Hmph. I could swear I saw something more recent, but all I can find in my history is this quite dated (though still interesting) article from Sheldon's site: http://www.sheldonbrown.com/rinard/frame_fatigue_test.htm
And this white paper that doesn't do any comparisons but just talks about a lot of the factors that make it hard to just compare all carbon fiber equally (and along with that the different factors that can lead to CF failure more, or lead to it less): http://calfeedesign.com/tech-papers/technical-white-paper/ I'd like to see anything more recent myself. On Tuesday, January 19, 2016 at 3:32:53 PM UTC-5, Zed Martinez wrote: > > I'm trying to find the link, I saw the results of a lab study on this just > recently, but can't find it yet. If I recall, good carbon fiber is strong. > Really strong. It outlasted the steel by a lot in the lab test. Even Grant > has found this before, in their impromptu fork sword fight the CF one > actually bent one of the steel ones when impacted. (I did always find it a > bit cheating that the way he got the CF one to fail was to score it.) The > thing he took comfort in in the end is my favorite reason to advocate steel > for a bicycle over CF, and that's failure mode. Used as intended and not > abused, a carbon fiber frame might even outlast a steel one. It's just they > don't tend to fare as well if they take the sort of usual knocks, falls, > and collisions a bike tends to go through. Once there's been some damage, > the failure mode tends to be sudden and catastrophic rather than slow and > visible. A good chance to take as a performance-minded person for > performance-minded uses, but at odds with that core Rivendell belief of > making no quadriplegics. I'll keep looking for the link on the strength and > durability of the materials. > > On Tuesday, January 19, 2016 at 3:01:03 PM UTC-5, Patrick Moore wrote: >> >> Has anyone with real cycling design bona fides done a dispassionate >> analysis comparing the advantages and disadvantages of carbon fiber and >> steel as materials for bicycle parts and frames? >> >> For example, local builder Dave Porter claimed, or used to claim (this >> was 4-5 years ago) that he could build a steel bike as light as a carbon >> fiber one using the latest steels. OTOH, don't they use CF for F1 racing >> car cockpit tubs? >> >> Intelligently used (please note that qualification), would CF be both >> lighter and stronger in a bike frame properly designed for that material, >> than the best steel? Or just lighter? Or just stronger? Or neither? >> >> The discussion of CF *as such* and steel *as such* as frame materials so >> often doesn't prescind from the stupid light designs used by marketers to >> sell new bikes to the gullible. It would be refreshing to see an >> intelligent comparison of the materials' real advantages. >> >> On Tue, Jan 19, 2016 at 8:01 AM, Surlyprof <jmcc...@gmail.com> wrote: >> >>> *"I have never been forced to accept compromises but I have willingly >>> accepted constraints."* - Charles Eames >>> >>> I am also an Industrial Designer and teacher of future designers. >>> Carbon fiber is the choice of many young designers because, like any >>> plastic material, it seductively can be any shape you want it to be >>> reducing or eliminating constraints of materials and manufacturing >>> processes. It continues to be a staple in the bike industry because (1) >>> the public was led to believe it is better and (2) to go back to steel >>> would reveal the flaws in carbon. >>> >> >> -- >> Resumes, LinkedIn profiles, bios, and letters that get interviews. >> By-the-hour resume and LinkedIn coaching. >> Other professional writing services. >> http://www.resumespecialties.com/ >> www.linkedin.com/in/patrickmooreresumespec/ >> Patrick Moore >> Alburquerque, Nouvelle Mexique, Vereinigte Staaten >> ************************************* >> *************************************************** >> *The point which is the pivot of the norm is the motionless center of a >> circumference on which all conditions, distinctions, and individualities >> revolve. *Chuang Tzu >> >> *Stat crux dum volvitur orbis.* *(The cross stands motionless while the >> world revolves.) *Carthusian motto >> >> *It is *we *who change; *He* remains the same.* Eckhart >> >> *Kinei hos eromenon.* (*It moves [all things] as the beloved.) *Aristotle >> >> >> -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com. Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
