i know you can beat the crap out of Al frames, but how do you treat and care for carbon frames? im thinking particularly about the Specialized Epic carbon.it just feels so frail and im a bit concerned rinding on something that feels so fragilemaybe im underestimating how strong it is, can you compare it to something of similar strength?
Hmthats an interesting questionI don't think that CF frames require MORE maintenance than aluminum, but they do have DIFFERENT needsFirst, lets go to worst scenarioIf either frame is crashed it must be inspected thoroughly prior to ridingIf either have ANY KIND of damage (dents, cracks, etc) then it is bye bye frameNeither CF or aluminum can handle dents or cracks without eventually failingAs a general looksie, every time a CF frame gets a scratch it must IMMEDIATELY be sealedI think Trek suggests nail polish which is as good as anythingCF can separate and also absorb moisture which will compromise the frameBoth frames should be checked over weekly for cracks, especially at the bottom bracket/downtube/chainstay area and at the chainstay reinforcement (little piece right behind the bottom bracket, between the chainstays)It also pays to do a close check at any suspension pivot pointsCF and alum both stress over time and will eventually show wear and failJust a fact of lifeI have also seen headtubes crack occasionally Regarding strength, there are no worries with either materials but it IS much easier to puncture or crack CF (it doesn't dent), while aluminum tends to fare better on impact That being said, aluminum may not show any signs of stress or failure at all until it suddenly doesThis is called sudden catastrophic failure which can and does happen especially on frames that push the envelope as far as tubing wall thickness and weightCannondale was (and maybe still is) well known for cracked tubes and failure without warningI used to ride an S Works (Specialized custom) Ultimate framehad CF tubes and Ti lugsI had about 11,000 miles on it (just over a year) before I was no longer comfortable riding itstarted to get loose feelingNow I ride either steel (Reynolds 853 or 753 depending on race or tour) or Paketa Magnesium having had my fill of the empty promises of both aluminum and CF.
I think your wife needs to learn how to rely less on external forces to regulate her body temperaturejmost of the time this is all psychological She should try drinking warm/cool foods and beverages instead of subjecting you to that kind of temperature changesThats how flues and sickness develops.
That's too hot for me.If shes that cold around the house,tell her how uncomfortable it makes you feel having the temp up so high and ask her if she could please put on clothes that will keep her warm.
If you want to make her happy, then adjust the thermostat to settings that she is happy with.
her and she will be happy :)
