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Care and Maintenance Guide for Carbon Fiber Components Care and Maintenance Guide for
Carbon Fiber Components
X-5 - CENTER CONSOLE SIDE WALL REMOVAL CAUTI
INTRODUCTION
It has come to our attention that bicycle dealers do not always receive important consumer information
which is provided with individual components or accessories. The documents which should accompany
each bicycle are developed to provide specific use, care and maintenance instructions for selected
components but are often separated from the bicycle during handling and assembly. As a result, the
information is not readily available to the consumer at the point of purchase. Additionally, we receive
many calls from dealers requesting information about care and maintenance of carbon components as
well as damage inspection of parts involved in accidents.
Your decision to use a high performance carbon fiber fork or component requires a thorough
understanding of the requirement for a higher level of care and maintenance. The information in this guide
is intended for use by consumers, technicians, dealers and OEM manufacturers. It is provided to remind
users regarding basic care of carbon fiber components, proper inspection procedures and what to do if
damage is found or suspected. These instructions are intended for use with Alpha-Q products but are
generally applicable to other carbon fiber bicycles and components. Please use this information in addition
to the instruction pamphlet that is provided with each Alpha-Q component. This information is
supplemental to all other notices and/or instructions provided with Alpha-Q products and does not
supercede or replace any other information received.
DESCRIPTION
Carbon fiber is being increasingly used in the manufacture of high performance products due to its
stiffness, strength and light weight. Your carbon fiber component is a high performance product and
requires special care and consideration. Unlike metal, carbon fiber does not permanently bend or dent
when overloaded. As a result, it is possible for the component to be severely damaged even if there is no
evidence of deformation.
You should carefully inspect your components for scratches, gouges, abrasion and/or damage prior to
each ride. If you observe any structural damage, it is highly recommended that you take the component to
your Alpha-Q dealer. Additionally, if your bike is involved in any type of accident during storage,
transportation, handling or use, you must thoroughly inspect the components for damage. If you do not
know how to perform this inspection, seek immediate assistance from your dealer. If any structural
damage from either impact or excessive load is observed, you must replace the component. Failure to
identify and correct structural damage could result in serious injury up to and including death. No attempt
should ever be made to repair any type of structural damage. If structural damage is present, the bike
should not be ridden and the component should be removed and replaced.
All bike components naturally undergo fatigue in use depending on rider weight, riding conditions and how
often you ride the bike. Fatigue failure can occur when a relatively low load is repeated a very large
number of times. Although carbon materials have excellent fatigue strength, it should be expected that
lightweight, high performance components require more care in use, and frequent inspection for fatigue
cracks, to guard against failure. It is good practice to replace your components periodically depending on
type and frequency of riding, especially if the bike is used for endurance events and/or competitive racing.
Seek advice from your dealer about appropriate replacement intervals. FORK INSPECTION GUIDELINES AND PROCEDURE
Carbon fiber forks are more complex than many other bicycle components and require special
consideration. The following information is being provided to familiarize the reader with critical fork
inspection points and examples of what to look for during inspection. It does NOT cover all types of
damage or potential locations where damage may be observed. The proper inspection of your fork or
component is critical. If you are not confident in your ability to perform this inspection, you must get
assistance from your Alpha-Q dealer. Customers should not assume that their fork will develop the
described concern. To determine if the information applies, customers should contact their nearest Alpha-
Q dealer.
NOTE: the fork must be completely removed from the bicycle and wheel in order to properly inspect the
steerer tube and crown area.
Critical Inspection Points: (Refer to diagram for location)
-
Steerer Tube: Stem clamp location and attachment point
-
Steerer Tube: Upper head set area and compression ring/bearing location
-
Steerer Tube: Crown race, bearing seat and lower head set area
-
Crown Area: Brake hole area (front and rear)
-
Crown Area: Tire clearance area
-
Fork Legs: Leading edge
-
Fork Legs: Trailing edge
-
Fork Legs: Inner and outer fork leg surfaces
-
Dropout Area: Dropout and dropout insertion area
What To Look For During Inspection
-
Cracks in the steerer tube, crown area or anywhere on the body of the fork.
-
Dents or large dings that distort or damage the fork surface.
-
Splits or tears in the carbon fiber material.
-
Opaque spots beneath the paint surface resulting from impact damage.
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Delamination or peeling of material.
-
Bent or loose dropouts.
-
Any rattle or noise coming from inside the fork.
-
Scratches and abrasions that penetrate and/or cut the carbon fiber.
CAUTION: IF YOU NOTICE ANY STRUCTURAL DAMAGE, THE BIKE SHOULD NOT BE RIDDEN
AND THE FORK OR COMPONENT SHOULD BE INSPECTED AND REPLACED AS NECESSARY.
IF YOU HAVE ANY DOUBTS ABOUT THE SAFETY OF YOUR FORK, OR ANY OTHER
COMPONENT ON YOUR BIKE, REPLACE IT!
ALWAYS DESTROY ANY FORK OR COMPONENT THAT HAS BEEN REPLACED DUE TO
SAFETY CONCERNS.
Alpha-Q can not accept any liability in the event of failure to comply with these instructions.
For additional information on Alpha Q products and complete installation instructions, visit
www.alphaqbike.com
. Outside Surface
Inside Surface
STEM CLAMP LOCATION
& ATTACHMENT POINT
UPPER HEADSET AREA &
COMPRESSION RING
LOCATION
CROWN AREA
FORK LEGS
DROPOUT
INSERTION AREA
DROPOUTS
Leading edge
Trailing edge
Fork Diagram
FORK LEGS
CROWN RACE, BEARING
SEAT & LOWER
HEADSET AREA