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I'm about the make the change from an aluminium frame to carbon fibre (when it eventually arrives). I'm the only one in my group of mtb mates that will have a cf frame and everything we've talked about previously about cf frames seems to point to a lot more hassle and maintenance (not sure if half of it is maybe a little bit of envy) but I've made the jump to a bike that was at too good a price to turn down.
I've spent numerous hours doing some research and trying to find stuff on YouTube but nothing specific really seems to come up, so my question is, should I clean my new carbon fibre bike any differently to my current aluminium one and how will the maintenace differ? I understand I'll have to pay much more attention to torquing nuts and bolts and the greases are different, is there anything else specific I should know beforehand?
Is anything different?!!
Watch out for the BB.
Carbon paste for seat tube, bars and brake/shifter mounts. Otherwise no different. The frame isn’t the tricky bit in cleaning safely, it’s the bits bolted to it,
Nah, no different. Personally I don’t bother with carbon paste on assembly either. Never had an issue and on my 3rd carbon build. Just torque everything up to spec and you’ll be fine
I look after my carbon frame less than I looked after my alloy frame it replaced, over washing my alloy back last summer killed the bearings, bearings and frame still good this summer where I have barely washed the frame and only cleaned the drive train.
As mentioned above, some carbon paste on your seatpost and dont over tighten.
Same process as any other bike to look after it. Usual advice about carbon paste on a seat post - stops galvanic corrosion and you need less torque, improving post return speed. My work colleague had to send his carbon frame to 'the seatpost man' to get his dropper out - nothing would shift it.
Carbon paste is mostly silicone grease with particles to increase friction. Silicone grease is a better insulator than normal grease so it helps stop corrosion too.
Other than that is should actually need less care, theres no anodising to fade/strip, the frame wont dissolve in salt water or alkaline cleaning solutions,
Presumably the frame instruction will contain a reference, but, I would imagine you want to check cleaning/de greasing products for a warning about suitability in case they soften the resin.
This is all the sort of thing I wanted to hear.
I've heard and read some over complicating stuff, but all of this puts my mind to rest a bit.
Solvets that will break down epoxy are things like dichloromethane, methylformaldehyde, not exactly the sort of stuff you find in muc off or chain lube.