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20,300 plus


Mr. Beanz

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Not surprising to me.  I never had any issues with any of my CF bikes that could be attributed to CF being weak, flimsy, non-durable, etc..

Looked at Strava and at 19,800 on the Tarmac.  I think CF in the 2000s is way different than CF in the 90s (or even 80s!).  Lots of improvements made in that 200-2010 era where all the big makers went all in on CF, and then trickled it down across the model ranges.  Heck, aluminum frames got a massive refinement in that era too with all the hydro forming and complex shaping they did to keep up with CF. 

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I've owned 2 CF bikes and haven't had any issues with either due to the CF. On the other hand, I had a steel-is-real bike develop stress fractures on the head tube which I caught before it broke.

Actually I did have on CF problem which was my own damned fault. My 2009 Giant Defy Advance has a fancy CF teardrop shaped seatpost. It would sometimes slip down and I would raise it back up then torque it down even harder. It had a sticker saying the torque values, but I ignored it. One day I noticed that the seatpost was cracked. $200 for a replacement seatpost as it was a fancy one that only fit Giant frames. That's when I learned about Tacx Carbon Prep which I should have been using on the seatpost and seat tube. The stuff fills in imperfections in the CF plus acts as an anti-seize compound. After using the Tacx Carbon Prep plus a torque wrench, the seatpost hasn't slipped. I recommend something like the Tacx Carbon Prep  whenever you are working with CF bike parts.

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27 minutes ago, JerrySTL said:

I've owned 2 CF bikes and haven't had any issues with either due to the CF. On the other hand, I had a steel-is-real bike develop stress fractures on the head tube which I caught before it broke.

Actually I did have on CF problem which was my own damned fault. My 2009 Giant Defy Advance has a fancy CF teardrop shaped seatpost. It would sometimes slip down and I would raise it back up then torque it down even harder. It had a sticker saying the torque values, but I ignored it. One day I noticed that the seatpost was cracked. $200 for a replacement seatpost as it was a fancy one that only fit Giant frames. That's when I learned about Tacx Carbon Prep which I should have been using on the seatpost and seat tube. The stuff fills in imperfections in the CF plus acts as an anti-seize compound. After using the Tacx Carbon Prep plus a torque wrench, the seatpost hasn't slipped. I recommend something like the Tacx Carbon Prep  whenever you are working with CF bike parts.

There is a reason I avoid those fancy shaped seat posts. Just gimme  a round one. Pretty universal and easy to replace.👌🤣

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1 hour ago, JerrySTL said:

I've owned 2 CF bikes and haven't had any issues with either due to the CF. On the other hand, I had a steel-is-real bike develop stress fractures on the head tube which I caught before it broke.

Actually I did have on CF problem which was my own damned fault. My 2009 Giant Defy Advance has a fancy CF teardrop shaped seatpost. It would sometimes slip down and I would raise it back up then torque it down even harder. It had a sticker saying the torque values, but I ignored it. One day I noticed that the seatpost was cracked. $200 for a replacement seatpost as it was a fancy one that only fit Giant frames. That's when I learned about Tacx Carbon Prep which I should have been using on the seatpost and seat tube. The stuff fills in imperfections in the CF plus acts as an anti-seize compound. After using the Tacx Carbon Prep plus a torque wrench, the seatpost hasn't slipped. I recommend something like the Tacx Carbon Prep  whenever you are working with CF bike parts.

 

34 minutes ago, Mr Beanz said:

There is a reason I avoid those fancy shaped seat posts. Just gimme  a round one. Pretty universal and easy to replace.👌🤣

Yep - all "normal" seat posts on the various CF bikes I have.  I also used CF paste to both keep it tight and to prevent annoying squeaks.  

Strava has 17k for my old Roubaix and I had that pre-strava, so over 40k+ miles on CF frames with no issues to report. I'm generally easy on equipment, so that's not too surprising. My steel MTB is still fine, too.  It has been treated WAY worse and is MUCH older, but still in great shape too.

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4 hours ago, Mr Beanz said:

Well, not long ago aluminum was the choice for us heavy riders. Spending most my time around two fitty, I was told aluminum was the best material.  

But. I have had two aluminum frames snap on me after 13,000 miles.  Both made by TREK, actually Lemond frames. 

My replacement frame was upgraded free, to a full carbon Madone back in 2014.

Over the last few years,  I've read thread after thread about exploding carbon and too fragile for heavy guys. 

But I am happy to report that I now have 20,300 plus miles on my carbon Madone and have had ZERO problems. 

Note: I don't use any lightweight components.  😄

20211228_114400.jpg

Nice!  I really don’t take too much stock in the comments made by bike forum “experts”. Ride what makes you happy & carbon is plenty strong. 

I have ridden steel, Aluminum, carbon and now back to steel and I still like steel best purely from a ride quality stand point. But that’s my preference and  all of the frames had qualities I liked and with the exception of one early 90’s AL frame was happy with them all. 

 

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4 hours ago, JerrySTL said:

I've owned 2 CF bikes and haven't had any issues with either due to the CF. On the other hand, I had a steel-is-real bike develop stress fractures on the head tube which I caught before it broke.

Actually I did have on CF problem which was my own damned fault. My 2009 Giant Defy Advance has a fancy CF teardrop shaped seatpost. It would sometimes slip down and I would raise it back up then torque it down even harder. It had a sticker saying the torque values, but I ignored it. One day I noticed that the seatpost was cracked. $200 for a replacement seatpost as it was a fancy one that only fit Giant frames. That's when I learned about Tacx Carbon Prep which I should have been using on the seatpost and seat tube. The stuff fills in imperfections in the CF plus acts as an anti-seize compound. After using the Tacx Carbon Prep plus a torque wrench, the seatpost hasn't slipped. I recommend something like the Tacx Carbon Prep  whenever you are working with CF bike parts.

I have had a couple of seatpost slip including the one on  my Ritchey.  Some grease & a bit of dirt from the yard works wonders! 

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57 minutes ago, ChrisL said:

Nice!  I really don’t take too much stock in the comments made by bike forum “experts”. Ride what makes you happy & carbon is plenty strong. 

I have ridden steel, Aluminum, carbon and now back to steel and I still like steel best purely from a ride quality stand point. But that’s my preference and  all of the frames had qualities I liked and with the exception of one early 90’s AL frame was happy with them all. 

 

I thought about buying a Lemond Zurich back in the 90s. Grey and blue steel.  I was worried about the geo not knowing much back then and hearing Lemond was a bit different. 

Then 2005 I rode a Lemond. From 2005 to 2014 on a Lemond and found it was the best fitting geo I've ever rode.  Sadly broke or I'd still be riding it today. 

Then Gina's 88 steel lugged Bianchi.  She likes the ride more than her full carbon American made TREK OCLV. I've ridden it on test rides doing maintenance and feel why she likes it so much. 

So I really regret not getting that steel Lemond. 😟

I'm thinking my next bike just might be an Italian steel type. 🤔 

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33 minutes ago, Mr Beanz said:

I thought about buying a Lemond Zurich back in the 90s. Grey and blue steel.  I was worried about the geo not knowing much back then and hearing Lemond was a bit different. 

Then 2005 I rode a Lemond. From 2005 to 2014 on a Lemond and found it was the best fitting geo I've ever rode.  Sadly broke or I'd still be riding it today. 

Then Gina's 88 steel lugged Bianchi.  She likes the ride more than her full carbon American made TREK OCLV. I've ridden it on test rides doing maintenance and feel why she likes it so much. 

So I really regret not getting that steel Lemond. 😟

I'm thinking my next bike just might be an Italian steel type. 🤔 

Italian steel frames are lust  worthy but I opted for the Ritchey Swiss Cross.  It had everything I wanted in a mix road/gravel bike but they also make a road specific frames.  I think they dropped the rim brake version tho.  
https://us.ritcheylogic.com/us_en/road-logic-disc-i

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11 hours ago, ChrisL said:

Italian steel frames are lust  worthy but I opted for the Ritchey Swiss Cross.  It had everything I wanted in a mix road/gravel bike but they also make a road specific frames.  I think they dropped the rim brake version tho.  
https://us.ritcheylogic.com/us_en/road-logic-disc-i

I think Ritchey is challenged either by poor website design or a muddled message right now.  Currently, they don't even show the Breakaway frames they had a few months back.  Is that because they are sold out or no longer doing a Breakaway?  Every time I go to their site, it has a different line-up of bikes :(  

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13 minutes ago, Razors Edge said:

I think Ritchey is challenged either by poor website design or a muddled message right now.  Currently, they don't even show the Breakaway frames they had a few months back.  Is that because they are sold out or no longer doing a Breakaway?  Every time I go to their site, it has a different line-up of bikes :(  

I think being a smaller company they are being challenged a bit more by production delays than larger companies like a Trek & Spesh.   Many items are out of stock and yeah their website has been a mess for some time. 

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