Just out of Curiousity... Carbon

Surely the OP was enquiring about the lack of fixed gear bikes on the road. Whereas Carbon in itself is a fantastic material for road use, frames made out of carbon tend to have either vertical drop-outs or are track specific (heavy-ish, very stiff).

There is no reason why you cant ride a carbon track bike on the road, but spending a grand or so on a frame poorly designed for the purpose seems a bit silly.

Note tube diameters of bikes below.

I did a quick google search and found a 'chart' for different material used in MTB;

http://www.mtbbritain.co.uk/frame_metal.html

apparently carbon is a big no-no when it come to jump.

Most Jump bikes used to have steel frames (and bloody heavy ones as well), I suspect that has changed now.

Surely the OP was enquiring about the lack of fixed gear bikes on the road. Whereas Carbon in itself is a fantastic material for road use, frames made out of carbon tend to have either vertical drop-outs or are track specific (heavy-ish, very stiff). There

We've moved on a bit since then but thanks for reiterating those points. :P

Most Jump bikes used to have steel frames (and bloody heavy ones as well), I suspect that has changed now.

I doubt it.

As Hippy's link say a carbon frame could be made that would be strong enough and repaired when things go wrong but most people jumping would want a bike that mag get a little bent and still be ridden for a bit rather than need repairing e.t.c People using jump biek would tend to want to bash them about a fair bit in general and not have to worry about repairing small damages. That's what I reckon anyway.

Still, a fast person will make a piece of shit go fast and a slow person will make a £10k bike trudge so it's all irrelevant anyway :)

True dis.

Bought these beauties while visiting me parents in good ole blighty.
As my first ever carbon fiber purchase, they will form part of my ever mutating single-speed XC build. As yet unridden, but look and feel fookin bullet-proof to me.

I'm not in the least bit worried about putting them to the test in the Norwegian mountains!

I've had those forks on a Gary Fisher for 18 months, very very nice esp at the price.

It wasn't. It was about why there was so few carbon track frames on the road. In my opinion :-

1. Price
   
2. Lugged steel looks better
   
   

I think the other reason is that an £800 steel frame is usually a better buy than an £800 carbon fibre frame?

how so?

no idea, was hoping someone will shed some light in this.

someone other than you?

I asked a question that I don't know an answer for, is that so bizarre?

it wasn't really a question man, adding a question mark at the end of it doesn't make it a question.

Exactly?

I agree?

Strength, take a hammer and screwdriver to the downtube of a carbon frame, and the downtube of a steel frame, the screwdriver will go through the carbon and i wouldn't ride it, even if i was a crazy fool, the steel frame would be fine.

Carbon is very comfortable, i've ridden quite a few, being a mechanic in a central london bike shop you get a lot in for servicing, and one of the guys that works there has a fully pimp time pro team vx iirc, and they're so comfortable. However, twat it and it will break, where as steel will take much more impact.

Riding stresses, carbon is up to 40x stronger than steel, obviously depending on how good the carbon is weave and quality wise, but, as mentioned, won't take impacts.

Heres how the argument tends to play out in my head.

Want titanium (ride quality, light, doesnt rust, nice skinny tubes, will survive a tumble)

HOW MUCH DORRA?

OK buy steel, eat less pies, and treat with frame saver

it wasn't really a question man, adding a question mark at the end of it doesn't make it a question.

Or does it?

I think the other reason is that an £800 steel frame is usually a better buy than an £800 carbon fibre frame?

Better buy? This is rather ambiguous

Better buys?

I think the other reason is that an £800 steel frame is usually a better buy than an £800 carbon fibre frame?

Better buy? This is rather ambiguous

well an £800 carbon frame will be a decent frame, in the main. so will an £800 steel one.

you can get more, and less expensive versions of both.

frame material always used to be a horses-for-courses choice, I don't see why that shouldn't still be the case.

each has different properties, which influence your choice, there is no "better" just what's better for the application you want to use it for.

Or does it?

No it just makes you sound Australian.

or californian.

well an £800 carbon frame will be a decent frame, in the main. so will an £800 steel one.

you can get more, and less expensive versions of both.

frame material always used to be a horses-for-courses choice, I don't see why that shouldn't still be the case.

each has different properties, which influence your choice, there is no "better" just what's better for the application you want to use it for.

I better rewrite it; I think a £400 steel frame would performance as good as an £800 frame, given the cost of material and the process of making frame, surely a steel frame is not hard to make compared to making carbon?