All about bicycles, electric-assisted bikes, technology and safety in the press

In our daily work as we deal with bicycle safety, technology and user manuals we come across lots of safety risks. The most frequent ones are published in articles of the leading German special-interest magazines TOUR – Europas Rennrad-Magazin Nr. 1, BIKE – Das Mountainbike Magazin Europas Nr. 1 and E-Bike – Das Pedelec-Magazin to make this information important for the sector accessible to a wider public.

For many years now the Eurobike Show Daily accompanying the annual international Eurobike Show has given us the opportunity to publish our perspective on major developments in the cycle industry in full-page articles.

We also speak regularly in independent lectures about all topics relating to bicycle technology and bicycle market. In addition, we are regularly cited by further special-interest magazines or trade journals as well as more and more by radio and television and in their media reports, which shows us that we are completely right with our information. The section NEWS informs you about the latest news from our specialist fields. The reports and publications of this section are listed chronologically or according to topics of interest.

TOUR 03/2010
Reading time 0:50 minutes

Carbon - replacement or repair

It works - after all!

Cracks, defects or notches in carbon irritate cyclists: Is there a way to use components or the frame any further? And, is it possible to have damaged carbon parts repaired at a reasonable price? TOUR offers answers

You already take your precious carbon racer with you in your appartment to save it from the risks of a bicylce storage room and here you are! A thoughtless turning, a gentle push with the elbow, the bicycle tilts over and hits with the top tube at the sofa table. You immediately state a small hole in the coating of the top tube with a cracking pattern around it. And ask yourself whether the frame is lost for good. As a matter of fact there is no pat answer to this question. Neither is there an answer to the question, whether frame, fork, handlebars or other components made of carbon can be used any further after a crash on the road or whether they have to be replaced.

Cyclists who have bought their cycle from a manufacturer granting crash replacement for such cases, have at least the possibility of buying a new frame at a reduced price. But even this kind of warranty expires sometime and if you happen to experience such an accident after that you will have to pay the regular price. And at this point the question comes again to the fore whether the repair of a carbon frame is possible – and if it is, at what price?

Short & crisp

Following a crash or an impact carbon frames are not necessarily fit for scrap. There are test methods for frames allowing an assessment of the condition. Even a repair is possible in many cases. There are specialist companies offering the repair of a damaged carbon frame to the condition as new.

Author: Dirk Zedler

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