MTB: Carbon or Alu?

[The expat cyclist]

Just another opinion poll:

I vote carbon.

[perp]

Was pondering this, carbon is nice but what about rocks or stones that get kicked up from the front wheel onto the frame? Would it hold up over time?

[The expat cyclist]

You get protection cover for that bottom part of your frame if it bothers you. It is a plastic/rubber strip that you stick on!

[Weight Weenie]

Well I'm on my 2nd gt carbon zaskar after the 1st one cracked and I've now fallen onto the kerb after trying to get onto a sidewalk to avoid a taxi (argh!) riding back from Groenies. 

 

The frame is scratched on the sides of the non-driveside chainstays (sh!t happens hay? hehe) but the frame is fine.  Thus the carbon is IMHO durable enough. 

 

I've had rocks hit the frame and no marks even, so really after riding a hard and heavy alu frame the difference in ride is day and night.

 

I even jumped a bit at one of the speed bumps at groenies and instead of the normal jarring landing on alu, I touched down like a feather. 

 

So ride carbon and ride it hard, but do ensure it

[perp]

Quote I even jumped a bit at one of the speed bumps at groenies and instead

of the normal jarring landing on alu, I touched down like a feather. Unquote

Maybe its just your mad skills

 

[Capricorn]

carbon fibre structures are very durable: they have sufficient elasticity to take some knock and bumps, but there is a limit beyond which they might break suddenly, as opposed to steel and aluminium. Not to forget, Al is pretty brittle itself, depending on the alloys of it of course, but it does and can break suddenly just as carbon does. Carbon though, has the multi directional weave which faciliates shock absorption throughout the structure. But it's lighter and stiffer than Al.

 

and as others have mentioned. sh*t happens.

[chuck]

I would love a carbon frame but I feel like I need to work on my skills first. I fall to much   My view is, as with most things in life, if you are good it will sharpen your edge but if you are not it's not going to make you a top 10 contender.

 

If $$$ was no concern I would be wearing a carbon jockstrap