Since this video was posted we have fixed the 3 bikes! So far they are working well and nothing has broken yet. Stay tuned for an update in a future video.

I'm not sold on carbon, especially with how good aluminum has gotten. It's wasteful to boot!

Unless you have a replacement guarantee, I couldn’t justify buying carbon over alloy. Imagine your frame breaking because you looked at it the wrong way 😁

Specialized have a lifetime frame warranty. That’s the only way to buy a carbon bike.

In my opinion these are 3 good examples of cheap/older carbon. I would never trust a $200 carbon frame. There is a reason carbon frames are around $3000+ new (not including anything else but rear shock) But this just goes to show that carbon has advanced a lot since 2012/2015. Specialized Fact 11m carbon is a great example of what carbon has advanced to over the years. Aluminum may still better in the long run ( I'm not 100% sure) but you shouldn't be afraid of buying a carbon bike. And that's a lot coming from a person who has ridden and crashed a 2022 Stumpjumper Comp Carbon many times. Slammed into rocks, over the bars, bottoming out hard, its taken it all with no damage to the frame. And that's what I love about Specialized, when you get a carbon bike you are getting the highest end carbon off of their S-Works bikes. Its night and day comparing 2012 carbon to 2022 carbon. Don't be afraid to get a carbon bike.

Keep up the good work @bikingroots! I've cracked my aluminum framed Trek, but they replaced it for free, so it's all about having that warranty. I really like that custom wrap, how about a how to video on wrapping a bike?

Consider that carbon can break and crack when it receives tension in a way it wasn't designed to do. If that was an aluminum frame, you'd probably only have a dent on the chain stay. Heck, you could even damage your frame trying to lock your bike! It also presents an environmental issue, since you can't recycle it. Aluminum can be welded, melted, reused, etc.

Two cracked Focus Mares CX frames out of the 3 I own. Repaired one myself and continue riding and racing it, the other has spider-cracking on the downtube from an impact but it may just be the paint. I also have a Focus Izalco Hi-mod that has a below-the-surface delamination crack (can't be felt but you can see it through the clear coat) from an impact when it fell over. I've ridden the Izalco over 1000 miles since the impact, with lots of hard sprints and the crack hasn't changed. Had chain-suck pull a jockey wheel into the chainstay of my supersix evo, this appeared to cause a crack in the chainstay so I repaired that. Overall, I've cracked around 50% of my carbon frames. I've never had a problem with steel or aluminum, but they're ridden less. The good thing about carbon is repairs are simple and seem to hold up, if you dent or bend an alloy (steel or aluminum) odds are you won't be able to find someone to repair it. You can't just weld a new piece of frame in. When I bent a steel frame and fork, the custom frame builders in my area wouldn't even touch it for fear of a future failure. Aluminum and steel can be more resilient, but the very thin alloy tubing used on lightweight framesets is delicate and dents easily (CAAD 12 comes to mind). Forgot to add, I had dropouts crack on two steel frames as well. Those were easily fixed with a little tig welding.

my dad use to race bmx back in the 80s. i raced as a kid back early 90s. recently he gave me a cadex 3 carbon mountain bike. now im really worried about riding it thanks for this video

these decides me to...stick with allu frames

Glad I have a Whyte S-150C RS with an aluminium rear triangle, the front carbon triangle seems very sturdy, hopefully.

3 cracks and you're out!! In my opinion, send all 3 bikes out for professional repair, sell them and disclose the repairs. The more carbons stories I hear it makes me want to stay with aluminum. Aluminum has its weaknesses too but I've personally have had all great experiences with it. Good luck on what you decide to do.

My perception is that carbon is about weight, and weight is about competition. For me, if I'm not racing or competing, you know, just out there for fun, carbon is a costly luxury, and not something I would pay for. Save the $1k and roll the savings into upgrades for my Al bike. Thx for the video. What I've learned from you and others is that IF I ever consider carbon, only go with a new, name brand, fully warranty at a local shop.

Got a new Felt Doctrine on a super deal a few months back and went OTB on our first ride at Flintridge. I hope it lasts... many crashes (mild ones) later and so far it is still holding up to alot of beginner mistakes lol Seeing all those cracked frames made me quite nervous though.

Carbon is amazing and really changes how you ride. I ride a trail bike an Evil the following MB. It’s built to take big hits. Carbon Frame, Race face carbon wheels, Raceface carbon cranks, Raceface carbon bars etc. it’s all about the quality of carbon you get. I would never buy cheap Chinese carbon. Quality is expensive but so worth it. Makes the ride stiffer and more responsive. I guess what I’m saying all carbon isn’t equal. Do your research first.

I’m trying to decide weather to go carbon or not second hand I’ve found a really good deal on a bike but it doesn’t have warranty and I’m worried of cracking the frame. Should I buy?

I remember when I bought my 2006 F800 on November 18, 2006 and just over 7 years later and 35,000 miles the frame developed a crack around the bottom bracket. Cannondale gave me a 2013 F26 frame for free and now this year I will be coming up on 35,000 miles again. Will it last longer than my made in America frame only time will tell.

Carbon fiber is strong on "simple geometry" notably on boats. Carbon fiber is weak on "very sophisticated geometry" like on bikes. Carbon fiber is strong on 1 direction because they are simply overlapping fibers but with bikes of having multiple stress points, it doesnt really play well on long term durability. The sheer number of stress points on bikes are what makes carbon fiber frames weak in the long term also the glue that bonds them which disintegrates overtime. In the molecular level, alloys or aluminum frames are better since they are single construction (homogenous), but carbon fiber is built from many raw materials to form. So more parts, more prone to failures.

Works great I so needed this

I'm an old timer. Original mountain bikes were heavy...steel, alum, plastic, lasted a few seasons, then got replaced. Road bikes lasted a bit longer, but also had a shelf life. Now people expect their gear to last for almost forever despite the constant use/abuse. Maybe its because they spend so much $$$$ on that perfect ride. Let's get real, your current ride is the only one that counts. Remember, a repair is a temporary fix.

How did they break? are they being used outside their intended purpose? e.g. xc bike where you should have been using a trail or all-mtn?

The day they start making Titanium frame is the day bikes could legit last decades if not centuries.

I have two Scott carbon bikes...a hard tail Scale 930 acquired in 2014 and a road Cr1 acquired in 2015. Both in great shape.

Man I can see why you don't really want to go carbon anymore but I think it could just be a Cannondale thing. I have a 2020 intense carbine and I have done 7 foot huck to flats and ridden RECKLESSLY through tech sections and I have had 0 problems. Also mine was used and no issues. I also have slammed my frame against rocks before in crashed and I have yet to break one. Best of luck on your carbon journey!!!

Hi I’ve just brought a trigger, The same one you have in the video..my question to you is I don’t take it off road and if I do It’s just up a canal path..I’m a heavy rider but again I’m not going to be taking it on the rough stuff, Do you think it will be ok? Thankyou

Get a new rear triangle from the aluminum version or carbon again but replace it don't try and repair it

just curious, How much do u and ur brother weigh and what PSI are u sing for the rear shock on the canondales?

Its hard to find a FS steel bike, and I like the lightness of carbon fiber, but when it comes to durability steel is real. I have slammed the hell outta my steel frame and no issues. Carbon fiber hates perpendicular stress, and aluminum fatigues over time with repeated flexing. Steel just flexes and carries on. Ever wonder why they make pickup truck suspension springs out of steel?

I was on my local xc trail and saw 2 other riders- Said hello and asked about a certain trail. 30 minutes later I saw one of them pushing his Santa Cruz. I asked if he needed anything- He was okay but pointed to his chain stay. The thing had a huge crack in it. After talking to his buddy- the rider tried to clear this technical section of the trail and did not make it- the rider got mad and kicked or slammed his bike down and that is when the frame broke. Have to say I was very happy to be riding amy 2015 Specialized Enduro Aluminum frame that day. I bought it used with about 40 miles on it- and the previous owner had put on carbon ROVAL wheels. Never had a single problem with those carbon wheels.

Distressing. I was just looking at the Carbo and similar - I had just seen a review of them and I thought, “I can pick that up!“. I had a couple of Lectrics on order, but canceled them when I learned that my cousin had a pair and I went over to see them. We’re 75 and 80 and there’s no way we could’ve picked them up. (Knowing dimensions and weights is vastly different than actually standing next to the object in question and trying to heft it!) And we need to be able to put them inside our van camper. So we’re not heavy users by any stretch, just need a couple of practical wheels so that we don’t have to take the van everywhere when we’re in a campsite. (We don’t want a rack on the back for several reasons: security, electric bikes in the rain, overall length of the vehicle if we want to park in a city space and go sightseeing. And we didn’t want to spend an arm and a leg because, well, we’re not heavy users and we probably have another couple of years of camping in us and that’s it. So something right now to pick up, something that folds up to go under a Murphy bed with a 26” clearance, and somethings that doesn’t look dorky. That’s sort of a basic requirement. I don’t want it to look like a teeny wheeled commuter bike that I can toss under my arm. Something it looks like a bike. I used to be an avid cyclist - I bike commuted in Honolulu and through the mean streets of San Francisco and I bike camped around the Pacific Northwest and Sonoma County, but that was in the ‘70s and ‘80s. I’m older now and it’s sort of distressing to have to come to grips with that. :-(

However I've always thought that designs using the "Flex Stay" principle are surely not a good idea... at all!

I think carbon makes sense in road bikes as they’re mainly on the paved roads. Mountain bikes on the other are usually ridden on rough terrains with occasional drops and jumps, or even without drops and jumps the torture that the bike endures in rough terrain is higher than the torture it gets when they are ridden on paved roads. Keep in mind as well that carbon fibers aren’t created equal. the carbon fibes used in bikes aren’t as superior as the carbon fibers used in formula one or in exotic supercars or even in boats.

Ooh!I just bought a used carbon road bike,you scaring me hopefully it’s ok.🙏🏽

How do mountain bikes just not spin in half at the bottom bracket?

Steel is real?!😬 But seriously, all materials have their pros/cons. Cool channel! I have a new channel too and am looking to network with other start-up channels like mine! Subscribed!

Issue with Carbon is once repaired it has to be done correctly to distribute the force as it was meant to be, if not it will add to much force to another section of the bike hence cracking it.

I have an 10 month old Intense 951 Trail that I bought new and was cleaning and noticed a crack in the seatstay. No crashes, no big air (I'm 56). They denied warranty, said I crashed, which I didn't. Luckily I got at Costco so I'm going to go that route for refund. I think carbon main frame and AL rear triangle may be the way

Well. Ive had two aluminum Giant Anthem frames break on me. Both were warrantied but they did break. I would still continue to buy aluminum because you can get a lifetime warranty on aluminum. Carbon fiber frames are usually limited to 5 years or so. Because of this and the price, I stay away from carbon fiber bikes, especially in mountain bikes.

The only carbon part I have is Race Face SIXC carbon handle bars and they have not failed yet, used them for few years now.

I have owned my 2010 Giant Trance SL0 Advanced with a Full front and Rear triangle T800 Carbon Frame for over ten years. It's been ridden hard, crashed at high speed on DH trails it had no right to be on [Managed to Snap the XTR off side crank in half - without damage to frame or BB.] - and guess what ?The Frame is still as good as the day I purchased it. If premium T800 is good enough for the monocoque of an F1 it's more than adequate for a MTB. The cheaper quality Carbon frames just aren't worth the bother. Save your money and get something made from T800 or better by one of the big brands - avoid no name Ebay frames like the plague. Scott, and Cannondale aren't known for their robustness either. My friends Ibis Mojo has taken similar abuse and is still going strong.

Good to know you fixed the three damaged carbon bikes. Were they mine, I would have had an carbon repair pro assess the damage. I have a large stable of bikes. Not one is carbon. I have high quality steel, titanium, aluminum, and magnesium bikes. Carbon bikes have no attraction for me. I don't race so weight is not an issue. Carbon is impossible to recycle and it is sensitive to torque settings. The few times I considered buying a carbon bike were quickly dismissed after seeing the broken bikes of Tour de France riders and the shattered mountain bikes featured on KZfaq videos. In the end all that matters is getting out and riding and supporting one's local bike shops.

I was contemplating getting that bxt as well. They had a nice paint on it that was not a wrap....but after the 2nd ride and it cracked...well that settles it. I'm sorry this happened to ya' and I will not be getting a carbon mtb....and THAT is a wrap! 😇😎

Carbon is GREAT on the road. But would I ride it on gnarly trails? Gosh, no. But my Ti gravel bike is fixin' to be ready to ride. That'll work.

Did you not try to order new rear triangle’s ? That would be my first move. Then get it repaired by a professional if you can’t replace it. You have to make sure it’s structural or you risk serious injury.

I’m more of a gravel enthusiast. (I have a rigid ATB). Ironically, I LIKE carbon wheels, forks and on my ATB handlebars. I have Giant Advanced 2 Revolt. It is my first and last carbon bike.

I really like cannondale I’ve have cracked 2 aluminum frames they gave me a frame an then a full bike the the second it took about 3 years of hard riding I have a carbon giant its held great so for

There is a distinct reason why most of the pro DH and Enduro racers stick to aluminium wheels, if not even frames. It may be the weapon of choice for XC/XCO and road racing, but when things got gnarly i even saw carbon frames and wheels disintegrating ! Aluminium is bending under stress, rarely breaking and it easy to spot when something got damaged. Delamination of carbon parts can be lurking in the deep and suddenly ruin your day (and health).

Good video. Get those rear triangles replaced. I think if you buy a good carbon bike from Evil, Yeti, Santa Cruz, etc. you would likely have no problems.

More people need to see this. Aluminum has better compression strength but Carbon supposedly has higher tensile strength. I don’t mind Aluminum bikes and never had any stress fractures or cracks in any of my frames. 6’2 185lbs and I ride pretty aggressively.

This is the reason why I am not buying used carbon bicycles or cheap chinese frames. As a big Cannondale fan I know they are not perfect bicycles. Carbon bikes from them only NEW, with their lifetime warranty. As an owner ( still, I love this bike ) of Scalpel Carbon 2 from 2014. I had a problem with the rear triangle, first the carbon bridge cracked - replaced by Cannondale for free, then rear triangle. Again part replaced by Cannondale again for free. I got a similar bike like your brother, the Trigger Carbon 1 from 2016, I ride and jump in the Alps, still everything OK, even after few crashes;) I have a Cannondale Jekyll Carbon from 2016, rear suspension link cracked, the alloy part - replaced. And what is most important - my riding is really fast, my bikes got no easy life with me, from XC marathons to epic Enduro in high mountains. When you finally decide to buy used carbon bike, just give the frame to someone for a check, like Carbon Bike Repairs in the UK ( I know you are from USA, just find similar company ). My point is, you never really know why the previous owner sold this bicycle to you. Greetings from Poland PS Alloy frames are weak as well, but carbon frame you can repair, the same with rims. Two months ago I have destroyed my Enve M70 wheels, now they are like new, safe to ride again - check carbonbikerepair.co.uk

Can you order the rear triangles for the Cannondales ? . Somebody has to have those parts ... the factory .

Try to find parts. Cannondale might have them in stock.

Oh no! Houston we got a problem! It’s too risky to ride them again the way they should be ridden (even if repaired). You could ride them but on mild terrains or on pavements, but then what’s the point of having an MTB that you can’t ride on rough roads. If I were you, I’ll just part them out to at least recover some of the money I invested. Carbon fibers can’t be welded unlike metals, so once crack it’s done, as it’s structural rigidity will never be restored again. The cracked section will always fall apart as it will be the weakest point absorbing the pressure from the stronger sections of the frame; hence the repeated cracks.

I think maybe Cannondale's design might be the issue here, I haven't cracked carbon yet and I've owned a couple that I've ridden a fair bit harder than your bikes.

Sure carbon has good flex and durability vs crazy amounts of pressure and some blunt impacts. At the same time carbon frames have poor resistance to impact on stuff like rocks or other solid hard/jagged surfaces. Aluminum has its own shortcomings with welds being the weakpoints, and alloys can bend in situations where a carbon frame would shrug off the huge amounts of stress. Really depends on where, and how you ride, or how deep your pockets are.

It also depends on what company is making the carbon

you could ask original owner to get warranty sorted for you, then give frame to you. or if it's out of warranty give carbon fiber repair shop a go.

Super 👍

The Bike industry has shifted from "low price, high volume" to "High Price, low volume" as their business model. You can sell "10 for one dollar" or "1 for ten dollars" - it's the same thing, business wise. Carbon fiber is just the material that SOMEHOW gets many people to justify the OUTRAGEOUS prices they are asking. Some are paying it. (Low volume high price business model complete). The PLUS to what they are doing now by pushing carbon fiber is selling you something that guaranteed WON'T last forever. You will be back in the market soon enough when your bike fails. Just steer clear from Carbon Fiber. Especially on any sort of downhill or freeride bike.

Carbon fiber frames are very sensitive in terms of strength to ingeneering behind it, and to how the carbon fibers were laminated and directed along the structure. With that being said not all carbon frames are equal in terms of strength and durability. Even some big brands make some bad design decisions and produce weak carbon frames. I would recommend to do some research before buying carbon fiber frame bicycle to figure out which models have no issues.

Crazy to be riding an MTB made of CFRP. The failure mode for CFRP is catastrophic. CFRP is strong and light but brittle - it is not ductile like most metals are. With the abuse that MTBs are usually put through, no wonder these CFRP bikes crack. I would not buy a new CFRP bike let alone a used one.

Sell them on Ebay as slightly used :) Well one person not hiding the fact that Carbon Bikes crack.

Cannondale Carbon MTB’s are notorious for cracking, cheap eBay Ali Express Junk! Put over 50,000 Kilometers on my 2017 Trek Top Fuel 9.9 without one crack issue, bought it new! Lifetime warranty on the frame to the original owner! You get for what you pay for!

I got a used 2009 Rocky Mountain Vertex 70 RSL Brake Lever Cracked Top Tube : Owner says was Professionally Repaired had it now foe FEW Years Seems OK : NO ISSUES YET just Picked up a CHINA 29er seems OK : will see - using a used NINER RDO Fork

This debate is becoming quite old... every material can break and carbon is pretty solid. But like EVERY MATERIAL, it's only as good as the engineering behind it. . I had 2 MTB and 5 road bikes so far (I'm 26) and the only broken frame I got was a rear chain stay on my aluminium MTB from 2013. It broke on a very casual ride, no impact or anything. As for my other bikes, they have a lot to handle and they never let me down.

Bro, now im scared that I Will crack my bike.

Happened to some of my friends with carbon

What a pity brother, I think its just bad luck don't let it discourage you.

Holy 2k for a 7600 bike? Geeez.. I know o hope my new CF GG Trail Pistol won't be an issue. I have only been all the way over the handle bars once and well no problems. I have always heard that it isn't if CF fails it is when? GG claims they have some unique CF technique blah blah blah. If mine cracks I will go back to aluminum without hesitation. My biggest fear is GG's CF frames are new to the industry and haven't been time tested and you sir are smart to stay away form them until they have some years on them. If you do decide to go with them and want to change your order after you put it in they stab you $50 everytime you want to change something at any point. And I will go so far to say I was a tad confused why when I asked them how my build was coming along, they told me to contact the place I ordered it form and they would know more. That Baffeled me. How would they know more than the place that is building it. Plus it has been darn near 4 weeks and not a word as to what is going on with it how far along or anything. So I am hesitant to rate their customer service very good so far. I went to a GG rep and he has been nothing but awesome to deal with. GG's customer service has a little to be desired. I was told they are slammed with orders and I have always leaned that if you grow to big to fast you start to slip in other areas. At least for my sake this isn't the case because sub par customer service leads to a lot more slips in other areas. By the way GG quoted 3-4 week lead time. My guess and this is just a guess they may have some big bulk shipping deal thing set up somehow and as they fill orders for certain parts of the country, they store the bikes until they can ship them in bulk to save money. Which is smart to save money on their part but this is just speculation.

are you going to sell you bike ?

Just get a Kalvar wrap plus resin on Amazon. Then spray can to color match.

Bro, can i contact u somewhere? Instagram,Facebook.. i need help.. I bought a giant talon 3 a month ago, i recently saw a little like a crack,but im not sure if its the color of the bike scratched or is it a crack..

I wish modern bikes weren’t so heavy 😩

Have you contacted Cannondale to see what they recommend? Other than that, part them out and stick with aluminum.

just upgrade to a yeti or an intense bike have had buddies beat them up for days on end with no cracks

Carbon looks nicer... sadly that is not the be all and end all. I worry about my frame killing me due to failure.

I was going to buy a used carbon bicycle but now i will go for aluminum, at least it can be repaired easily .

I have cracked plenty of Aluminum frames. I now ride a Santa Cruz, and has a lifetime frame warranty! All frames can crack, shit happens. Watch the study done by Santa Cruz, the carbon beats the aluminum in stress tests.

Carbons bikes are good for racing and only use for afew racing seasons but u never know when it will crack and deemed useless. I keep my bikes for many years so I go for metal frames. Better investments

Steel is real!

It can be fixed yes but use a specialist!

JB weld that crack and save money 🙂👍

I was about to buy carbon mongoose MTB frame a long time ago but cancel it because my friend who uses the carbon frame broke it just about a month using it..from that day I say no to carbon frame mtb..I own 2012 scott spark comp 29er alloy frame till this day still riding it

first world problems :D, so much money for some exotic bikes (yet people go hungry in other parts of the world) ... I got a 300 EURO bike from with aluminum frame and I don't regret going cheap!

Most people writing comments against carbon here have no idea what they are talking about! Carbon it's way stiffer than aluminum reason why the suspension and rest of components are way more responsive than an aluminum bikes, sure aluminums frames have come a long way but so it's carbon! Ill ride carbon until im broke$$$

Sweet Jesus ... what a beautiful bike but I'll stick to aluminum . I've been pounding my old aluminum Ironhorse Warrior 3.1 since 2012 , lots of falls and spills and not a single hiccup so far ; matter of fact , when I ordered my 2021 Giant Trance 27.5 , the store gave me the option of choosing between that one and a brand new Trance ( still in the box ) from last year in carbon for an extra 300 dollars , I thanked them but I respectfully turned down the offer .

The only warranty is ,that they brake easier than steel or aluminum ,I fell from bikes a lot of times,and seen this I will provably won't buy a carbon any time soon. Good luck.

The best bicycle frames are not carbon and not aluminum. The best bicycle frames are titanium.

Sid and Mackey had a broken bike they got repaired check them out!

For me just repair it🤘

the only carbon parts that i trust is Carbon spacer 😅

Nope i will stick with the aluminum frame... wheels ect ect...

THEY ARE MAKING THEM ABOUT THE SAME WEIGHT AS AL NOW FOR THIS REASON BUT NEGATES ANY ADVANTAGE

How bout beach riding?

So 2 years later what happened on the bikes? Safest answer is to bring the bikes to a craftsman that can fix it. You can do diy repair but it make look a bit off(thicc)

Carbon might have benefits on road bikes, but not MTB's. The environment which MTB's operate in will cause stress raisers in the frame from drops, falls, crashes etc.

I'm about to take delivery of my first carbon bike,a supercaliber all these carbon horror stories are genuinely making me reconsider carbon? Never had a problem with aluminium, hmmm, I hope I'm just one of the lucky one's who won't have an issue, I hope?

I've just been watching a video about a santa cruz mtb cf frame cracking from a single rock strike, santa cruz would not honor their lifetime warrety saying it was an act of god. CF is so brittle a sizable impact will crack the frame. The chances of a rock strike riding your bike in mountainous terrain is very high. So be carefull where you ride how you ride or that several thousand dollar frame might be ready for the skip.

It's definitely not worth it from the planet's perspective! From a human mtb addict's perspective, Carbon is awesome! It allows the creation of beautiful shapes. It's lighter than metal. Paint adheres to it better than other materials. It's very tough stuff! But the pollution......

Steel is real.....period!!!!