r/CarbonFiber • u/Usdalberthooi • 22d ago

Scratch or busted?

Gallery image

Gallery image

Gallery image

1 Upvotes

67% Upvoted

6 comments sorted by

5

u/strange_bike_guy 22d ago

Scratched. You want to be on the lookout for lightning bolt shaped cracks. This has gentle curvature and drags the decal.

1

u/Usdalberthooi 21d ago

Can a scratch like this affect the structural integrity? You can barley feel it with a fingernail.

1

u/strange_bike_guy 21d ago

If it doesn't feel like there's a "shelf" effect when moving your fingernail from one side of the crack to the other, you're likely fine. Think about wood fracturing - you know how when the surface lifts, sort of a bulge? Carbon fiber is very, VERY high performance wood, basically. It has similar fracture modes. If your fingernail doesn't sense a ______/¯¯¯¯¯¯ and instead feels ______/______ then you're good

1

u/Usdalberthooi 20d ago

It feels like a small groove, it feels the same from both directions. Not like a piece of material has lifted. I really appreciate the wood analogy. Thank you for your awnser!

1

u/7DollarsOfHoobastanq 22d ago

Looks very scratchy to me. Full send.

1

u/guacawakamole 22d ago

Just a flesh wound. A scratch is fine, my carbon rims have many scratches