Originally Posted by
Sunnyrider56
Is it worth spending on a nice frame alone (north of $4000), considering obsolescence and crashes/theft?
Would it be a better "investment" to spend some of that on travel or other gear to make the riding more enjoyable (clothing, groupset or IGH/Pinion, wheels, computer, etc) and a less-expensive frame, assuming geo was right?
If you're intending to ride a bike every day until it breaks, how much could you justify spending on any single bicycle?
I'm not entirely sure I understand how you intend to ride. Is it just commuting? What type of bike do you have now? Since you reference the possibility of theft I'm inclined to think putting money into an expensive frame/bike would not be a great idea. If I was in that situation I'd be riding something I could afford to lose. Something new and flashy would not be on my list. One thing I would do, regardless of the bike, is to run tubeless tires. My recent and limited experience with road tubeless has been very positive. I am using Maic USTs and I'm not going back. They are lighter, faster, smoother and generally more comfortable.
If, OTOH, you can assure the safety of your bike and you are just jonesin' to put together a great bike, I always advocate for scratching that itch. In that case I'd give serious consideration to a great AL frame. I'm not a fan of CF but not because I think they are inherently flawed. It's all about the expense. For the same price a CF frame will get you,say, 105 or Ultegra while an AL frame will get you Dura Ace or some other top end components. I think the difference in components may be greater than the difference in frame materials. Just my preference.