Frame Material Preference Poll
I'm on the hunt for another bike (like I really need one) and was looking into the different frame material options available. In the poll, pick what your preference would be and not necessarily what you currently have. I know some of you probably have all the above options so your opinion will be very valuable to me. TIA Smokey
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Will you buy the one with the most votes?
John |
Steel
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It depends on the type of riding and a couple dozen other factors.
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My answer is ... it depends. I chose carbon when I went for a new road bike, but decided to stick with aluminium for my new mountain bike. If you were to ask for my reasoning I'd have to say I'm not entirely certain. Having broken one carbon frame in a crash I suppose that did weigh on my mind a bit - much more likely to crash a mountain bike. On the other hand, I have a friend with a full carbon mountain bike which has been great for him, and his riding style is quite a bit wilder than mine. Very pleased with both bikes. The only thing I'd change if I was buying a new road bike now is I'd certainly go for disk brakes and quite probably for eTap or Di2 rather than mechanical.
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Originally Posted by jgwilliams
(Post 22706392)
My answer is ... it depends. I chose carbon when I went for a new road bike, but decided to stick with aluminium for my new mountain bike. If you were to ask for my reasoning I'd have to say I'm not entirely certain. Having broken one carbon frame in a crash I suppose that did weigh on my mind a bit - much more likely to crash a mountain bike. On the other hand, I have a friend with a full carbon mountain bike which has been great for him, and his riding style is quite a bit wilder than mine. Very pleased with both bikes. The only thing I'd change if I was buying a new road bike now is I'd certainly go for disk brakes and quite probably for eTap or Di2 rather than mechanical.
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I'd have to think about it. The subject never comes up on BF or out in the cycling world. It's a new one for me.
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Since you plan to use the bike for heavy touring I think you should go with steel. Or is this thread not sincere?
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If you're "on the hunt"..then make just a tiny bit of effort and do some research here on BF..or anywhere else. This topic get regularly flogged to death, and has been for years. There's nothing new from the last flogging or the flogging before that......
Unless, of course, you're just trolling |
Carbon and derailleurs for really fast and really useless toys for rich folks.
Steel and IGH Rohloff14 for round the world touring. Front hub is a SA XL-FDD dyno drum brake. Steel and SA 3 speed for commuter bike. Also comes with drum brakes, chaincase, fenders, lights and racks. Aluminum OK for just riding around. Could have either IGH or defaileurs. Walmart for the totally cheap and uninformed, who can't or won't go far. |
Seems like there should be a choice for "any" or "all of the above". I really don't look at the material a bike is made of. I'm looking at price, components and geometry. Plus aesthetics for my eye and things like weight and how the bike handles the terrain and surfaces I ride on.
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Originally Posted by PeteHski
(Post 22706394)
I've seen plenty of cracked high-end aluminium mtb frames. My last 2 mountain bikes since 2014 have been carbon, with no issues. Although I did get them both wrapped in Invisiframe for added stone chip protection - which has worked perfectly.
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Originally Posted by GamblerGORD53
(Post 22706621)
Carbon and derailleurs for really fast and really useless toys for rich folks.
Steel and IGH Rohloff14 for round the world touring. Front hub is a SA XL-FDD dyno drum brake. Steel and SA 3 speed for commuter bike. Also comes with drum brakes, chaincase, fenders, lights and racks. Aluminum OK for just riding around. Could have either IGH or defaileurs. Walmart for the totally cheap and uninformed, who can't or won't go far. |
Originally Posted by GamblerGORD53
(Post 22706621)
Carbon and derailleurs for really fast and really useless toys for rich folks.
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I personally think the frame material "debate" is much ado about nothing. The "best" frame material is whatever your favorite bike is made of.
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Originally Posted by indyfabz
(Post 22706426)
Since you plan to use the bike for heavy touring I think you should go with steel. Or is this thread not sincere?
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Originally Posted by 70sSanO
(Post 22706348)
Will you buy the one with the most votes?
John |
Originally Posted by Iride01
(Post 22706623)
Seems like there should be a choice for "any" or "all of the above". I really don't look at the material a bike is made of. I'm looking at price, components and geometry. Plus aesthetics for my eye and things like weight and how the bike handles the terrain and surfaces I ride on.
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Originally Posted by indyfabz
(Post 22706426)
Since you plan to use the bike for heavy touring I think you should go with steel. Or is this thread not sincere?
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Originally Posted by SpedFast
(Post 22706766)
Those were my first considerations too until I got really serious and started seeing all the frame material options out there. Then I got confused. I've been researching them for a while now and only getting more confused. My steel bikes are heavy but durable. I want something lighter. My aluminum bikes are lighter and still durable and a good option. Then I find guys that really swear by titanium for very legit reasons. Confused.
All the frame materials you've mentioned have been used with great success since before the turn of the century. There have been some few spectacular failures for all of those materials. Whether one material has more tensile strength or is more ductile or has another differing quality is of not really a factor for these materials as the designers, engineers and builders have shown that they can build some excellent bikes with those materials. All you have to do is find the bike that matches what you want and need in a bike. If you get to worrying too much about material then you might never find the bike that's right for you. You might be setting your self up for a endless quest for your imagined holy grail. I'd actually done that for many years when I was blinded by my "steel is real" mentality. It kept me from buying a new bike for quite a few years. |
Originally Posted by SpedFast
(Post 22706770)
I don't plan on doing any 'heavy' touring btw. Not sure what put that thought in your head. :foo:
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Originally Posted by SpedFast
(Post 22706770)
I don't plan on doing any 'heavy' touring btw. Not sure what put that thought in your head. :foo:
See what I was getting at now? I never had kids because, among other things, I didn't (and still don't) want to spoon feed. |
Originally Posted by 1989Pre
(Post 22706387)
It depends on the type of riding and a couple dozen other factors.
Originally Posted by SpedFast
(Post 22706770)
Originally Posted by indyfabz
(Post 22706426)
Since you plan to use the bike for heavy touring I think you should go with steel. Or is this thread not sincere?
But, as a few people have mentioned, it really depends on a person's goals. I really like my CF ROAD bike. It just feels so natural. Just thing I was missing with riding a steel bike all those years. I've commuted on it, but I do somewhat of a hybrid commuting that takes me somewhat longer distances than some people. I.E. Double Century commutes? But, I'd really look at a person's goals.
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Originally Posted by phughes
(Post 22706802)
Then give us a hint.
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Originally Posted by CliffordK
(Post 22706822)
I was wondering where that concept of heavy touring came from.
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