This like most frame material threads this has gotten ridiculous. Each of the popular frame materials can be tailored to suit the purpose of the bike from super stiff track bike to comfort oriented endurance machine. It’s clear that carbon frames don’t catastrophically explode under the rider at some random moment and this can be determined by a couple of facts, the lawsuits would bankrupt the manufacturers, no one has actually seen it happen to a current unmolested frame lastly they build hard core mountain bikes from carbon and they survive just fine.
Chrome moly has some disadvantages in mass production. Material availability is limited. Where each segment of a carbon frame can be custom laid up to suit the characteristics desired, metal tubing must be ordered from a manufacturer who may not have the ideal thickness, diameter and butting required for the bikes intent and size. Carbon frames have greater economy’s of scale the more you make the cheaper they get. So for a lesser cost you get a better product. Also strength to weight wise carbon is on a completely different league from chrome moly.
So the ride quality is no better if not worse. They are heavier. Costly to produce. Durability is similar. What are the advantages of chrome moly other than some Luddite fantasy.
The one advantage in my eyes is they look great which is enough for me!
Last edited by Atlas Shrugged; 07-03-20 at 07:48 PM.