On busted carbon and aluminum...

We sell carbon bikes. Our brands have brainwashing sessions that teach us how their product is superior to the competition... Sometimes, these sessions have to be taken with a grain of salt, and sometimes the instructors are really pulling at straws... Here's an example quoted from a rep: "This bike is not the lightest bike or most laterally compliant, but it is the lightest AND most laterally compliant." Hmmm...I no it sounds weird, but I'm not making this up. The idea there was that the bike is the lightest bike out there that is that laterally compliant... See what I'm getting at with the salt?
Another common brainwash is that "Carbon does not have a lifespan." Now this one is true as long as there is no trauma to the carbon, it should be as good ten years from the date of purchase as it was when it was new. You don't loose stiffness/flexibility etc. Provided there is no damage to the frame or part where the carbon is used. This makes the material highly desirable along with the fact that it is extremely light, and can be layered in a way that provides stiffness and flexibility in the desired manner. This is hard to duplicate with other materials. There is a downside though...
Much like aluminum, when carbon goes, it snaps. Check out this blog: http://www.bustedcarbon.com/

Note: I wrote this entry last Sunday...Later that morning I snapped my aluminum frame at the top of the trail in Harbourview...funny huh? And slightly ironic. More detailed entry about the frame failure and the backcountry repair to come...