Независимо от материала, при покупке подержанного велосипеда необходимо обратить внимание на многие моменты. Однако карбон имеет свои особенности, которые отличают его от других и делают более сложным для оценки. В частности, могут быть обнаружены скрытые повреждения от сильного удара, которые могут привести к внезапной поломке.

Если у Вас нет доступа к сканирующему оборудованию, то придется полагаться на более косвенный метод, наряду с тщательным визуальным осмотром.

Немного детективной работы поможет вам разобраться в ситуации. Например, несовпадение колес, когда один или другой обод был заменен, может дать подсказку о том, что мотоцикл был разбит или попал в аварию.

Также поинтересуйтесь, почему нынешний владелец продает мотоцикл. Ниже мы рассмотрим основные способы проверки износа компонентов, поскольку чрезмерный износ компонентов может свидетельствовать о тяжелой жизни.

Если вы сомневаетесь, поручите проверку велосипеда профессионалу. Стоимость работы в веломагазине составляет около 35 фунтов стерлингов в час, поэтому рассчитывайте на сумму от 15 фунтов стерлингов и выше, поскольку весь процесс займет не менее получаса, а возможно, и больше.

Если вы хотите быть абсолютно уверенным в качестве велосипеда или рамы, отправьте его специалисту по ремонту карбоновых велосипедов, который сможет диагностировать любые дефекты, невидимые невооруженным глазом. Ремонт дорогой карбоновой рамы может оказаться гораздо более доступным, чем вы можете себе представить.

Как оценить подержанный карбоновый дорожный велосипед за 10 шагов

1. Общий осмотр

Это может показаться смешным, но сначала определите, действительно ли мотоцикл подходит вам по размеру — даже если сборка предлагает потрясающее предложение, не поддавайтесь соблазну попытаться заставить что-то несовершенное работать на вас.

Затем приподнимите мотоцикл на несколько сантиметров и дайте ему опуститься, прислушиваясь к звукам, не раздастся ли скрежет или лязг. Поскрипывание цепи и тросов — нормальное явление, но любые явные шумы изнутри рамы или вилки должны быть исследованы.

При использовании стали, титана и, в меньшей степени, алюминия любые повреждения рамы и вилки должны быть очевидны, но в случае с карбоном это не всегда так.

Проверьте область зажима подседельного штыря, особенно паз. На многих карбоновых рамах в конце паза не просверлено отверстие, что препятствует распространению трещин в этой зоне повышенных нагрузок.

Роб Грэнвилл из Carbon Bike Repair UK (CBR) добавляет, что, хотя трещина здесь «в целом не является опасным разрушением», с течением времени рама может пострадать от того, что его команда называет «карбоновой ползучестью».

Подобно трещине на лобовом стекле автомобиля, распространяющейся со временем, «небольшая трещина в пазу поворачивает на 90 градусов и становится горизонтальной, и в конце концов она отделяется, поскольку движение велосипедиста на седле приводит к ее отрыву». Он добавляет, что это, как правило, не смертельно и легко ремонтируется.

Если на велосипеде установлен внешний подседельный штырь, обязательно снимите его и осмотрите место зажима на раме на предмет наличия повреждений. Если на велосипеде установлен интегрированный подседельный штырь, проверьте, не сорваны ли болты, не заедают ли они, и все ли детали представлены и учтены.

Проверьте, не заклинило ли подседельный штырь: ослабьте зажим подседельного штыря и попробуйте провернуть седло. Оно должно легко двигаться.

Зафиксированный подседельный штырь — это, в лучшем случае, неприятно, а в худшем — может привести к летальному исходу.

Хлипкий или заклинивший подседельный штырь также является индикатором того, насколько хорошо (или не очень) за велосипедом ухаживали.

Наконец, установив подседельный штырь, с разумной силой упритесь в седло. Проверьте, нет ли отчетливых щелчков или скрипов.

2. Проверьте раму

Closely inspect the surface of the bike’s finish. If the paint is in poor condition, this can indicate poor washing technique or a hard life spent in all weathers.

Next, have a very good look at the frame in good direct light. A bright torch can also help highlight any defects. Pay particular attention to the top and down tubes for damage from roof and boot racks – carbon frames are particularly susceptible to crush injuries from clamps.

Look closely at all of the tubes and look for ripples or damage. Don’t buy the bike if you see cracks like those in the photos above.

The front derailleur mounting plate, especially if it’s riveted or bonded, should be inspected closely. Bluish-white powdery deposits are sure signs of corrosion and will cause the mounts to break off.

CBR also suggests looking for cracks “coming from the area where the mount and the tube meet. If you see this, walk away”.

To be totally sure, grab the end of the cage on the front mech and give it a tug – you shouldn’t feel more than a small amount of movement, and the majority of this should come from the body of the derailleur itself.

Do your homework beforehand and check how closely the current spec matches the original. If the fork or front wheel have been replaced, ask why. Don’t buy the bike if it’s due to a crash.

If you can, drop the fork out of the frame and check the steerer for damage at the stem clamping point and then check the condition of the headset.

If you cannot remove the fork to check the steerer, CBR suggests you straddle over the top tube, as if you are resting after a long ride.

Then, locking the front brake while putting downward pressure on the front wheel, “keep your eyes on the fork and watch it flex. Listen for any nasty rasping noises inside the head tube. If the steerer is fractured you will surely find it through this test”. This the first test CBR carries out when initially assessing a bike.

He adds that “the idea is to put flex through the steered between the top and lower head tube bearings, which simulates a frontal impact. This is a deadly hidden problem for any bikes with partial fracturing around the crown race and upward”.

To double-check for wear or poor adjustment of the headset bearings, lift the front wheel up and allow the bars to swing from side to side – if it feels notchy or rough that could indicate the headset is worn.

If there is excessive fore and aft movement, check the headset bearing seats and the head tube for wear. Worn bearing seats could be fatal damage or, at best, an expensive repair.

Next, check the dropouts for the level of wear caused by the quick release heads or thru-axle. CBR says that a small depression in this area shouldn’t be a cause for alarm but, “a light bulb shaped slot could indicate that the wheel has been rocking around and, when fitted, the wheel will be misaligned”.

Rub marks on the inside face of the non-driveside chainstay and seatstay are another sure sign of a loose wheel.

4. Check attachments/rivets

Check all attachments to the frame: bottle cage rivets, any cable stops on both the top tube and rear derailleur, and down tube cable guides, which are often located in a critically stressed area a couple of inches from the head tube.

We would suggest going as far as taking a multi-tool to each bolt to check everything moves freely – removing a seized cage bolt is an extremely tedious and difficult task.

Have a look at the chain suck zone – the area between the chainstay and the small ring. There is usually a plastic or metal plate here that protects the chainstay from damage. If there isn’t, ensure this area isn’t gouged.

A few surface scratches of the lacquer are okay, but anything more substantial should raise alarm bells.

5. Check bonding zones

Joining methods vary depending on frame design. Even modern monocoque designs can incorporate bonded, riveted or bolted metal elements, and they’re even more common on older frames.

Check locations where carbon or aluminium tubes are bonded together into their joints. The combination of dissimilar materials (carbon/aluminium) and an electrolyte (salty road spray) combine to create what is, in essence, a big battery. This can produce galvanic corrosion.

A little oxidation or peeling finish is likely okay, but be wary of large gaps or thick bubbling of paint. Besides the dropouts, check around the bottom bracket shell and just below the headset.

6. Contact points

Contact points are a potential minefield from a safety standpoint. With carbon bars or seatposts, check for the same signs of stress as in step two.

It’s hard to put a recommended lifespan on either alloy or carbon finishing kit, but check for corrosion, particularly around where the shifters clamp onto the bars. Peel back the hoods to check.

Also check around the clamping area for any deep gouges, marks or crush injuries.

CBR says that on carbon bars it is not unusual to see “a depression in the clamp area of the bar when removed”. This is caused at the manufacturing stage “when the bars are fitted before they are fully cured”.

To check whether this is damage, CBR suggests “stressing the bar and looking for movement as carbon does not stay deformed without fracturing or heat damage – there are no exceptions”.

To be doubly certain, remove the faceplate from the stem and look for heavily worn spots or grooves, identifiable by worn anodising and exposed raw aluminium or, on carbon bars, deep scratches.

Also look for signs of crash damage, such as scrapes on the brake levers, bar ends, saddle edges and rear derailleur.

Check also for wear or damage to a carbon seatpost and that the head is in good condition – a saddle pack can cause a surprising amount of wear. Consider replacement and its cost if you’re in doubt.

7. The wheels

Important for the overall performance of the bike, and crucial for controlling costs, the wheels and tyres need to be true and in good shape.

Check for oxidation and cracks at spoke holes on the rim and hub, and the spoke nipples. Also, ensure worn pads haven’t been allowed to score the braking surfaces on rim brake bikes and that the braking surface isn’t concave due to wear.

Look out for signs of damage to carbon rims like deep scratches, nicks or cracks in the lacquered outer surface.

CBR suggests that if you see “any blistering on carbon wheels”  you should walk away from the deal immediately. A wheel failure is not something you wish to take a chance with.

Give the wheels a spin and eyeball the gap between the rim brake pads. A slight out of true of about 1mm or so is okay if it’s gradual and occurs evenly. If it’s intermittent or occurs at a different spot on each revolution then this is a sign of bearing wear, which usually means at least a hub service, and often a new wheel. Equally, a rumbling sensation felt in the fork leg or tip is a sure sign of dry or worn bearings.

Spin the wheels slowly and look for wear to the tyres. You may need to budget to replace them if the tread is wearing thin. Uneven wear with flat spots or the casing showing through the tread might be due to uneven brake action or poor wheel alignment.

If the bike has rim brakes, check the pads for wear. They’re cheap to replace, but a very worn pad can cause the metal brake shoe to rub against the rim or tyre, leading to damage and a possible – and extremely serious – failure.

If the bike has disc brakes, check that the rotors spin freely, are centred between the pads and aren’t worn excessively. Check the pads in the calipers are at least 3mm thick and don’t need replacing. Make sure all the bolts on the rotors and calipers are present and tight.

Also check that the brake hoses on hydraulic brakes are in good condition. Hold the brakes on hard and make sure that they stay engaged and that there’s no tendency for the levers to edge towards the bars. Make sure they don’t feel spongy. Both may indicate air in the system and could mean you need to bleed or replace the hoses or other components.

8. Drivetrain

Now use your handy chain checker to detect any chain wear.

If you don’t have a tool to hand, simply lift the chain away from the large chainring. It shouldn’t lift past about two-thirds of the way above the ‘valley’ between the teeth, or you’ll need to replace it. Also, the tooth profile should be even on both sides and the forward edge not hooked.

Cranks have a way of breaking at the worst possible time, so check the inside of the crank arms at the point where the specs (arm length, brand and so on) are etched or engraved, since these can lead to cracks. Inspect the pedal thread size engraved near the pedal threads and for gouges caused by a lack of pedal washers as well.

Also check for play in the bottom bracket bearings by trying to wiggle the chainset arms in and out. Check for corroded bearings too by turning the cranks and feeling for resistance.

If a bottom bracket has been left to run loose within the shell, this can damage threads or press-fit interfaces. Avoid if you can see the bottom bracket moving within the frame.

9. Cabling and controls

If the bike has external cables, inspect closely to ensure they are not splitting or fraying. Check where the cables could have been rubbing against the frame and make sure any marks are no more than superficial.

With derailleurs and rim brakes, check for pivot and joint wear or sloppiness in the bushings. Make sure that the rear derailleur jockey wheels are in good shape and not gunged up – a dirty bike should always be a warning sign as you don’t know what could be hiding beneath.

Grab the rear mech by the lower end of the cage and move it in and out towards the wheel. It shouldn’t feel too baggy, with the combined play in the top and middle pivot along with the parallelogram bushings adding no more than about 2 or 3mm of deflection, (not to be confused with flex in the material).

Lift the bike, spin the cranks and make sure that you can shift smoothly through all the gears. Poor shifting might be a sign of worn cables or lack of lubrication – or just need adjustment of the indexing and stops.

10. Test ride

Before your test ride, grab the bars and twist firmly. No cracking or creaking noises should be heard and it should feel firm(ish), offering resistance to twisting.

Then lock down quick-releases or check thru-axles and find a safe, car-free area. Try riding with your hands off the bars to see if the bike tracks straight.

Stand on the pedals and put a bit of muscle into it while swinging the bike left to right – there should be no cracking or crunching noises.

Test the brakes and try to lock the rear wheel just a bit. Now get a bit of speed going and see if there’s a wobble, caused by a damaged tyre or out of true wheel.

Если вы решили, что машина едет хорошо, сделайте предложение значительно ниже запрашиваемой цены и начинайте торговаться!