As the title says, I want to know if it’s safe for me to ride this bike. I believe it’s from the early 90s. It’s got carbon fiber tubing lugged with metal (not sure if it’s aluminum or steel). It seems to be in really good condition, and I’ve taken it on some chill rides on a mixed use path with zero issues. But am I riding a ticking time bomb that’s going to explode on me?
by taco420meat
3 Comments
It’ll probably be fine. The problem is that when its no longer fine, it’ll go really bad really fast. The main problem that befell these frames was the glue failing and the tubes pulling out of the lugs. So keeping a keen eye on the problem areas and knowing what to look for is key. The thing to watch out for is any discoloration or bubbling at or near the lug/tube junctions.
That said, I rode and raced and crashed an earlier version of that same frame for years and loved it. Had no issues related to material or construction in my time on it.
I have a similar build trek that I rode it to commute for 6-8 years and I still keep it as my road frame for when I want to go fast or far.
Unfortunately there’s no real way of knowing for sure without having it checked by xray or ultrasound. The best thing you can do is examine the lugs and joins carefully and regularly for any cracks, gaps or changes in appearance. Tap the frame lightly with a small spanner and listen to the sound, as any issues will sound different, you’ll get a dull ‘clonk’ sound instead.
It’s also a good idea to keep it out of direct sunlight for long periods, as this will degrade the epoxy finish. Look for any white patches appearing on the finish.
It’ll probably be fine for a while longer, but just keep checking it. The issue is that they tend to fail suddenly and catastrophically without much warning. It’s your call.
I had one in my shop that had degraded badly and we decided it was unsafe to ride, so it was polished up and hung up on display.