Tent question

Message

Samray · #31 Post by **Samray** » Wed Jun 22, 2011 9:20 pm

Fibreglass is often used in situations where vibration would be a problem to other materials, and poles must be manufactured to a good quality to flex as they have to?

Aladinsaneuk · #32 Post by **Aladinsaneuk** » Wed Jun 22, 2011 9:29 pm

I will own up to this

I t could be the maker of my tent but - I only use the tent for bike trips - so may be 6 trips a year - how ever I have noticed that the poles spot - I have now replaced 5 pole sections in three years....

The tent only gets carried on a bike so I assumed that the vibration may be something to do with it - coupled with reading about alloy poles not suffering from this....

D-Rider · #33 Post by **D-Rider** » Wed Jun 22, 2011 9:35 pm

MartDude wrote:
A friend suggested that the vibrations of a bike can impair the structural integrity of the fibreglass poles; anyone got any knowledge of this?

Sounds like a right load of bollox

Would Renault & Reliant have made fibreglass bodied cars if it was such an unsuitable material?
Would our bellypans be made of the stuff?
Would they make boats from it?
Nah - one of its advantages is its ability to flex repeatedly.

Aladinsaneuk · #34 Post by **Aladinsaneuk** » Wed Jun 22, 2011 9:54 pm

Erm

Lotus made the some of the first fibre glass cars and they had shit load of problems with vibration and breakdown.... They did get it sorted in the end but...

I merely put it out there - we tend to strap our tents on to the bike firmly - so no damping etc
I merely mentioned it as it could be the cause of my poles splitting etc - I did say it could be the manufacturer of the tent but....

BikerGran · #35 Post by **BikerGran** » Wed Jun 22, 2011 10:02 pm

Don't Aprilias have suspension?

I've been camping for years on various bikes and have never had a pole break! As a matter of interest, who did manufacture your tent?

D-Rider · #36 Post by **D-Rider** » Wed Jun 22, 2011 10:05 pm

Aladinsaneuk wrote: I merely put it out there - we tend to strap our tents on to the bike firmly -

Are you applying some fairly hefty shear loads at the poles in the way you strap them down?

Aladinsaneuk · #37 Post by **Aladinsaneuk** » Wed Jun 22, 2011 10:07 pm

Decided to do a quick google and seems that fibreglass poles can suffer from abrasion/vibration - ie a large bag of folded tent poles can give problems - there would not be much movement in a car but on a bike...

I am happy with my tent, but next time I will try alloy poles too see

#38 Post by **mangocrazy** » Thu Jun 23, 2011 7:59 pm

Alloy poles generally appear on the more expensive tents as they are longer lasting, lighter (for a given strength) and don't shatter in extreme cold (and more expensive to produce). I've only ever owned two tents in the last 30 years, both had alloy poles and the first one lasted exceptionally well (over 20 years before I gave it away, still working fine). The newest one is only 3 years old, so not long enough for problems to surface, really.

Alloy poles do develop a certain 'set' over an extended period of time, but it's not a problem; they just know where they want to go...

MartDude · #39 Post by **MartDude** » Thu Jun 23, 2011 8:28 pm

mangocrazy wrote:Alloy poles generally appear on the more expensive tents as they are longer lasting, lighter (for a given strength) and don't shatter in extreme cold (and more expensive to produce). I've only ever owned two tents in the last 30 years, both had alloy poles and the first one lasted exceptionally well (over 20 years before I gave it away, still working fine). The newest one is only 3 years old, so not long enough for problems to surface, really.

Intrigued by by Pete's comment, I trawled some hard-core mountaineering/backpacking fora, & came to the same conclusion (but couldn't find anything about the vibration issue - perhaps that's something private between Pete and his pole). However, given the likely frequency of use, and that I'm unlikely now to be camping in mid-winter, I'm not sure how much of an issue it really is; but I've always followed a policy of buying the biggest/best I can afford, following my grandfather's maxim that ' a good big 'un's allus better than a good little 'un'.

I'm really very grateful for all your comments here; just wish Pete hadn't mentioned aluminium, 'cos it's given me more to think aboout.