[Stanceslao]

Now Giant authorized a return for my problematic Stance, I am looking to replace it with a Trance. Thinking of just the normal Trance, or the Trance Advanced which has carbon fiber frame. I live in Arizona and my garage gets to about 160 °F during the hot summer months.


Will heat damage it, cause it to become brittle?

 

[the-one1]

Off topic

 

[J.B. Weld]

Dang, you need to figure out a way to vent that garage!

I think the carbon will be fine but your grips will melt.

 

[Impetus]

I wouldn't worry at all about carbon in a garage. I also live in AZ (West PHX). a July garage is no joke. It legit is 140+ F depending on which way the house faces.
It's super hard on Stans and probably not great for tires, seals or a few other parts, but not a carbon frame.

 

[*OneSpeed*]

"Carbon frame - what's it's worse enemy ?"

A skill-less hack in rocky terrain.

 

[Mac_89]

A lump hammer?

 

[Scott O]

I would not recommend storing it at the bottom of the Mariana Trench, but that's just me.

 

[Blatant]

The worst enemy is the sharp rocks we have in Phx.

 

[DMFT]

I'd recommend solar garage vent fans for you desert dwellers first and foremost!
-Blatant covered the rest....

 

[Hexsense]

Carbon is anisotropic composite material.
Strength:
1) It has virtually infinite fatigue life-- if you never go over its plastic deformation state. So you can use it over a hundred years without it get softer and weaker and eventually break.
Unlike metal frame (especially aluminum, 7 years old aluminum frame can be measurably weaker than a new one). So, time is not your enemy.
2) On-plane stiffness is excellent. Same weight carbon frame can carry more rider weight without getting damage.

Weakness:
a) Off-plane impact. It's anisotropic. Although it has very high strength in a certain direction. It's weak off axis. So, drop a heavy tool on top tube can initiate hair line crack on some light road frame. MTB frame normally reinforce impact resistance everywhere on the frame though. So this is less of a concern on MTB.
b) Voids from production. Being composite material. Void of epoxy in certain area can dramatically weaken the frame.
c) UV. Carbon is fine in UV light. But Carbon fiber is carbon+epoxy. Epoxy degrade with UV exposure. Luckily, top layer coat (and paint) on carbon frameset block all the UV from reaching the frame. This is only a concern if you have a big paint scar that you leave it expose.
d) Extreme heat. Epoxy get softer and weaker at high temperature, This is mostly a concern for carbon clincher wheelset on rim brake road bike. Heat from brake track weaken overall rim structure. Eventually, clincher hook give up and tear apart causing complete rim failure. Note that, some rim tape fail before reaching this point so it's a safeguard against cooking the rim.

EDIT: "On-plane"

 

[Jayem]

CF composite construction strength is related to how hot the curing temperature was. The warmer the curing temperature, generally the better the strength. For a long while, the FAA required all composite aircraft be painted white, to reject heat, if they were operated beyond their curing temp, there could be a loss of strength. This was more related to operation though, not storing. With better epoxy/resin formulas, this is not nearly the issue that it used to be and composite aircraft are being painted darker colors. If you ever have to repair your CF frame though, your garage sounds like an excellent place to cure it! I wouldn't worry about this, as the other people said, you'll have a harder time with tires and especially the tubeless sealant. It will dry fast. You can mix some propylene glycol and water and inject that every couple weeks to help keep the latex liquid.

 

[baker]

"Carbon frame - what's it's worse enemy ?"

A skill-less hack in rocky terrain.

I resemble that remark...

 

[127.0.0.1]

being on a rear rack, in exhaust path, this heat can and has wrecked frames and cf wheels

the other enemy is incorrect clamping in bike repair stand

you have metal bosses, like water bottle bosses ?
if poorly made or just old, water/sweat + the metal anchor +carbon frame = corrosion that can start delamination

 

[NorCal_In_AZ]

Get a down tube protector if it doesn't have one already.

 

[bikesdirect]

CF will not hold up to bird shot from even a 410
whereas steel can take direct hit from a 9mm and still be rideable

but worst energy of a CF frame ; got to think taking direct hit from a rock or curb that the frame encounters in a fall is most common I see

 

[BadgerOne]

A carbon frame's worst enemy? A reasonable budget.

I can't believe I'm the first to post this. You guys are really starting to slack off around here.

 

[acer66]

Norwegian killer turtles.

 

[*OneSpeed*]

Norwegian killer turtles.

(David Attenborough voice, whispering) The elusive Norwegian Killer Turtle moves in on it's prey, the carbon fiber bike frame. The cycle of life continues.

 

[r-rocket]

"Carbon frame - what's it's worse enemy ?"

A skill-less hack in rocky terrain.

I don't even need the rocky terrain. 😺

 

[r-rocket]

Seriously though, getting featured on Friday Fails is probably the biggest risk. The bigger the crash, the bigger the risk to carbon. Maybe the next biggest risk might be putting it into a bike rack on top of a car, and then driving the car into a 160 degree garage?

The heat itself in the garage isn't going to be a big risk