reqm

I've been trying to find more info about aero road bikes such as the Scott Foil and Specialized Venge, but haven't come across any disadvantages so far. From what I've read, it just sounds like the aero frames are superior to conventional frames, although I did come across that aero frames aren't as light (but don't they basically use the same carbon material?).

Is there any downside to getting a aero based frame over a more conventional road bike? (i.e. Foil vs. Addict)? Is one more comfortable than the other? Better climbing? Less beginner friendly?

Picking a road bike (first one) sure is tough! Or I'm making it more complicated than it should be..

link0

Aero bikes are generally very slightly heavier and slightly more aero.

Even though all those articles say that aero frames are almost always superior to normal frames, even for climbs, they forget to point out that it's less true, or not true for weak cyclists (non-pros) that ride too slow to benefit from aero when climbing. That said, I would still go with aero since most rides have a significant portion of downhills and flats.

However, the Trek Madone is both a climbing bike and an aero bike. The Madone's cutoff airfoil shape is a great compromise between weight and a full teardrop crossection.

Team Sarcasm

Aero bikes look funny, and even in the pros it comes down to rider performance and skill rather than the bike its self.

You have to take the "aero is superior" with a few shakes of the salt shaker.

inspclouseau

Seems logical that they don't do well in cross winds, no?

I feel it big time with my "aero" wheels.

caloso

Proprietary seat posts, internal cabling, and ultra tight tire clearances. All cons for me.

OldTryGuy

Haven't found a downside yet with my Giant Propel Advanced SL3. So far this year there have been a number of Team Giant-Shimano riders who have sprinted to stage wins on the Propels being used.

Degenkolb Wins Gent-Wevelgem Classic! - News | Giant Bicycles | United States

Mezgec Wins, Takes Lead at Catalunya! - News | Giant Bicycles | United States

Mezgec Sprints To Victory in Belgium! - News | Giant Bicycles | United States

Marcel Kittel won 3 stages in Tour of Dubai on his Propel Advanced SL

Dunbar

Inferior ride quality is one of the common complaints of aero road bikes.

I <3 Robots

I have one...and I don't see much disadvantages. Only gripe I have is the proprietary seatpost...but which aero frame has a round post?

The crosswinds have to be blowing real strong to affect the handling. Its not like you're going to blow off the road at the slightest breeze as some may allude to. I've ridden 50mm, 60mm, 66mm, 88mm. Only time I thought it was really too much was with the 88mm Novatecs.

As for ride quality...the "harsher" ride does not bother me. I run 25c tubulars on my 404's. With the new Cervelo S2/S3...they have the near ride quality of the R series.

Most of Garmin has been using the S3 in the majority of the northern classics so far. Even on the cobbles

https://www.slipstreamsports.com/2014...2014-classics/



Guys that are replying that don't own an aero bike can do nothing more than speculate.

reqm

I <3 Robots: Is it common to ride aero bikes casually around the river/park? Or do they have a more specific purpose? Also, how is it going uphill on your S2? I would love a Cervelo but they're not readily available/affordable over here

I <3 Robots

The bike is yours...you can ride it anywhere you please.

Bike has plenty of spring when out of the saddle...its not like a slight difference in stiffness is going to make a huge difference in me getting to the top of the climb.

Keep in mind that people like to exaggerate when it comes to stiffness or harshness of a bike.

Only way you can decide if a bike is right for you is to test ride. Majority of what you are going to find online is a bunch of biased opinions.

Heres a pic...since everybody likes pics.

jmX

I have an S-works Roubaix and an S-Works Venge. The Venge is a little heavier (14.96lbs vs 14.5lbs) and a little stiffer, but otherwise I've not found any downsides yet. I'm not sure why internal cabling is a downside, but to each his own. I wouldn't buy a bike without internal cabling myself, and I'm the one who cables my bikes.

As for advantages...well, aero road bikes have maybe 5-10 watts advantage, and even that only really helps when you're not sitting in a draft. Not much of an advantage really, but it's something. It's something enough to me that I bought an aero bike, but it may be worthless to somebody else.

Homebrew01

Aero bike will get you to the coffee shop 7.5 seconds sooner.

reqm

That sounds like a very slight difference in weight jmX.

Did you start off on the Roubaix first? By stiffer, do you mean less comfortable? Which one do you prefer taking out on a casual ride (not worried about timing yourself/speed)?

cmschmie

He looks miserable

StanSeven

Exactly. It's funny how people say aero wheels and frames aren't good in cross winds. For those that really own aero, it's likely more a sense of fear or panic they get. A gust of wind is a nudge and all you have to do it realize it's wind. Just relax and the bike goes straight. It's when people tense up that causes the panic.

Just look at the picture above and note how much of a sail area the rider is compared to the wheels and farme.

zymphad

Have to take into account 80% of aero issues is your body position on the bike. The frame has very little impact on aero.

Someone on this forum posted a video that showed a non-aero bike was faster than all other aero bikes on a hill just because the non-aero bike's headtube and stem are lower, forcing the head, shoulder and body lower on the bike.

Also shows clothing can have more impact on aero than the best frames. The clothing with the dimpled texture create a sort of airfoil for your entire body which accounts for 80% of your aero issues.

StanSeven

A half pound isn't "slight" by most riders standards where a few grams difference between bottle cages or bars makes a difference in buying decisions. But his experience of a half pound between the Roubaix and Venge is pretty common among manufacturers. The difference between a Cervelo R5 and S3/S5 is about the same (200-300 grams depending on size).

zymphad

Considering all top tier carbon bikes are well below the UCI limits, half pound means nothing when Pros are adding weights to their bike to make them heavier...

And when recreational bikers who are riding 14lb pounds can claim they can ride faster than a 15lb UCI Pro cyclist, then they can talk about how much of a difference half pound makes when they buy their water bottle cage.

StanSeven

Regardless 200-300 grams isn't "slight." And everything else being equal, a weight variation of that much does translate to a small performance difference.

Bacciagalupe

But again.... Given how modern equipment is already below UCI limits, they have plenty of room to play with. A pro who uses Di2 will not be at a weight disadvantage.

roadwarrior

Sagan, in the last week won E3 Harlebeke and stage one of 3 Days of De Panne. On a HM Evo. Tirreno Adriatico stage 4...etc.

It's not the bike. It's the bike riders.

Anyway...

roadwarrior

When you are a professional and are riding for six hours in the middle of a pack of 120 or so riders, and are getting pulled along in the giant vacuum of all those people, aero don't mean much.

If you are a studly domestique who is the breakway rider du jour who will zip along for 100km or so until you get swallowed up by the pack, it will mean a little. But 100 riders together is a heckuva lot more aero.

If you are world class riding against the clock hundreths of a second matter. But you still have to have the engine.

Bike racing is a lot like golf...you can't go to the shop and buy speed or low scores with equipment.

Campag4life

Speaking of the golf comparison, I believe handicap's haven't actually reduced in the last 20 years inspite of fairly marked difference in golf equipment.
Same dynamic. A fast guy on a 18 lb vintage road bike is still a fast guy and will ride away from slower riders. My personal view is the ride quality benefit of conventional tube shaped framesets is more important that a slight aero benefit of narrower tube shapes which result in lower lateral stiffness and a harsher ride...for all but maybe a handful of elite riders you distinguish. This is why for example, most will prefer a Tarmac to a Venge after a 50 mile comparison test.

canam73

They still have those girls riding around with cold beer carts, right?

OldTryGuy

I have been on my friend's Tarmac, Venge and S-Works Venge. My aero Giant is more comfortable to me than the other three.

Having to finish a marathon after a 112 mile TT is a reason I like my bike.