All Fascinating Observations on Carbon Tube Joints: Bikefanclub.com

I was thinking exactly the same thing about the Six13, I wonder what type of joint is used on it. I have yet to eyeball a Six13 in person, I am looking forward to seeing one in the flesh.

I can tell you the type of joint that Opera now uses on their Leonardo frames. On my frame the ends of the carbon tubes are gently coped so that they approximately mate-up with the lugs. I know this because the ends of the carbon tubes are traced out by the hairline cracks. The ends of the carbon tubes run with the welds, and the tube ends just before the welds.

On the later and current-model Leonardo frames, the ends of the carbon tubes are perpendicular to the tube, and the ends form a rabbet joint with the aluminum spigot. This new rabbet joint is exactly the same as was used on those old Trek three-carbon-tube, aluminum-lugged frames. You can see a line of demarcation where the carbon tube rabbets into the aluminum spigot. Now on the Opera Leonardo this rabbet joint is very well masked with opaque paint that is feathered-out to the beautifully tinted clearcoat that reveals the carbon weave. But nevertheless, the joint has now become part of the aesthetics of the frame in the same way that the joint was apparent on those old Trek three-carbon-tube frames. You can run your fingers along the carbon tubes near the lugs and feel the joint. Hairline cracks would be less noticeable or ignored in this type of joint just like cracks are less noticeable and ignored in concrete expansion joints.
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I hold Moots in the highest possible esteem. Moots is the Richard Sachs of titanium bikes, they make every bike to perfection. I have a Moots Psychlo-X that is flawless, dead-nuts straight and perfectly aligned. I love the fact that Moots will spot-face the inside of the dropouts, if necessary, to make them perfectly parallel. The perfection of Moots is exponentially proportional to the marketing and hype of Seven Cycles. The labor at Moots makes the labor at Seven Cycles look like an affirmative action program for the ego-afflicted. But I digress.

A Vamoots is currently #1 on my lust list. I would take a Vamoots over an Opera Leonardo any day, because the Vamoots is made so well, it is not an object of style and fashion, it will never grow old and become useless, and you will never get tired of it. Viva Vamoots!

Edited by Bobby (06/05/04 03:13 AM)

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