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View Full Version : Gotta love TopGear and the BBC....just how strong is carbon fiber vs steel?

sales guy
02-13-2014, 10:17 AM
I am a huge topgear fan. In fact I have the schedule handy so I can get tickets when I head over and be at a taping. Can't wait!!!!

Richard "hamster" Hammond is at the Lotus F1 eating facility and tests how strong a steel vs carbon tube is.

Thanks bikerumor.


http://www.bikerumor.com/2014/02/13/video-just-how-much-stronger-than-steel-is-carbon/
texbike
02-13-2014, 10:34 AM
Great video.

I still love the Santa Cruz carbon testing -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xreZdUBqpJs

The concrete smash test is the best! :)

Texbike
bobswire
02-13-2014, 11:02 AM
Great video.

I still love the Santa Cruz carbon testing -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xreZdUBqpJs

The concrete smash test is the best! :)

Texbike

Funny, I've never had a frame failure on ether and still have own a 34 year old steel frame that rides great,so as far as I'm concerned it is a bogus argument as a reason to choose one over the other.
bewheels
02-13-2014, 11:45 AM
Funny, I've never had a frame failure on ether and still have own a 34 year old steel frame that rides great,so as far as I'm concerned it is a bogus argument as a reason to choose one over the other.


...for another data point, I have had frame failures with steel, carbon, and aluminum. While how much force it takes for the material to giveaway is interesting, I think the construction methods/skill play a much larger role in bike frame failure then that actual material its self. Then there is the factor of 'how a material fails' - bending versus breaking, all at once versus incremental, etc, etc.
oldpotatoe
02-13-2014, 11:50 AM
I am a huge topgear fan. In fact I have the schedule handy so I can get tickets when I head over and be at a taping. Can't wait!!!!

Richard "hamster" Hammond is at the Lotus F1 eating facility and tests how strong a steel vs carbon tube is.

Thanks bikerumor.


http://www.bikerumor.com/2014/02/13/video-just-how-much-stronger-than-steel-is-carbon/

'Cept I'll bet one weak point is bonding(gluing) the metal flange on the end AND kinda apples and oranges since the CF shaft was the price of some complete engines. Like lotsa of stuff like this, the Steel one was heavier, but not heavy, if that Hammond could lift it. Steel one works fine for 95%+ of applications at fraction of cost.. Same for some bike stuff.