Carbon Fiber and house fire

[AKPogue]

Are there any carbon fiber experts here? I had a house fire a couple of months ago and my bikes were in the basement. Upstairs was literally toast and there was some fire downstairs but didn't get to bikes. It did get hot though and the seat on one bike got melted and my polar heart rate watch handlebar mount melted on top because it was in a different spot than the others. How do I determine if bikes are not worth riding?

[skaredshtles]

<snip> How do I determine if bikes are not worth riding?

By riding them!

[::: :::]

Yer fucked

[Shredhead]

I’d claim them on the insurance.

[evdog]

And then sell them on craigslist

[Skistack]

By riding them!

You will die.


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[Dantheman]

I'd contact the manufacturer(s) and ask them if the frames are still safe to ride after getting hot enough to melt a seat and plastic HRM mount. Most likely they will advise you not to ride them. Submit said response to insurance company and include bikes on the insurance claim.

[bagtagley]

What Dan said. If you have carbon bars, toss 'em.

[jm2e]

I'd just email a bike US based carbon manufacturer and ask them what they know about heat affecting the material.
"Dear Enve, in theory how much heat is too much heat before your rims and seatposts and handlebars and such are affected? You know, like if they were in the back of my station wagon parked at the airport in Las Vegas in August for 10 days. Or they were in a house fire, not actually on fire, but hot enough to melt the non-carbon shitz. Or just leaned up against a rock, really close to one of our badass bonfires. Or could I ride them on Marz. Just curious. You know, chillin' with my E-bros and theorizing. Thankz "

[adrenalated]

They are totally fucked. Any of the frames size medium? If so send them to me for proper disposal.

[AKPogue]

Just a FYI, if you get a carbon bike exposed to some heat you can send it to Calfee and they can check it out. Supposedly my bike is fine. I haven't had the opportunity to try it out because of work commitments. They did say if I hear some strange noises to stop riding it.

[Jonny Snow]

Actually, I'd be a bit worried about T-6 (typical heat treatment) aluminum annealing in major structural locations like the stem or fork crown. But if the seat and the HRM (both thermoplastic with low melting points) are the only thing that melted, I doubt a high enough temp for annealing occurred or the thermoset plastic/epoxy of the bike frame to be damaged. Sustained 800F would mess up the T-6 of aluminum, and start charring the epoxy/plastic in a carbon frame.