Now the cycling community can really benefit from Carbon Bike Repair's thought leadership on all subjects concerning technical aspects of carbon bikes, paint work and general precautionary maintenance advice.
If you have searched for a 'carbon bike repair' service you would have likely come across us. We are based in Surrey, UK and Johannesburg, South Africa. CBR has been around for 9 years and we offer a variety of services from damage assessments, carbon fibre repair, paint restoration to full custom resprays as well as bicycle stripping / rebuilding and general servicing.
It is possible to save your bike no matter what people tell you. Ask only carbon bike experts to inspect and quote. Hopefully you feel confident enough to join the other 12,000 + customers who have passed through our workshops.
Hi guys can anyone tell me about the full carbon fork made by the Italian manufacturer Columbus. The name of the fork is the Tubi Minimal. Diameter 1 inch headtube. Fork is made in mainland China for the company. Any thoughts on the quality or possible defects of this product.
Excellent and informative video! Would you be skeptical of a popular online used bike retailer's claim of them "checking the frame with an aviation grade electronic carbon tap" ensuring no structural damage?
Nonsense. Aircraft testing equipment is nothing like a bicycle testing equipment. The word ‘aerospace’ is used a lot too. You don’t go to veterinary surgeon for your medical procedures..thanks you chiming in.
as the critical point in carbon repair is the layup process, this robot is just a marketing tool but won't improve quality. Maybe he is cheaper than hiring a trained employee over 2 years, idk
I heard this comment before and I understand where it is coming from but what you might not appreciate is what carbon bikes have become in order to stiffen thin walled frames which can measure 0.4mm in thickness. They are literally half the weight on average from 4 years ago. I would suggest to you then if you were in the business of repairing bikes by hand you might find that you can no longer claim to know if the repair is compromised because, as skilled as you might be, you have no reference. This system now guarantees these complex wall thicknesses remain. That alone, when you are repairing hundreds of bikes per month, is good enough for us. I see no other option to ensure the safety of the repair. Maybe in time there will be cheaper solutions forthcoming.
@@carbonbikerepair1 how are you identifying the laminate layup to ensure the stresses are distributed in line with the original? each layer needs to be replaced within 5 deg of the original to ensure as far as possible the integrity of the repair and not having a point of failure on the component, just replacing thickness isn't enough.
@@Tonka484_RacingThank you for you comment. This is partially correct however layups vary across the areas of the bike as well as the brand process. There is no one way to successfully lay up a bike. The fracture location is therefore scanned with some impressive technology to identify the properties to replicate. Matrix ratios are also a big part of the makeup which is not often discussed yet critical in the character of the compliance as much as the architecture of the composite. Much of the process we are not permitted to show the public but replication is possible. As you suggest it is critical. Thank you
Wow! You were damn good before this robot arrived. The precision of material removal is something to behold and the final finish on that Condor frame was exceptional.
I remember that being in a crystal case in Colnago's booth. I was a guest, visiting with Mr. and Mrs. Colnago at the Long Beach show but that didn't get me anywhere near the bike.
In this case the customer was given this as a gift from his father who passed away. Even so surprisingly still a lot cheaper than a retail value replacement frame at the time. This example is rare so it’s really just a show case of what is possible in the right hands. Thanks for your question!
Hello Tyler and friends. It’s impossible to be specific but I’m guessing your question is a universal one about the general robustness of the bb press-fit? Designers these days simply review past frame-sets and understand that there is a general rule when it comes to pressure applied + a bit more in case. Generally I would say the bikes in circulation will be up to the task of handling assembly and disassembly. When it comes to the individual doing it or the various types of oversize options available with scant information then anything is possible. I will say this as an experienced repairer though, often the damage is done before you hear that crack. It could be from a previous impact or stress applied to the bb. For example we have seen implosions of the bb just because no lubricants was applied to help slide in the bearing cups. To provide a universal answer: in general the carbon bb will out perform an alloy one when it comes to stiffness under load. Anything else and it is more vulnerable. Weight reduction, frame stiffness and mold shaping opportunities are some of the good reasons why we have so much carbon replacing alloy. Good or bad!
Values have collapsed to the point where this particular repair wouldn't be economic for the customer. I myself recently bought a used r872 full ultegra for £250.
Yes some repairs are not economical but as you go up the cost scale that is where are kept very busy. Hopefully these example videos offer an insight to the secretive world of carbon repair. Thanks for your contribution
I feel like this advice works for a fork. I do understand that its unreliable do to your hearing quality. However, I didn't see the test on a bike frame. We dont have access to a expensive testing tools. So what do we do to test used carbon bikes?
Good question. Tap testing is a waste of time because it is not definitive. You need to be sure either way otherwise there is no confidence in the result. The best way to test for ‘hidden’ issues at home is to compress with your thumbs across the tube. Listen for noise and feel for unusual give in the tube. If you have a duplicate of the part in question then reference that. Look for paint cracks but that too does not necessarily mean there is a fracture in the carbon wall. Best of all if you are unsure, get it to a reputable carbon inspector. Be careful..there are many waving ultrasound and aerospace talk. Avoid. Look for reviews and experience to assist.
Possibly because the aluminum can distort but generally the carbon fork will deal with an impact up to 7 times better as long as it’s not a sharp object impact but then it doesn’t matter both are going to land you in trouble
I live in Canada, in the summer the shed where I keep my fancy carbon frame bicycle can reach 60+ degree celsius and -30 degrees C in the winter. Any issues letting the bicycle cycle through all those temperature variations? Thank you
Hi there. Nope all should fine. In both cases, especially the heat, don’t leave it in that heat. If you ride it the air will keep it cool. Thanks for chiming in from Canada!
I fully agree with your advice, in fact my training bike has only 1 of the 2 hanger screws inserted after I could not get an exact replica hanger replacement after I broke the original. I am riding it without issue for 3 years
All those broken steerer tubes don’t seem to be “not dangerous”. Also most people haven’t access to professional carbon scan and repair like you and your time provide, so for me it just seems like a big risk to take for my personal safety. Carbon might be a nice material to look at, it is lighter and easier to get aero shapes. All this doesn’t contribute to my safety though. It might be safe in 80% of cases and might be a rather strong material. But it seems like it is highly unpredictable for the non-expert. and not suitable for the average person to maintain. If my aluminum frame has a damage, 99% of the time I will see it and know how to handle it (or trash it). Financial pain is better than body pain through carbon failure. Because if carbon fails, it often cracks. And if it is the steerer tube f.e., which is one of the more fragile parts of the whole thing, it can be very serious. Got one cracked steerer tube already and I used a torque wrench. Never got such things with aluminum. If I install new components on an aluminum frame I wouldn’t have to worry about breaking it right away by accident through a torque wrench not clicking or using the wrong paste, etc. I don’t know what to do homestly, because every true race bike is made out of carbon nowadays and I have no opportunity to get it checked after every crash. I have to do maintenance by myself and I don’t feel secure doing something with this material, because it feels like glass to me.
Thank you for your input to the debate. I can’t say I disagree with your comments . Like all things we call ‘progress’ there is a price. That price is to loose a level of control for a marginal gain. Personally carbon bikes are amazing as long as you don’t have too many mishaps then your points come into the picture. However as I’ve heard many arguments for aluminium frames other than cheap and practical work horses they don’t stack up against a carbon bike. Carbon is infinitely repairable where distortion and buckling in an alloy frame is not always salvageable and they do hide nastily surprises too. Other than that they have 2 wheels and some gears and a whole lot of fun. Cheers for chiming in. Appreciated!
How do you create the pressure for the baselayer. Because you have nothing on the inside to press against. On top of the baselayer its easy to apply the pressure for the following layers.
Hi Nath. E-bikes at this point in their evolution are more sturdy in construction for a start. They aren’t chasing the same level of performance gains therefore you shouldn’t worry at all as long as you don’t pull it off the wall along with the mount then there could be an issue but in general even a super light carbon bike takes some work to break. Enjoy your storage solution 👌
