Carbon Fiber for Daily Cyclists

Рет қаралды 9,389

Күн бұрын

Carbon fiber is the most amazing bike material. Bike builders can finely tailor the way a carbon fiber bike rides. They can be stiff when putting power through the pedals yet compliant enough to dampen a road vibrations and be comfortable for hours in the saddle, all while being the lightest material to available to make a bike out of. But carbon fiber has one fatal flaw, especially for daily non-competitive cyclists: it can kill you.
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Sources:
“Carbon Fiber Frames…What No One Is Telling You” by Jourdain Coleman
• Carbon Fibre Bike Fram...
“Broken Dreams: 150 Cracked Carbon Frames” by Jourdain Coleman
• Broken Dreams: 150 cra...
“How Are Carbon Fiber Bikes Made?” by Global Cycling Network
• How Are Carbon Fibre B...
“Bianchi Fork Failure” by Tumshie Heed
• Bianchi Fork Failure
A FRIGHTENING MAVIC CARBON WHEEL FAIL (at speed) by Cam Nicholls
• A FRIGHTENING MAVIC CA...
“WHY I STOPPED RIDING CARBON FRAMES - What I Learned” by Luis Scott
• WHY I STOPPED RIDING C...
0:00 - Carbon Fiber Is Amazing, But...
2:03 - Safety
6:24 - The Perfect Bike Material
11:52 - Pros vs. Cons of Carbon for Daily Riding
16:57 - Patreon Fixie Famous Shoutouts
#fixedgear #carbonfiber

Пікірлер: 176

@Fixedgearr Ай бұрын

Let’s go back to 2008- 2010 when carbon TriSpokes were on very fixed gear & nobody cared

@Nouldes1 19 күн бұрын

Most fixed gear riders aren't daily riders . Mostly used to socialize lol

@ThePhiliposophy Ай бұрын

Carbon is the best, most durable material for a bike, period. But only if you mix it with a bit of iron and call it steel.

@eziux Ай бұрын

Got me in the first part, not gonna lie

@RuezgaDaniel Ай бұрын

Riding a carbon bike with brakes is probably still safer than riding a steel bike without brakes.

@JitinMisra Ай бұрын

lol , this guy is kind of bullshit

@tommilano5431 Ай бұрын

@@JitinMisrahey! Nice to see you on here! I like carbon and steel.

@JitinMisra Ай бұрын

@@tommilano5431hey Tom !! Diddo

@0SW13 Ай бұрын

depends how you ride

@TheSpaceBrosShow Ай бұрын

This right here ya'll

@orsations Ай бұрын

I like steel, I ride steel, but this rant is missing the point... carbon fiber race bikes are not targeted at the audience you imply them to be targeted at. Race bikes are not commuter bikes.

@isaacheatley7989 Ай бұрын

Idk bro fixie pixies love carbon

@terbennett Ай бұрын

@@isaacheatley7989 I agree. I see a lot of carbon track bikes or aluminium ones with carbon forks. There is a lot of them out there

@Aka.Aka. Ай бұрын

To be fair 700+$ bikes nowadays have carbon forks

@sarge_on_wheels Ай бұрын

Ok we can all agree that a daily commuter getting a carbon fiber bike makes no sense, but the argument that carbon is unsafe in 2024 is just plain wrong. All the clips of carbon fiber failures you're showing are from the earliest days of sketchy carbon road wheels and parts from over a decade ago being pushed to the absolute limit by the strongest riders in the world. This stuff rarely ever happens today if at all, and especially not to the average joe cyclist. One thing you can't deny is carbon fiber rides great, and objectively better than any other material in performance and comfort. It's all about what the use case of the bike is though. My fixed gear is mainly ridden for fun, and the occasional commute, so it's dripping in all carbon components (alloy frame) cause that's what helps it feel amazing to ride, and what makes me want to get on it more. If you want the bling, get the bling, it's not going to kill you as long as it's installed properly. Torque wrenches are your friend with carbon fiber components. My only carbon frame bike is actually my mountain bike, and sees more abuse than any of my bikes. Carbon as a material has come a long way, and is not as brittle as you make it out to be in your videos. Carbon is for making your fun toys more fun, metal is for practical durable bicycles like my ebike :)

@manueldeubler1127 Ай бұрын

Yes, the info in this video is so old. For example, the BB thing. Manufacturers are getting back to threaded BBs with metal inserts. Yes, bonding was/can be an issue (warranty) but that is very rare nowadays. Kinda funny when you know about Zachs love/hate relationship with his NJS BB 😂

@TroubleshootGamingMeds Ай бұрын

I don't find carbon more comfortable than steel, personally. I do love it tho!

@Doc_Raphy Ай бұрын

Zach is partly right about carbon fiber giving a lot of profits for bike companies though. I mean, some bike companies would give "lifetime warranties" to their bike frames but not all bike companies are easy to talk with regarding warranty claims that can ultimately lead the consumer to just buy another bike frame to avoid such hassle. On the other hand, carbon frames got better in terms of durability that you can consider using it as a daily bike for short commutes within the city.

@sarge_on_wheels Ай бұрын

@@Doc_Raphy carbon fiber frame manufacturing is pretty expensive, and labor intensive, so the profit margins are pretty similar to metal bikes for mid level carbon frames.

@Doc_Raphy Ай бұрын

@@sarge_on_wheels not unless you have an OEM where labor costs are cheaper like China for example.

@thegreatguru Ай бұрын

Been riding a Schwinn Madison since 2009, only bike. 3 crashes, 1 involving a car. Ride to work daily, over 5k clocked this year. It’s a steel work horse. regular maintenance and a few upgrades, will recommend steel over anything ever.

@SweetTodd Ай бұрын

I didn't know they made track bikes

@zachteneyck4421 Ай бұрын

You should probably put some kind of disclaimer on this video so people know you did absolutely no research on the topic. Should we expect more videos on “things I’m scared of, and don’t like”?

@LTBlightthebeam Ай бұрын

Some of the video is measured, however "carbon fiber can kill, stab you...don't you want to see your family at the end of the ride?" was used too liberally. Do we have numbers to support that there are more fatalities on carbon? All of your examples of catastrophic crashes were videos of pros who usually break anything and everything regardless of materials used. Feels like this was just a video to support your sponsor Wabi who solely builds bikes using steel and does not have any carbon fiber offerings. You are too alarmist in my opinion, but I guess it is intentional.

@sketchy0078 Ай бұрын

Carbon fiber has not enough testing for long term use. There is a reason that brands like Specialized offer such short warranties on their frames. Compare this to steel that has a long history in the bike industry and the ability for this frames to last 10 plus years and I can understand why there isn’t the trust in the material for DAILY use. Bikes get battered on a daily use basis. If carbon takes a knock on the wrong place or becomes structurally unsound.

@godismeme272 Ай бұрын

The Wabi lightning has a carbon fork. As far as I can tell he's been selling them for a while. He's definitely fear-mongering though. If carbon had more of a reputation for breaking randomly people would not be buying them. You really see this in the EUC world , 1 cut out can seriously injure you, so people avoid those models at all cost. And word spreads fast. In his defense for his type of riding I to probably would not want anything carbon. Sadly he could be turning people away from something that's truly beautiful. Carbon for me is catching the wind at your back I'm feeling like you can Coast forever. But I don't go cheap on my carbon. And if you lean towards gravel cardon bikes you'll find that they're incredibly beefy and very much reliable. The only cheap carbon I get is RXL flat bars. But I've really taken my time with them. On single speeds and fix gears they're perfect. But I'm definitely not Lance Armstrong in them. But I still get jiggy. Light bikes also help tremendously with arthritis.

@alfraydoughdiaz Ай бұрын

steel wont break just riding i bet all those dudes breaking their bikes wouldnt have happened if they were riding steel

@teckendrums Ай бұрын

@@alfraydoughdiaz yes they do break becaues of rust and fatigue, also in crashes.

@teckendrums Ай бұрын

@@sketchy0078 well i have 2 carbon bikes that are over 10 jears old, both doing good, even after small crashes.....

@troncd4 Ай бұрын

A lot of companies that make carbon bikes are going back to a 68mm BB

@roydrink Ай бұрын

Two other things: 1. Resale value. Even if you keep your bike in perfect condition, no crashes or drops, will the buyer really believe you? If they see a tiny nick, they’re going to want a lower price or walk away. Trying to sell online is going to disappoint your intended price 2. Planned obsolescence: Steel bikes really don’t change appearance over time. CF bikes change designs 😢constantly. Manufactures change appearance year by year. Last year’s model bike looks different this year because of an alleged performance update. Your new super bike will look obsolete 3-4 years.

@JogieGlenMait16 Ай бұрын

Here's the bottom line. Cheap carbon fiber components are the real hazards. Big brand or not.

@ClamsAnonymous Ай бұрын

I have an all-aluminum bike...save for the seatpost. After riding 100+ miles/week for a year, I randomly noticed the seatpost was seriously cracked. How long had it been like that? No idea. I have an aluminum one now.

@terbennett Ай бұрын

I've been there and done that. This is a common issue. However, it usually comes from it being tightened too much. You end up cracking the seatpost. Carbon parts need to be tightened with a torque wrench to the recommended torque setting.

@LordVarkson Ай бұрын

@@terbennettyeah this kind of stuff is why I stick with steel. I’m sure I could get a torque wrench and learn to use it properly, but there comes a point where having to be careful while wrenching on my bike would make it no longer fun.

@B_COOPER Ай бұрын

@@LordVarksonI use a torque wrench and I don’t have any carbon anything. I was very surprised by how much I was under-torquing (is that a word?) everything. I was also substantially over torquing my wheel axles to fork/track ends

@notarabbit1752 Ай бұрын

you got me psyched out about my Poseidon's carbon fork, so I checked their subreddit and like half the posts are people talking about their carbon forks snapping mid ride 💀

@dsfgdsg233 Ай бұрын

11:25 this sums up the entire automotive business model as well. Great video once again brother!

@apurwaasuramana5202 Ай бұрын

"run red light " interesting arguments

@niceup1177 Ай бұрын

glad i got my popcorn ready for the comment section

@legendsofjr1 Ай бұрын

Are you using p-clamps to hold uo your front basket? Are there no eyelets on the special?

@zensenpai6669 Ай бұрын

I own a Schwinn Traveler that's been converted to single speed. Being a steel frame, it's quite skinny yet heavy and sturdy. It's geared at 52/18 so it's plenty for the city. Weighs in at 28lbs but those tires mean business once inflated to pressure. I could crash and still have a bike that can roll and get to 20+mph.

@markkubsch1257 15 күн бұрын

Great video, as usual. So true. There's nothing like a well thought out and put together steel frame fixed gear bike build (without carbon components) in terms of riding quality, durability and reliability, even if it costs a couple of seconds after a 50 km rideout.

@StickyFingers115 Ай бұрын

It hasn't been a day since i bought my first carbon frame roadbike and this video pops up in my feed.

@LTBlightthebeam Ай бұрын

Disregard his advice. You'll be fine.

@michaeldeestrada4733 Ай бұрын

I’ve been riding carbon fiber for decades and tens of thousands miles without any problems. My only problem has been with aluminum. Anyway, pay Zach no attention and enjoy your new bike.

@Aka.Aka. Ай бұрын

Naww you'll be fine, just have it checked if u ever crash

@accbecky Ай бұрын

I think this is a great video , I rode a carbon frame for a few years , look track 564 , with carbon handlebars on the streets , I have now retired that frame , made a switch to aluminum frame , and I'll never ride a carbon frame again ,my next frame will be steel , I developed a problem in my hands , that got solved when I switch from carbon handlebars to chrome , also developed a serious problem on my back seat area ,and I kept on changing the seats , thinking that was the problem , and now riding an aluminium frame this problem also vanished , when the carbon frame became a bit older ,2 years plus, I became really paranoid , riding with fear wondering if it had any problems ,how would I know if it had , and before finding that out , I retired the frame , I'm much happier with my aluminum frame and I don't miss anything.

@thomasf.9869 Ай бұрын

Zach, many steel bikes these days come with carbon forks, or carbon wheels. Any thoughts on this??

@atomiccat2002 Ай бұрын

Ride it for a couple years then replace the fork or wheels

@TheSpaceBrosShow Ай бұрын

Its fine

@thomasullmann7447 Ай бұрын

I knew someone who had a bad accident because his steel frame cracked. It might be easier to see the cracks but it is no good if you don't bother to check your bike over. I've also personally cracked alumium rims while riding which was scary enough. The biggest argument against carbon fibre is environmental, at least for me.

@manueldeubler1127 Ай бұрын

There's a good story of my girlfriends bike where the brake track detached from the alloy rim. That's just fatigue and happens to every material.

@starwilkinson8020 Ай бұрын

I 100% don't believe you at all.

@thomasullmann7447 Ай бұрын

@@starwilkinson8020 I only have a photograph of one of the cracked rims but can't attach it here. The crack went along the centre of the rim along the spoke holes. The wheel had been kept true but had been used for heavy touring. The crack went quickly through the rim, it felt suddenly like I was cycling on a spring, thankfully I wasn't going that fast. Aluminium can fail very quickly. In the case of the failed steel frame, it was along the chainstay leading the frame failure to suddenly cause the rear wheel to rub as the frame yielded. The point is, a well maintained carbon fibre frame, that hasn't been hit, is safer than a metal frame that isn't maintained and/or checked for cracks, especially alumnium. The problem is when carbon fibre has been through an accident, without xraying the frame it is hard to know if there are any small cracks bellow the surface layer. Even in this case, being careful and checking regularly most dangerous failures can be avoided. In all cases, cars are a far greater danger to us.

@TheSpaceBrosShow Ай бұрын

Last part. Carbon's great but the lack of recycling is some dubious sustainability

@runawaytrain9794 Ай бұрын

I have a 19 year old 'made in Japan' carbon bicycle, the classic Kestrel 200 SCI. Kestrel BTW was the FIRST bicycle company that introduced carbon bikes to the world back in the 1980's. I bought it used a year ago, and so far so good. The bike rides smooth, solid, and I DON'T ride it fast like the pros do because it's not my thing, however I have gone fast on it. Like almost 50 MPH on stretches of lonely but well paved roads. So yes, it's fast, but now I ride it casually, I don't get STUPID with it and hit potholes like others do because either they're going too fast or are distracted by watching scenery. TOO many bike riders in GENERAL say they've "crashed" their bikes, metal or not. I mean, WTF are these bike riders who say've "crashed"? HOW are some of you guys riding that say they've "crashed"? Just ride slower, that's it! Lol anyway, Kestrel started it all, and tech has improved over time anyway regarding the quality of carbon, so my next bike may or may NOT be carbon. But I'm comfortable either way with metal or carbon.

@MangoJim90 Ай бұрын

Agree. I have been riding brevets for 5 years now and being an average person with some little training time I can see benefits of being fitter on regular metal bike. Just prepare yourself (if you want) and your bike won't let you down 😉💪

@Vixen1525 Ай бұрын

Sometimes carbon weighs the same as hightech alloy parts for example when it comes to bars. Carbon can last pretty long but don't abuse the frame or fork too hard, when they are made out of it.

@bavarianhero Ай бұрын

The Leader Volare is a great steel frame to buy for the price. You can build it as you like. From tricking to biking. You can that and save enough money for some B43 wheels.

@jameswatson3029 Ай бұрын

I agree with you, Zach, about the risks of carbon fiber bicycle components and the hazards of dangerous damage in everyday utilitarian use. I switched my carbon fork for a chromoly one. No disrespect, but can you see how little difference there is in the rationale/superstition between their riding carbon bikes and your riding brakeless: “Lots of people do it + It hasn’t killed me yet = It must be safe.”

@johnnieabreu7030 Ай бұрын

Very good information

@LakelandSAT Ай бұрын

Wheels vs Frame? I love my carbon wheels, and from my research, wheels will crack and show signs of impending failure in a way that light carbon frames and stems do not

@michaelwebster2416 Ай бұрын

Great information

@omerahmed310 Ай бұрын

waiting for my fuji feather to come in. Gonna be using this for fitness training, so frankly I don't see the need for ultra weight savings. Maybe in the future if I ever get into racing will I consider investing in a carbon fiber bike.

@mortlow6688 Ай бұрын

I don't like carbon frames but some good carbon rims or a nice fexing carbon seatpost are some nice upgrades...

@danielkang8485 Ай бұрын

what is the front rack you use?

@johnmack7336 20 күн бұрын

hey friend, what is the best brooks saddle for a fixed gear bike??? Please help I'm tried of buying bike saddles.....

@markkubsch1257 15 күн бұрын

Forget Brooks. Buy a Selle Italia after finding your ID Match.

@reecedawson6113 Ай бұрын

I have a steel, alloy & carbon bike and I like all of them but I ride my carbon bike a hell of a lot more. I like riding my bikes

@fehrcarlo2381 Ай бұрын

You are so right! I've seen many including my riding partner with a catastrophic fork failure that cost him a broken collar bone! And the thing is that the fork blade did not show signs of any damage, not even a scratch! I personally would not ride a carbon fiber bike even if it was gifted to me!

@SupernovaFeelGood Ай бұрын

Hi Zach, 100 % agree. Carbon is expensive and fragile compare to my 100 % aluminium fixed gear bike and your Wabi. I'm 52 years old. I bought my first steel bike in 1982, and now my 20 years old son rides it every day. I have bought a LOOK aluminium track frame last year (al 464 P) and change the carbon fork for an aluminium one. My bike is less than 8 Kg with a brook saddle and is so fun too ride and very confortable with 32 mm continental tires. (the GP 5000 cost around 45 dollars here in France !) Sorry for my poor english, thanks for your videos, and our "biking philosophy" , Stephane

@zackharlow6839 Ай бұрын

steel is real...carbon fiber is also real. we don't put down the amount of power to explode a carbon bike like the pros do.

@markkubsch1257 15 күн бұрын

Oh, on a brakelss fixed gear bike used every day you actuallly do.

@asamusicdude Ай бұрын

I got one and I barely use it because I'm scared I will crash it. Have 2010 Chinello S3. All 3T parts

@treyhorn5645 Ай бұрын

Love this bro.... Truth... f to the y I have 3 posidens and those carbon forks I would swear by. So many crashes on all of them. Zero issues.

@rodionovivan Ай бұрын

After first using CF saddle (it was cheap specialized copy, bare carbon with no padding, still have it on my mtb) I don't want to use non carbon railed saddle anymore. It make the ride so much comfortable, you can't ignore that. Carbon seat rails is the only part that made of carbon on my steel bike, but I looking forward swap seatpost to carbon, maybe handlebars, if there will be more comfortable that I have. Carbon is ok, if you know how to use it. And aluminium and steel components are not indestructable too. Aluminium rims fold easily, much easier than carbon ones, and steel fork can brake too. And it can, you know, kill you.

@jestag2 Ай бұрын

1:38 It's also bad for the environment.

@magic.42 Ай бұрын

Steel > Carbon Fiber any day 👏

@downallyourstreets Ай бұрын

Even the old pro’s would choose carbon fiber, you do have to take more care against direct impacts for commuting tho. Some idiot riding an electric bike fell on a super light carbon saddle 90kg max. I had with all his weight, on a super crowded commuter train. Even though I was super pissed, it’s my own responsibility to protect my bike. Another lesson learned.

@notl33t Ай бұрын

would i ride it? yes. would i own it? no. but i feel that way about aluminum as well, for the same reasons. the potholes where i live are epic--they regularly swallow cars. i ride steel single speed instead of an mtb because i don't want to fiddle with suspension, but i do want a smooth enough ride that will last a long time.

@thedailycyclist9295 Ай бұрын

My performance road bike is carbon and my gravel race bike is carbon. My daily commuting is always done on steel!

@user-tp5ev9iz2m Ай бұрын

Have a 725 steel road bike and an aero carbon road bike. Use the steel bike to take my son on rides, commute to work etc and use the aero bike for my “training” or fun rides. So I’m a fan of both the risk of carbon don’t bother me 🤷🏽

@Jason-ob1fq Ай бұрын

Had a super nice carbon front wheel years ago, it fuckin exploded.

@TheSpaceBrosShow Ай бұрын

2024 carbon is fine, it's a lot more overbuilt these days. Anything that will break your carbon parts will also break you or probably a metal bike. It's actually repairable too, unlike aluminum. Major probel though is CF being non recyclable

@MissMuffin-qc8fc Ай бұрын

You could rant how a fixed gear goes beyond 1000 usd on some brands which is not justified by any means.

@anielyantra1 Ай бұрын

Thank you For spelling out to the general public the marketing fallacy of a carbon fiber anything! I personally ride a 42 year old steel bike with 31 year old aluminum wheels. (and my dream is to own a Wabi)

@Mauryan510 Ай бұрын

Me watching this just after installing my used wound up fork

@cccycling5835 Ай бұрын

My daily commute is a carbon fiber endurance bike. I wouldn’t recommend it if your frame touches anything though (aka you have to lock it up or take public transportation with it) simply because damaging the carbon fiber is just painful. Other than that, I’ve never totaled a carbon frame before, both on and off road. I think they are just as strong as any other frame. But steel is real tho, just sayin. Especially on a commuter bike or on any ride where weight or stiffness doesn’t matter.

@danielphilipnavarro4061 Ай бұрын

Always waiting for new contents❤

@cmnyc123 Ай бұрын

Hmmm… I’ll bet my Carbon trail bike will bend a few of the lightweight steel fixie frames in half :-). Fun opinion piece tho.

@applebro9943 Ай бұрын

I have a aluminium single speed for daily ride in the city and a carbon road bike for weekends. Problem solved.

@gregmarcus3064 Ай бұрын

My daily is steel. My "I wish to be a few pounds lighter" is carbon on one day out of the week if ever. I agree with all you ranted about the bike industry. I keep my "race" fitness bike all analog. No disc brakes BS, NO Di2!! Those things are stupid!

@MrRobbrag Ай бұрын

well said I agree 100 %👏

@thomasbudi2000 Ай бұрын

Carbon fiber is not for heavy strong people. I am 100kg, squat more than 100 kg. I put down a lot of torque. The solid axle on my old bike bent whenever I sprint, thus I have stock of it. Now I finally manage to secure classic Shimano QR axle (NOS made in Japan) hopefully this will be able to withstand my torque. Carbon is not for me-> Plygon mechanic advise. I can only ride metal bike, ideally steel or titanium. Aluminium don't last that long if put under so much torque constantly. It is the flex in the material that cause crack and people like me are the bane of brittle material like carbon. Aluminium is done right can last us long, but if the frame is not annealed, the weld is hard and stiff, that is where the crack can develop. Carbon fiber bike is a speed machine, thus the racing bike material of choice. I don't race, I enjoy my ride, steel is just fine for me. I hope to own titanium bike one day. For the regular folks out there, carbon is just fine. Just know that they do have age, especially if expose to a lot of UV. The resin is the one that deteriorate by UV, carbon fiber is forever. But once the resin loose its strength, that is the time catastrophic failure happen. Please check you carbon bike very carefully in 10 years of time, it is usually enough time for a bike that frequently used to show signs of weakening. Other that that, have fun. Happy cycling.

@event4216 Ай бұрын

People love to purchase high level stuff, be it phones, audio gear or bicycles. Having top notch equipment makes average people just feeling better and only small part of them evolve in that area, learn and are passionate about activity itself rather that just enjoy owning gear.

@Aubreykun 23 күн бұрын

The way I sum that up is "Don't bleed yourself dry on the cutting edge"

@B_COOPER Ай бұрын

It takes more energy to ride a lightweight bike.

@Speedy.V Ай бұрын

Trying to get that KZfaq algorithm engagement up??? 😂😂😂

@Socalminii Ай бұрын

Some of your points are reasonable but you exaggerate the unsafety of carbon a little much. Sure back in the day carbon might have been a little sketch, but in this day in age it has been pretty figured out. And sure for commuting carbon might be a little pricy, but it does not corrode, provides comfort, and is light. You also have to think about the fact that if you got in a crash bad enough to destroy a carbon frame, a metal frame wont look much better. There is also the fact that carbon can be repaired while maintaining the same amount of strength, if not stronger.

@Aubreykun 23 күн бұрын

Sunlight still degrades plastics. No UV protectant coatings or additives are permanent, and plasticizers will migrate out over time making it more brittle as it ages.

@newoldsteel Ай бұрын

Yep, you’d nailed it. Even when I’m riding my steel bikes fast, I never have to worry about it buckling under me and can take so much abuse. Also, I always say, “are you saying you can beat Laurent Fignon, Greg Lemond just because you have a carbon fiber bike?” And that answer will always be no, it makes no difference, it’s the rider.

@everydaybacksbroken2886 Ай бұрын

Why, do you read my mind?

@andrewhicks Ай бұрын

Wabi Lightning be like: 👀👀

@rogerwinright2290 Ай бұрын

I'll be sticking with my State 4130 made of steel for a while. I thought about carbon fiber for a bit while making my original purchase but nothing justified it. What's the point of having a bicycle weigh less and SNAP instead of dent. I did some research and I am of the same opinion "bikes aren't fast, people are fast". Rather have a bike from 1982 that's dented a little bit than a bike from 2020 that's structurally compromised and will likely lead to my demise if I push it at 20 mph.

@jhzbdbs Ай бұрын

Sounds a little conspirative to me... Do you really believe top level pros would have used carbon bikes if they weren't the fastest, just because that's what their sponsors "gave them"...? For me, as someone who isn't a racer but likes long endurance rides with lots of climbing, carbon is simply the most comfortable and efficient option. I agree that buying used carbon is probably not a good idea, but if you by a new bike from a reputable company, you can most likely ride it for a few years without concern (as long as you don't crash or drop it...)

@Aubreykun 23 күн бұрын

Carbon is bad for longevity. It can be fast sure. It can be sculpted to be aero. But each racer is only using that bike until the sponsor gets them a new one next year (or season). They're ultimately disposible. The plastic naturally degrades over time, even if ridden entirely indoors (albiet slower in that case.)

@erikklumpp3464 Ай бұрын

I need to sell more wabi cycles otherwise I might loose my sponsorship…

@markkubsch1257 15 күн бұрын

Wabi cycles are highly desired anyways. Everything Zach says is oh so true due to his insight riding a steel fixed gear bike, which is an anachronism the Industry couldn't get rid off (luckily).

@erikklumpp3464 14 күн бұрын

@@markkubsch1257 steel is great but carbon is also great. This idea that carbon kills comes from videos in the early nineties when it was first being made. Any bike is dangerous with the wrong stresses. Inspect your equipment take care of it. To me this just looks like one big piece for Zach to sell wabi cycles.

@jahaziel7473 Ай бұрын

Zack got the n’s on

@user-uv9vg9jo8l Ай бұрын

Now you are just being silly. 😅

@mannyorozco842 Ай бұрын

Carbon working just fine for the MTB folks a, it is not new tech and should hold up just fine for people pedaling a-b on a paved road. 😂 that said I ride steel for the ride. I have no issue with carbon components.

@evadingmytaxfromthegovernment Ай бұрын

hey...gud day 🌞

@AddySwann Ай бұрын

This kind of feels like fear mongering. Carbon fibre can indeed be more dangerous with catastrophic failures, but carbon fibre is a lot more durable and resilient than you're making out. It's a double edge sword, it has to be maintained and constructed with precision. I think you touched on a good point that it's not ideal as a daily commuter especially if you're not mechanically inclined or the sort of person to bodge and cut corners. I actually think a lot of the arguments fit aluminium better, carbon fibre is repairable while aluminium isn't generally. crack an alloy frame and its almost surely good bye and alloy degrades over time when used which seems more disposable and wasteful. You are more likely to get warning before failure with alloy but not always. I also wouldn't be surprised if the sort of person who would ignore the safety procedures for a comprised carbon frame would also chance a creaking metal frame

@Aubreykun 23 күн бұрын

Yea, alu work-hardens which causes it to snap. CF degrades though, just all all plastics. The only two commonly-used bike materials that have infinite duty cycles are steel and titanium, unfortunately.

@Fatbutnotflat Ай бұрын

Great points. I don't actually hate the material, but man. Each brand paid literally millions of dollars to sponsor a team. The 'culture' that happens from all that marketing is the worst part. From complete belief that a bike material single handedly is going to make you faster, to sneering non-carbon bike rider and influencing them to get a carbon bike. A perfect marketing machine! How else would you explain people buying 12 grand bikes to be fast on a sunday ride? Meanwhile i find my carbon forked gravel bike to be uncomfortable in the front, even when i put 47c tyres in it. While my cross-check is effortlessly supple in the front.

@manueldeubler1127 Ай бұрын

Yes, you are right for about 99 % of bike riders. But at the top of the sport where the last 1 % ride at FTP above 5 w/kg this changes. There, you need every advantage you can get. Some sprinter hit almost 2000 W and the decision is made in a photo finish. I think they would choose the 10 g lighther/more areo bike any day of the week.

@brosettastone7520 Ай бұрын

Carbon fiber Fixie hipsters only care about riding the most expensive components for status. I think it’s hilarious seeing track bikes with carbon disc wheels on the street. Funny how the guys with the fastest bikes are likely the slowest riders cause they spend all their time searching for validation instead of actually training for speed and strength

@terbennett Ай бұрын

I own carbon bikes and aluminium bikes. They are great for what I use them for. However, I'm not like most Tupperware fans who drink the Kool-Aid. Sure, you being an alarmist, but for the vast majority of cyclists, you're right. Carbon fiber is fragile. It's well documented. The post stating wanting you to show proof is ridiculous. A simple Google search is all you need. Nothing you said was wrong. I actually had a fork fail on me once. I had been in a minor collision just a couple of weeks earlier. A lady opened her door in front of me. The impact was minimal and I never fell off my bike. After that, I had it inspected at two different shops with both of them removing the fork from my bike. Both shops gave me a clean bill of health. Six rides later, my fork split at the crown as I braked at the top of a climb. This was a full carbon fork.

@Aubreykun 23 күн бұрын

It's not only fragile, but it becomes more fragile as it ages due to both the natural plasticizer migration out of the resin and UV damage.

@brendancopegogwhite Ай бұрын

I recently had a SUV hit me while riding my State Undefeated. The bike has a carbon fork on it and when I took the bike in to get inspected after the crash, the store just told me the bike should be retired due to the carbon. Destroyed my wheelset too (at least my flashy hubs are okay though!). Now I need a new bike.

@Davidbrompton58 Ай бұрын

Just get a new fork?

@Hephera Ай бұрын

I'm sorry but its honestly really hard to take the guy with no brakes on his bike seriously about bike safety. lol

@KennyVeltre Ай бұрын

KZfaqr sponsored by a steel bike brand is talking about how carbon is bad? *surprised pikachu face*

@Mr.A_nyc Ай бұрын

If Wabi made a carbon frame.. Zach would be pushing carbon.

@michaeldeestrada4733 Ай бұрын

They actually make a model called the Lightning with a carbon fork, and this model used to have an aluminum frame.

@markkubsch1257 15 күн бұрын

Nope. I think he'd switch to Soma.

@angelicafernandez9831 Ай бұрын

Carbon frames meh, wheels are good , ride good as hell , carbon forks idk, i have 3 bikes to this point ,1 steel 2 alu whit carbon fork and all good no problem, i the 2 frames i use are known in my region to be high Quality and safe, so maybe is that, never try a super cheap carbon fork

@michaeldeestrada4733 Ай бұрын

Aluminum is potentially just as dangerous as carbon fiber. It can fail suddenly and catastrophically with no warning. Yet these failures are very rare and usually occur on cheap no-name components. The problem is not stiffness as you incorrectly stated, but brittleness (lack of ductility). It is ductility which allows steel to deform without complete failure. The video of the pro cyclist crashing in a sprint is not representative of regular cyclists like you or me who are far less powerful and ride ordinary production frames that are not super light. As to carbon fiber being used on only super expensive racing bikes, this is also completely false. I have a Specialized Sirrus X 5.0 full carbon hybrid bike that cost only $2250 and gets used pretty hard on all kinds of surfaces. Oh, and I do own a Wabi Classic and love it, but I also enjoy my other bikes as well. I don’t go out on rides fearing that my carbon fiber bike is going to disintegrate, any more than I fear being struck by lightning.

@Aubreykun 23 күн бұрын

2 grand is a lot man. Also Carbon degrades over time due to just it being plastic, and UV damage. Alu work-hardens, so if an alu frame is badly-designed (ie thin and flexes like steel) or the rider is exceptionally strong and twisting the frame, it will eventually crack. I know someone who rode a cheap alu bike where the chainstay snapped on him.

@user-tp5ev9iz2m Ай бұрын

The last point of the vid invalidates your whole point lol yes it’s not 0% that it won’t fail but that could be said about any other material

@stevekelly6544 Ай бұрын

I’m sticking with high end Steel and Titanium- carbon fiber is horrible for the environment, so much carbon waste is being produced by the bike industry-

@jtarchie Ай бұрын

Every couple of wekks/months, there is always a video about carbon fiber. Time to get numbers, not anecdotes to support your opinion. > How many times have you read about ut cracking? Never, because I don't go to forums reading about this stuff. Show me the numbers, please.

@DavidBigandt Ай бұрын

good to know that carbon fiber should be babied

@babyrabies Ай бұрын

Completely agree with all the points. However i still own 1 carbon bike reserved exclusively for race day and hyper fast group rides. Rest of the days im on Al and Ti bikes. Sorry i dont own a steel bike, couldnt bear with the rust and weight. IMO, the only component i absolutely cannot live without carbon is the wheels. THAT is a major game changer for me being a speed freak i am.

@manueldeubler1127 Ай бұрын

Totally agree, I will never ride alloy wheels on my road bikes. They are just better in ever aspect. Lighter, stiffer, more aero (obviously), and run true for longer (only had to true one of my 6 carbon wheels once!). I still go for alloy wheels on my commuter bike just because they are cheaper.

@projectgenesis9910 Ай бұрын

I think Chinese carbon fiber has come to be good and even better than Rep Brands, I will not sugarcoat that early stages, even from reputable brands had failures. Zach I think your Carbon fiber Bias comes from your love for Steel, I think Preferences are okay, But most of the Fixed gear riders I know drip their bikes with CF and ride like trash- with "Chinese carbon fiber" components and I have yet to hear a story of Carbon Fiber Failures, I myself run Carbon Fiber Dura Ace Wheels on my steel Madison, and even carbon fiber seat, I think that's the Perfect mix of Comfortability. But can we stop bashing CF and also calling it amazing at the same time in this video, conufuses everyone and honestly many starting riders purchase their steel bikes and start to hate the weight, so most of the customers I see go with aluminum 6ku and later come back wanting more light components, ahem.... carbon fiber is the new steel and honestly prices are affordable.my 5 cents

@lin_osborne Ай бұрын

I'd not heard of you before learning of this video on r/FixedGearBicycle. All I can say is that, in 38 years of road/street cycling including over a decade of daily urban commuting 30 miles/day (on a carbon bike...how *did* I survive?), and of following both the cycling industry and pro racing, I've not heard a more uninformed, hyperbolic, and in many places just plain wrong rant than this. I especially loved your foamed-mouth accusation that the entire modern UCI World Tour & those in the pro pipeline have PED infused hypodermics dangling from their forearms, that carbon can spontaneously explode beneath you, riddling your body with splintered carbon shrapnel as you crash to your death (assuming you don't bleed out before you deck), that carbon is so fragile you need a new frame if a bird poops on it, that steel hardly can fail catastrophically (it can...ask me know I know), and that your grandchildren will be interested in your by-then decades-old bike regardless of it's material construction. Oh, dear god. Someone, please tell me how to make my eyes stop rolling! My main take is that your sponsor, Wabi Cycles, makes all-steel FG/SS frames/bikes. Wabi's bikes appear to be quality, but this isn't the way to promote their brand. Nor is it the way to build community across cycling's numerous and varied sub-cultures, which even all summed are a very small and often maligned minority within broader society. Personally, IDGAF what others ride. I'm just happy they ride. So instead of producing rants that drive wedges among the various stripes of cyclists (with the apparent aim of promoting a brand's products), maybe you could focus on building cohesion and talking about how Wabi's products contribute to a better world, both within cycling and beyond.

@baskruitnl Ай бұрын

Exactly why I stay away from cf components.

@antonmilius5197 Ай бұрын

mouth full of foam talking bs again. I have a carbon fiber bike that is over ten years old and there is nothing wrong with it

@markkubsch1257 15 күн бұрын

... and if there is, you wouldn't notice. Check?

@starwilkinson8020 Ай бұрын

Carbon fiber royally sucks for people who ride religiously. I mean would you trust a carbon fiber framed vehicle like a car or a motorcycle? F no! You're going to have accidents with the carbon frame that you would never have on a steel or aluminum frame bike.

@3ryuken Ай бұрын

If safety is an issue don't go outside, problem solved. This video just feels like shitting on carbon bikes just to shove your sponsor on our faces

@AdiWasturaka Ай бұрын

bad take? the point of the video is going outside with a frame with a material that shows no sign of wear is more dangerous than going outside with literally any metal frames. also the wabi ad were always like that lmao it's part of his videos

@markkubsch1257 15 күн бұрын

No, he's actually telling the truth so many people don't want to hear as it seems to question their entire way of living.

@AdiWasturaka 15 күн бұрын

@@markkubsch1257 true. Also for the price tag of carbon components, it's so hard to flame on it especially when you spent good fortune on it already lol

@asdfasdf-tu4jb Ай бұрын

I watch your videos on and off and I don't know what to say. Really? I'm not the biggest carbon frame fanatic myself but for five years I ride carbon wheels, fork and handlebar for a bike that does it all (commuting, sport, recreation), mostly commuting. It has an aluminium frame and all the carbon parts are lightyears ahead of their alloy pendant. If you feel the stiffness of the fork, the vibration dampening of the handlebar and and the nearly indestructable wheels (which have got a lot of curbs in them) while being ridiculously aerodynamic then it's hard to go back. And to inspect your bike before a ride - isn't it common sense? I did it way before I had carbon parts and I sure as hell won't stop now. Okay, I watched until the end now. Dude, I don't know what to say: projection, fear-mongering, no data to back up statements, just some rambling from a paid actor.

@tedl8090 Ай бұрын

I get what you are trying to convey but you are very wrong. Carbon fiber is safer than the glass you make it out to be, and while it does tend to fail more catastrophically that steel, that doesn't make it unsafe. I think you are attempting to deny the strength that carbon fiber has. I believe you are trying to say that a daily rider would be happier not worrying about having their bike fail on them but that just doesn't happen anymore. If a mountain bike can be made out of carbon fiber and be safe than I think riding on the pavement is more than fine

@Dizcinger Ай бұрын

All the freds on reddit getting real salty about this video you made. Keep it up bro lol

@SiR_LAGss-A-LOT Ай бұрын

Hey folks carbon bikes might will kill you but here is my steel bike sponsor!!!! LOL

@manueldeubler1127 Ай бұрын

This video makes me angry. While I agree with your personal reasoning, I, as a everyday cyclist and racer, I value both carbon and steel bikes and everything in between. Yes, carbon can break, but carbon rarely breaks. You hear it creaking and flexing more and some of the tubes are not even structural. A hole in your top tube is not good but you will be able to ride home and failures like these can be repaired. In addition, crashing a steel bike can also harm it, e. g. bend the tubes out of alignment causing your bike not to run true anymore. I say horses for courses. Choose the bike (frame material) based on the task at hand. Yes, that means a carbon fiber is not my first choice for a n=1 bike. But when I train and race on my carbon fiber bike, with carbon fiber rims I know that it will not randomly fail.