Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Niner Strength Test



Chris Sugai, co-owner of Niner bikes, is trying to dispel some of the myths about carbon fiber. I'm not exactly sure what this video proves, but the fork does look pretty tough.

17 comments:

kg said...

The big difference between the two is that I'd still ride the steel fork with a dent in it.

Smash the steel fork in the middle of no where on the trail and I'll ride it out.

Smash the carbon fork and I'm in for a long walk.

Simon N said...

Have to say I haven't been attacked by hammer wielding loonies while riding.

Interesting nonetheless.

Anonymous said...

hammering the fork doesnt prove strength,
try ramming it on the garage.

Anonymous said...

Just because you can't see a crack in the carbon doesn't make it safe. I agree with kg.

Anonymous said...

that video was convincing for me. i'd still ride the carbon fork home, just be a bit more cautious. and i'd ride the steel fork home too.

Andy B said...

I'd ride the carbon fork home, then out on my next ride.., and the one after that.., and probably indefinitely. obviously the damage inflicted to the steel fork is also not enough to render it useless, but, contraryto popular belief, carbon does not spontaneously explode, killing everyone in its path.

peter said...

wow. I would quit the legal team at niner bikes if I worked there. If they clear their designs with a hammer test and a qualitative analysis, that speaks poorly to their process. Carbon never dents, while steel does, so the damage to the steel is more obvious. There could be a huge mass of destroyed fibers on the inside of that carbon fork, which we can't see because the surface springs back to the original shape.

Martin Hartley said...

Carbon Fibre DOES have catastrophic failure. It just depends on how far you push it. Steel forks will continue to deform until failure, but carbon will eventually snap.

Also, by holding it in his hand whilst hitting it, most of the impact is taken up by his arm - not the forks. It is not a good demonstration of material testing.

Anonymous said...

This video is the reason I am swapping out my Niner steel fork for a Surly Karate Monkey steel fork. If they dont believe in their product, why should I?

Anonymous said...

Dumb/undereducated
most likely only have a high school education and someone did badly in science/math class

we need less people like him running bike shops.

that ain't an experiment or test!!

BSW said...

The force transmitted to the carbon fork is only about half the force transmitted to the steel one. This is because the weight, and hence the inertia of the carbon for is half that of the steel fork. The carbon fork moves away from the hammer blow more quickly. If you restrained both forks and struck them, I bet the carbon would shatter and the steel would be dented, but still functional.

BSW said...

The force transmitted to the carbon fork is only about half the force transmitted to the steel one. This is because the weight, and hence the inertia of the carbon for is half that of the steel fork. The carbon fork moves away from the hammer blow more quickly. If you restrained both forks and struck them, I bet the carbon would shatter and the steel would be dented, but still functional.

BSW said...

The force transmitted to the carbon fork is only about half the force transmitted to the steel one. This is because the weight, and hence the inertia of the carbon for is half that of the steel fork. The carbon fork moves away from the hammer blow more quickly. If you restrained both forks and struck them, I bet the carbon would shatter and the steel would be dented, but still functional.

BSW said...

The force transmitted to the carbon fork is only about half the force transmitted to the steel one. This is because the weight, and hence the inertia of the carbon for is half that of the steel fork. The carbon fork moves away from the hammer blow more quickly. If you restrained both forks and struck them, I bet the carbon would shatter and the steel would be dented, but still functional.

BSW said...

The force transmitted to the carbon fork is only about half the force transmitted to the steel one. This is because the weight, and hence the inertia of the carbon for is half that of the steel fork. The carbon fork moves away from the hammer blow more quickly. If you restrained both forks and struck them, I bet the carbon would shatter and the steel would be dented, but still functional.

BSW said...

The force transmitted to the carbon fork is only about half the force transmitted to the steel one. This is because the weight, and hence the inertia of the carbon for is half that of the steel fork. The carbon fork moves away from the hammer blow more quickly. If you restrained both forks and struck them, I bet the carbon would shatter and the steel would be dented, but still functional.

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