Carbon Decisions

velocity boy [quote]MrSmith i would have thought a modern external bb crankset would save a lot of weight but i don't think a track one exists? maybe a ti square taper bb would save a fair bit?

I have one. A Specialities TA one. Can't say it makes a difference at all.

As said earlier, wheels are where you go to shave weight.[/quote]

Yep !

Tyres + Wheels + Tubes - will have the biggest impact.

me-ow!

MrSmith i wouldn't trust carbon handlebars

Ryan Bayley uses carbon bars and he be track sprinter..

So does Hoy, it seems..

Having said that, they are not road bars and I personally don't like the idea of carbon bars either.
But they can't be too bad if top level track riders use 'em. Note: not talking about 55kg monutain whippets.

Also if you have £700 (pounds not Dollars/Euros) to spend on a set of brakes (calipers only / no levers) head over to AX-Lightness.

tynan Also if you have £700 (pounds not Dollars/Euros) to spend on a set of brakes (calipers only / no levers) head over to AX-Lightness.

Shave weight by not putting on brakes.

(I use a brake. Just pointing out a weight saving point)

funny that the yellow bike has a thomson mtb stem (strong as a very strong thing) and alloy cranks (square taper for the aero q-factor)

ive got carbon fibre bars and seatpost on my mtb. coz its a mtb, the bars take a fair bit of impact/load. i was worried at first (even when tightening clamps) but then i thought i dont think these manufacturers would sell a product that would snap for their intended use.

They always had issues with high-power transfer and getting carbon crank spiders to stay attached to the chainrings.
My guess is carbon cranks at top-end sprinter output just don't cut the mustard.
Alu seatpost is interesting.. surely all the bumps on the track would require carbon? ;)

fatboyralph ive got carbon fibre bars and seatpost on my mtb. coz its a mtb, the bars take a fair bit of impact/load. i was worried at first (even when tightening clamps) but then i thought i dont think these manufacturers would sell a product that would snap for their intended use.

Same here, I have used nothing but carbon bars for the last ten years, Easton's stuff (CT2,EC90 etc) is much stronger than an alloy bar, much much lighter (and of course much much lighter).

When I chopped my Easton bars down for traffic duties - I tested the inch and a half off cuts with a long handled sledge hammer - you would just not believe this stuff - even with bringing the hammer down from above my head it simply bounced off the carbon fibre - repeated attacks only scuffed up the clear coat.

hippy They always had issues with high-power transfer and getting carbon crank spiders to stay attached to the chainrings.
My guess is carbon cranks at top-end sprinter output just don't cut the mustard.
Alu seatpost is interesting.. surely all the bumps on the track would require carbon? ;)

I had a set of Carbon Storck Power Arms come apart on me (spider failure), I was just flying along on the road as opposed to hurtling down a mountain so no harm done - but to this day the warranty replacement crank arms are just sitting on my desk as a failure like that on a hard bend on climb might have been pretty bad.

P.S. For sale 1 pair of the legendary Storck Power Arms (MTB) 5 arm compact - 302g (for the pair) ;P

The most expensive alu bars are lighter than most carbon ones aren't they?

the reason trackies use those Easton carbon bars are cost they are stiffer, not lighter. Most trackie stuff is built for stiffness and power transfer and they don't really care about weight. Compare the weights of carbon track and road frames and you will see a big difference. For, example

Corima VIF track frame+seatpost+headset 1580g http://www.corima.com/gb/produits/cadre/default.cfm

Storck scenario 0.9 is 985g for a similar size (55cm) frame http://www.poshbikes.com/product.php?id=91

Those are random examples of hi-tech stuff that I quickly googled, but I'm sure it's the same for carbon track vs. road bars.

Momentum: I didn't post the track bars for the weight weenie thing, more to show that they can be strong. "Weight weenying" is something I just don't do. :)

tynan: I'm more worried about failures at the clamping area. Heavy blows are one thing but it worries me that repeated wear on a single location might be enough to cause a break? Like, when you score a piece of glass to break it in a straight line. It's probably paranoia but my heavy alu and steel stuff has worked thus far.. adopting to carbon bits will take generations.. :)

That BT as it is, with the Mavic wheels is ~$10,000us, I priced one out, so if you want to do en expensive build.... there it is, look at the pinarello frame.

And those easton Pista bars are not full carbon, the drop is aluminum.

architectom And those easton Pista bars are not full carbon, the drop is aluminum.

No, the Easton bars are FULL carbon bars.

YouTube - Niner Bikes Fork Hammering

i would have thought a modern external bb crankset would save a lot of weight but i don't think a track one exists?

Bontrager Race GXP Track - 42.5 mm chainline
Sram Omnium - 42.5 mm chainline (allegedly)
Sram S300 single ring - 42 mm chainline
surely one would argue the aesthetics, but i think they're quite good-looking

Bontrager Race GXP Track - 42.5 mm chainline
Sram Omnium - 42.5 mm chainline (allegedly)
Sram S300 single ring - 42 mm chainline
surely one would argue the aesthetics, but i think they're quite good-looking

Guess you didn't notice that comment was made over 2 years ago then!

i guess i didn't (who drags these older ones up anyway? :)
however bontrager were available at that time already

i guess i didn't (who drags these older ones up anyway? :)
however bontrager were available at that time already

Maybe you want to go back in time and tell Mrsmyth so he is/was? better informed :-)

YouTube - Niner Bikes Fork Hammering

That's pretty damn impressive.

impressive but i'd still rather ride a damaged steel fork than a damaged carbon one. Once carbon has cracked it can 'catasrophicly fail' whereas steel would just bend a bit.

Steel can also snap. Snapping any fork while moving is going to hurt.

impressive but i'd still rather ride a damaged steel fork than a damaged carbon one. Once carbon has cracked it can 'catasrophicly fail' whereas steel would just bend a bit.
I've snapped some steel forks before* happened pretty damn quickly, believe me.

(*possible user error on account that I had already crashed them and bent them back)

"You want to stop and evaluate your equipment after this much damage"

lol.