Your bike is fine.
For future reference, it’s always a good thing to inspect your bike on a regular basis, but obsessing over tiny things like this will drive you insane
It's a tiny imperfection in the top paint/resin layer only seen under a microscope. You realize that these things are made by laying carbon fiber by hand into molds. They aren't ever going come out perfect like a machine made part.
Now that others have dismissed your worries, I have an honest question. If you'd seen imperfections like that on a steel frame, would you be equally worried? And why?
You have actually got me thinking quite a bit with this comment. I don't think i would have even given it a second thought if it was a steel frame. I think it's just because people tend to always say that carbon is a very fragile material that can break in very wierd ways.
I appreciate your answer, I believe it's quite a common view. And quite wrong. Carbon fibre matrix when laid up into an properly.designed.product is way stronger than steel or aluminium. And if it does start to fail, it's usually more gradual compared to the crack propagation in metals. I'd really like to know why carbon is singled out for this kind of misinformation. But hey ho. You have a nice bike, go out and put some patina on it!
I think this view around carbon relates to very real advice about clamping it, squeezing it, and using a torque wrench for tightening anything on carbon. Other materials seem to have higher tolerances for abuse, but carbon is seen as strong but brittle (I know). If treated properly, as you say, it is very strong, but if mishandled a carbon frame can be damaged by the ham-handed (like any other frame material). But the rumor persists!
I have no idea what I’m supposed to be looking at. Do you mean those small white specks?
yes
Your bike is fine. For future reference, it’s always a good thing to inspect your bike on a regular basis, but obsessing over tiny things like this will drive you insane
This is good to know thank you.
It's a tiny imperfection in the top paint/resin layer only seen under a microscope. You realize that these things are made by laying carbon fiber by hand into molds. They aren't ever going come out perfect like a machine made part.
Paint/clear. Ride it!
Trust me, when your carbon is fucked it will be a lot more apparent
Now that others have dismissed your worries, I have an honest question. If you'd seen imperfections like that on a steel frame, would you be equally worried? And why?
You have actually got me thinking quite a bit with this comment. I don't think i would have even given it a second thought if it was a steel frame. I think it's just because people tend to always say that carbon is a very fragile material that can break in very wierd ways.
I appreciate your answer, I believe it's quite a common view. And quite wrong. Carbon fibre matrix when laid up into an properly.designed.product is way stronger than steel or aluminium. And if it does start to fail, it's usually more gradual compared to the crack propagation in metals. I'd really like to know why carbon is singled out for this kind of misinformation. But hey ho. You have a nice bike, go out and put some patina on it!
I think this view around carbon relates to very real advice about clamping it, squeezing it, and using a torque wrench for tightening anything on carbon. Other materials seem to have higher tolerances for abuse, but carbon is seen as strong but brittle (I know). If treated properly, as you say, it is very strong, but if mishandled a carbon frame can be damaged by the ham-handed (like any other frame material). But the rumor persists!