Carbon Fiber Rods

[bikeron]

Anyone ever use these?

 

[Richard150MPH]

I probably have more experience with CF than most members here.
Used to work for Omohundro Spars, who made CF mast for sailboats.
Mostly class racers, Americas Cup, and high end yachts.
CF can be amazing, but when it fails it does not just crack, it shatters.
How many runs are these claimed to be good for?
Certainly would never use them in a street engine or Sprint car type use.

 

[77cruiser]

I tried to listen to that guy, but couldn't do it.

 

[cage2592]

Im with Rich. Though the benefits of CF seem to be more beneficial, I thought heat and friction is what breaks down CF drastically.

 

[cheveslakr]

There'd have to be broad acceptance in the endurance racing arena for me.

On my bike, I ran over a burlap bag, it wrapped through the rear derailer and cracked one of the rear struts, carbon fiber. Estimate was over $1200 and I'd have to strip the bike and rebuild it once the repair was done. Not likely....I sanded it down to paper thin in the compromised area, tapered it 4 inches each direction, then laid 5 layers of matt. Repair kit was $40 and my time was maybe 4 to 6 hrs back to paint. 2 bike shops warned me against this, but I've got over 1000 miles on the repair and inspect every so often.

 

[kmakar]

I wouldn't trust it. CF has it's place, but for me inside an engine ain't one of them.

 

[bikeron]

There'd have to be broad acceptance in the endurance racing arena for me.

On my bike, I ran over a burlap bag, it wrapped through the rear derailer and cracked one of the rear struts, carbon fiber. Estimate was over $1200 and I'd have to strip the bike and rebuild it once the repair was done. Not likely....I sanded it down to paper thin in the compromised area, tapered it 4 inches each direction, then laid 5 layers of matt. Repair kit was $40 and my time was maybe 4 to 6 hrs back to paint. 2 bike shops warned me against this, but I've got over 1000 miles on the repair and inspect every so often.

"Steel is real"! My Richard Sachs is 36 years old. New gruppos every so many years and one break.. Richard fixed it for me, no CF for me..

 

[cheveslakr]

If I had it to do over, I'd never go CF. Rode a Schwinn World as a casual bike for 20 years and wanted something comparable to an old Raleigh Record I had back in high school. It's a Trek, and has been great, but both gear packs and both derailers are obsolete, and it's only 10 years old. I've been stocking up on rear derailers, have 2 as spares. This sickens me, that you can spend $3k on a bike and can't get parts for it just a few short years after. That Raleigh was high end back then, and I would love to have it back.

 

[bikeron]

If I had it to do over, I'd never go CF. Rode a Schwinn World as a casual bike for 20 years and wanted something comparable to an old Raleigh Record I had back in high school. It's a Trek, and has been great, but both gear packs and both derailers are obsolete, and it's only 10 years old. I've been stocking up on rear derailers, have 2 as spares. This sickens me, that you can spend $3k on a bike and can't get parts for it just a few short years after. That Raleigh was high end back then, and I would love to have it back.

I also still have my Raleigh pro with Campy Record. 45 years old...

 

[Shaner]

If I had it to do over, I'd never go CF. Rode a Schwinn World as a casual bike for 20 years and wanted something comparable to an old Raleigh Record I had back in high school. It's a Trek, and has been great, but both gear packs and both derailers are obsolete, and it's only 10 years old. I've been stocking up on rear derailers, have 2 as spares. This sickens me, that you can spend $3k on a bike and can't get parts for it just a few short years after. That Raleigh was high end back then, and I would love to have it back.

Ever see another one?

Love old Raleighs.