More carbon fiber adventure

I just got an email from a cycling friend who lives a couple hundred
miles from me, a guy who emails me fairly often. He says he was riding
his new carbon fiber time trial bike on a familiar downhill bend. But
the brand new chip & seal surface near the bottom was not familiar at
all. The road surface had previously been asphalt, but surprise! Now
it's loosely packed gravel, at least until motor vehicle traffic
compacts it and kicks aside the excess.

He slid out and has some road rash. Apparently the crash wasn't very
bad, but his favorite bike mechanic at the shop where he bought the
bike, says the fork must be replaced, and perhaps the entire frame.

He said "This is my first carbon fiber bike, and they are so fragile!"

--
- Frank Krygowski

On Aug 23, 10:26*pm, Frank Krygowski
wrote:
I just got an email from a cycling friend who lives a couple hundred
miles from me, a guy who emails me fairly often. *He says he was riding
his new carbon fiber time trial bike on a familiar downhill bend. *But
the brand new chip & seal surface near the bottom was not familiar at
all. *The road surface had previously been asphalt, but surprise! Now
it's loosely packed gravel, at least until motor vehicle traffic
compacts it and kicks aside the excess.

He slid out and has some road rash. *Apparently the crash wasn't very
bad, but his favorite bike mechanic at the shop where he bought the
bike, says the fork must be replaced, and perhaps the entire frame.

He said "This is my first carbon fiber bike, and they are so fragile!"

--
- Frank Krygowski

I have crashed on a steel frame bike, the crash wasn't very bad, but I
still bent the front fork.
Coz

Op 24-8-2012 5:26, Frank Krygowski schreef:
I just got an email from a cycling friend who lives a couple hundred
miles from me, a guy who emails me fairly often. He says he was riding
his new carbon fiber time trial bike on a familiar downhill bend. But
the brand new chip & seal surface near the bottom was not familiar at
all. The road surface had previously been asphalt, but surprise! Now
it's loosely packed gravel, at least until motor vehicle traffic
compacts it and kicks aside the excess.

He slid out and has some road rash. Apparently the crash wasn't very
bad, but his favorite bike mechanic at the shop where he bought the
bike, says the fork must be replaced, and perhaps the entire frame.

We need more data Frank. Post the original Email and some photo's of the
damaged frame/fork. If it is not an impact crash and only a 'slider' I
doubt that the frame/fork need to be replaced. I don't believe just
stories.


He said "This is my first carbon fiber bike, and they are so fragile!"

Another ignorant friend of yours that didn't know this could happen?

Lou, don't fall.

Per Lou Holtman:
If it is not an impact crash and only a 'slider' I
doubt that the frame/fork need to be replaced.

I can't recall the activity, but remember reading that in some
applications if a carbon-fiber component is scratched (deeply
enough?) it needs tb replaced for safety reasons.
--
Pete Cresswell

On Aug 24, 4:26*am, Frank Krygowski
wrote:
I just got an email from a cycling friend who lives a couple hundred
miles from me, a guy who emails me fairly often. *He says he was riding
his new carbon fiber time trial bike on a familiar downhill bend. *But
the brand new chip & seal surface near the bottom was not familiar at
all. *The road surface had previously been asphalt, but surprise! Now
it's loosely packed gravel, at least until motor vehicle traffic
compacts it and kicks aside the excess.

He slid out and has some road rash. *Apparently the crash wasn't very
bad, but his favorite bike mechanic at the shop where he bought the
bike, says the fork must be replaced, and perhaps the entire frame.

He said "This is my first carbon fiber bike, and they are so fragile!"

--
- Frank Krygowski

Seems odd to me. I've not managed to scratch a fork blade by simply
sliding out. I;ve taken off bar tape, ripped brake lever hoods and
sculpted brake levers, and I've managed to tear off a little tyre
tread and scrape a rim. Forks generally stay clear of the road unless
they've already snapped. I am well experienced in testing bicycle
lean angles, forks do not get scratched from a simple slide. May be
there is some other factor to this story such as failure to adequately
tighten front axle?

Op 24-8-2012 14:55, (PeteCresswell) schreef:
Per Lou Holtman:
If it is not an impact crash and only a 'slider' I
doubt that the frame/fork need to be replaced.

I can't recall the activity, but remember reading that in some
applications if a carbon-fiber component is scratched (deeply
enough?) it needs tb replaced for safety reasons.



With a slider the bike doesn't touch the ground in 95% of the cases.
Half of your body is between the bike and the ground. After that the
pedal touches the ground and the RD or QR.
All my (few) crashes were sliders. Not one bike was scratched.

Lou

Op 24-8-2012 15:49, thirty-six schreef:
On Aug 24, 4:26 am, Frank Krygowski
wrote:
I just got an email from a cycling friend who lives a couple hundred
miles from me, a guy who emails me fairly often. He says he was riding
his new carbon fiber time trial bike on a familiar downhill bend. But
the brand new chip & seal surface near the bottom was not familiar at
all. The road surface had previously been asphalt, but surprise! Now
it's loosely packed gravel, at least until motor vehicle traffic
compacts it and kicks aside the excess.

He slid out and has some road rash. Apparently the crash wasn't very
bad, but his favorite bike mechanic at the shop where he bought the
bike, says the fork must be replaced, and perhaps the entire frame.

He said "This is my first carbon fiber bike, and they are so fragile!"

--
- Frank Krygowski

Seems odd to me. I've not managed to scratch a fork blade by simply
sliding out. I;ve taken off bar tape, ripped brake lever hoods and
sculpted brake levers, and I've managed to tear off a little tyre
tread and scrape a rim. Forks generally stay clear of the road unless
they've already snapped. I am well experienced in testing bicycle
lean angles, forks do not get scratched from a simple slide. May be
there is some other factor to this story such as failure to adequately
tighten front axle?



Or it is one of Franks bed time stories ;-)

Lou

Lou Holtman wrote:
Op 24-8-2012 5:26, Frank Krygowski schreef:
I just got an email from a cycling friend who lives a couple hundred
miles from me, a guy who emails me fairly often. He says he was riding
his new carbon fiber time trial bike on a familiar downhill bend. But
the brand new chip & seal surface near the bottom was not familiar at
all. The road surface had previously been asphalt, but surprise! Now
it's loosely packed gravel, at least until motor vehicle traffic
compacts it and kicks aside the excess.

He slid out and has some road rash. Apparently the crash wasn't very
bad, but his favorite bike mechanic at the shop where he bought the
bike, says the fork must be replaced, and perhaps the entire frame.

We need more data Frank. Post the original Email and some photo's of the
damaged frame/fork. If it is not an impact crash and only a 'slider' I
doubt that the frame/fork need to be replaced. I don't believe just
stories.

Feel free to disbelieve. I won't post an email from a friend here,
unless he asks me to go to this group for technical help - something
that's very unlikely.

I don't know if the bike impacted a fixed object after sliding out, or
if there was some other factor that led his mechanic to recommend
replacement of the fork and perhaps the frame. I don't know if the
mechanic is correct in his assessment. The only detail I omitted was
his claim that his "old steel road bike would have taken the fall much
better."

It occurs to me now that I may be able to direct him to that American
company that repairs carbon frames. Can someone remind me about it?

He said "This is my first carbon fiber bike, and they are so fragile!"

Another ignorant friend of yours that didn't know this could happen?

This guy is a very dedicated and competent cyclist, Lou, and has done
tons of work for many decades to make things better for cyclists.
Perhaps he made an inappropriate equipment choice, but that doesn't
justify your insult.

Lou, don't fall.

Good idea. Take your own advice. [Lou: "All my (few) crashes were
sliders."]


--
- Frank Krygowski

Op 24-8-2012 17:30, Frank Krygowski schreef:
Lou Holtman wrote:
Op 24-8-2012 5:26, Frank Krygowski schreef:
I just got an email from a cycling friend who lives a couple hundred
miles from me, a guy who emails me fairly often. He says he was riding
his new carbon fiber time trial bike on a familiar downhill bend. But
the brand new chip & seal surface near the bottom was not familiar at
all. The road surface had previously been asphalt, but surprise! Now
it's loosely packed gravel, at least until motor vehicle traffic
compacts it and kicks aside the excess.

He slid out and has some road rash. Apparently the crash wasn't very
bad, but his favorite bike mechanic at the shop where he bought the
bike, says the fork must be replaced, and perhaps the entire frame.

We need more data Frank. Post the original Email and some photo's of the
damaged frame/fork. If it is not an impact crash and only a 'slider' I
doubt that the frame/fork need to be replaced. I don't believe just
stories.

Feel free to disbelieve. I won't post an email from a friend here,
unless he asks me to go to this group for technical help - something
that's very unlikely.

I don't know if the bike impacted a fixed object after sliding out, or
if there was some other factor that led his mechanic to recommend
replacement of the fork and perhaps the frame. I don't know if the
mechanic is correct in his assessment. The only detail I omitted was
his claim that his "old steel road bike would have taken the fall much
better."

It occurs to me now that I may be able to direct him to that American
company that repairs carbon frames. Can someone remind me about it?

He said "This is my first carbon fiber bike, and they are so fragile!"

Another ignorant friend of yours that didn't know this could happen?

This guy is a very dedicated and competent cyclist, Lou, and has done
tons of work for many decades to make things better for cyclists.
Perhaps he made an inappropriate equipment choice, but that doesn't
justify your insult.

Lou, don't fall.

Good idea. Take your own advice. [Lou: "All my (few) crashes were
sliders."]




Really Frank what is the purpose of your post other than scare people
away from CF?
Disbelieve? CF...minor crash...have to replace fork, maybe frame from a
person suffering from CF phobia and doesn't know the exact details. That
sounds fishy to me.

Lou

Op 24-8-2012 17:30, Frank Krygowski schreef:


Good idea. Take your own advice. [Lou: "All my (few) crashes were
sliders."]

Of course, but sometimes it happens even to me. Just don't whine about it.

Lou