Safety and control of carbon bikes

Only uphill skids are really cool !

 unknown

As the owner of a high-tech lightweight bike made of carbon, no matter what category, regular inspection of the entire carbon frame and carbon fork is of utmost importance. 

Carbon is a high-performance material, which is superior to conventional materials in terms of weight and rigidity, the individual carbon layers are placed load-oriented in the production. Of course, this also has a downside, as soon as a load, an impulse, an impact occurs, which is not characteristic of a carbon bicycle and thus was not taken into account in the manufacturer's design, this inevitably leads to a lasting damage, short-, medium- and long term. 

Thus, if an improper load occurs, e.g. the simple falling over mishap, this can already be triggered a damage to the structure. If this is not dramatic at first, then starting from this point under further stress, no longer visible from the outside, a creeping damage can occur and lead to the seemingly mythical, abrupt failure of carbon.  

In the vast majority of cases, small cuts, but also complete breaks, can be technically repaired without further restrictions for further use. If a defect is discovered, a distinction must be made between scratching, tearing or lacquer splintering; the assessment is, of course, also related to the cause of the damage, if it is known. To deepen read our blog article Small crack or defect in the carbon frame, how to assess?

For your own well-being and untroubled driving pleasure, a regular visual check for cracks and quirks is to be carried out, here lies the responsibility for the own family. In case of damage can not be expected to pass the question of guilt on the manufacturer. Especially after a fall, this procedure is mandatory, including the removal of the fork, to detect any points of early crack initiation, thus eliminating the risk of complete failure. Pay attention to the frame especially on the transitions between the individual tubes, segments, if there hairline cracks are to be discovered.

If you had a major accident, we strongly recommend a non destructive frame check. only in German for the moment June 2019

Also make groundless regular visual checks and after a fall anyway, including fork. If in doubt, get in touch with carbon experts like us !

Share with friends

Start your request  help(at)carbon-bike-service.eu via e-mail or via online form on our  CONTACT page.