has plenty of benefits;
Stronger bikes at the same weight of its alloy versions,lighter bikes that are just as strong as thier alloy versions, stiffer and generally carbon absorbs plenty of trail vibration. There are of course branched off advantages including increased acceleration, quicker weight transfer, better braking performance.
Is carbon the future of bikes......I dont know if it is the entire future but it deffinately has a place in the riding world.
 
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indica

indica

Serial flasher
Nerf - carbon guide would be good, but my current one is fine.
drift - resale value on bikes is generally shite anyway - I didn't buy it considering what I may get back. I'm going to keep it a long time.

Where are all the negative nancy's that hate carbon?
 
D

driftking

Wheel size expert
indica said:
Nerf - carbon guide would be good, but my current one is fine.
drift - resale value on bikes is generally shite anyway - I didn't buy it considering what I may get back. I'm going to keep it a long time.

Where are all the negative nancy's that hate carbon?
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Just want to clarify when I said resale it was directed from a buyers point of view.
I don't think carbon will have any less resale value as alloy, i was directing the issue with increase chances of hidden damage for the buyer.
 
indica

indica

Serial flasher
I hear what you are saying.
I fucked up once and bought a 2nd hand Stab - it had one of those "small dent on the downtube - doesn't affect performance" issues.
I crashed and guess where the frame folded?

I will be interested to see how the Fury wears over time.

Also I see now that it is acceptable to have a carbon DH bike that everyone else is revealing what I am sure they were all working on anyway.
We know the V-10 is out - full carbon now too, there is the Trek and the Spesh, is there a Giant one? Mr. Hart would be a good test pilot.
 
ajay

ajay

^Once punched Jeff Kennett. Don't pick an e-fight
driftking said:
Just want to clarify when I said resale it was directed from a buyers point of view.
I don't think carbon will have any less resale value as alloy, i was directing the issue with increase chances of hidden damage for the buyer.
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The same can be said of aluminium, it fatigues horribly.
 
SmokedHam

SmokedHam

Likes Dirt
I have a carbon V10, Ive just finished racing the Sunny series on it, I love it, 1st thing I noticed was the stiffness and of course the weight advantage & shes quiet to boot.
Haven't had any major crashes yet, touch wood!

And just bought the new Santa Cruz Blur TR Carbon..I guess I'm a big fan.

But I am keen to see how they last over time, though I am guessing they will be just like all the rest.

The only concern for me would be big side impacts from crashing if I had to pick something of concern.

Cheers
Reidy.
 
No Skid Marks

No Skid Marks

Blue Mountain Bikes Brooklyn/Lahar/Kowa/PO1NT Raci
Theoretically carbon is far superior to aluminum for bikes. Stresses can be catered for, flex/stiffness can be built in where desired.
The onus comes on the manufacture. It's easy to get wrong. Same with longevity.
Carbon generally shouldn't fatigue as much as ally, but again, depends on how it's built, and how well.
It's a shame it can't be recycled really yet. But I'm guessing most broken frames just end up at the tip and not recycled anyway.
I hope manufacturers stop trying to make the lightest bikes now they're pretty light, focus on durability/longevity more now.
 
ajay

ajay

^Once punched Jeff Kennett. Don't pick an e-fight
No Skid Marks said:
Theoretically carbon is far superior to aluminum for bikes. Stresses can be catered for, flex/stiffness can be built in where desired.
The onus comes on the manufacture. It's easy to get wrong. Same with longevity.
Carbon generally shouldn't fatigue as much as ally, but again, depends on how it's built, and how well.
It's a shame it can't be recycled really yet. But I'm guessing most broken frames just end up at the tip and not recycled anyway.
I hope manufacturers stop trying to make the lightest bikes now they're pretty light, focus on durability/longevity more now.
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+1

Its all there. Just needs to be designed well.

The weight race I think has reached, or getting pretty close to, the top of the bell curve. Light is great but inertia, momentum and strength are fabulous things to have on your side!
 
indica

indica

Serial flasher
Mine is a tad over 18kg - it is a large and built out of enough carbon for three V-10s.
Feels great though - I like that kind of weight under me.
 
No Skid Marks

No Skid Marks

Blue Mountain Bikes Brooklyn/Lahar/Kowa/PO1NT Raci
indica said:
Mine is a tad over 18kg - it is a large and built out of enough carbon for three V-10s.
Feels great though - I like that kind of weight under me.
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Agreed, sub 17kg isn't right for DH IMO either. I'm sub 70kg and can easily drag and keep a 18kg + bike under me, and chuck it about.
Just knowing the crap some companies make, I'm concerned for the longevity of these carbon frames. I'd take the heavier GT over the Santa cruz(suspension designs withstanding)any day.
 
No Skid Marks

No Skid Marks

Blue Mountain Bikes Brooklyn/Lahar/Kowa/PO1NT Raci
Nerf Herder said:
coming from 16.7kgs of Antidote ... I disagree. I'm guessing my new rig will be circa 18kgs again so will be interesting to see if I can go back to more porc.
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You'll see. Light bikes feel great initially, light and playful, but point it downhill in anger and things change a bit. There's not much in it though, many other equally trivial characters of a bike can outweigh the weight debate. For this reason, both our opinions are questionably wrong LOL.
 
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indica

indica

Serial flasher
Nerf and NSM anytime you are up this way you are welcome to take mine for a spin. The fucker is solid, kick the pedals and it is off.
Feels great landing a jump too as I am certain the back wheel doesn't move. I used to be the pinch flat king but haven't had one on this yet, although that has nothing to do with the carbon.

I see Trek's is coming out.. Is it a light weight one?
Anyone going to buy one?
 
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