Bike frame material rankings!
#76
Should Be More Popular
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#77
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There's stiff racing CF bikes with an aggressive geometry and there's comfortable CF endurance bikes.
I've ridden a Specialized Ruby (the women's version of the Roubaix, now discontinued), over some broken roads, it's a magic carpet like ride with wide tires at low pressure and the flexy seatpost and the future shock suspension. I don't need it, but if I did, it'd be my pick.
I've ridden a Specialized Ruby (the women's version of the Roubaix, now discontinued), over some broken roads, it's a magic carpet like ride with wide tires at low pressure and the flexy seatpost and the future shock suspension. I don't need it, but if I did, it'd be my pick.
#78
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https://cyclingtips.com/2016/11/bike...aris-galibier/
Dave Moulton's Blog - Dave Moulton's Bike Blog - The Paris Galibier
#79
Should Be More Popular
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Here's a bit that I've come across. I'd love to try this bike
https://cyclingtips.com/2016/11/bike...aris-galibier/
Dave Moulton's Blog - Dave Moulton's Bike Blog - The Paris Galibier
https://cyclingtips.com/2016/11/bike...aris-galibier/
Dave Moulton's Blog - Dave Moulton's Bike Blog - The Paris Galibier
#80
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The design of the 2023 Trek Madone's not looking like an original design now. They just moved the junction up higher.
If you read the cyclingtips link in post 78 they talk about a connection to Condor Cycles. I actually have a 1972 Condor that the PO/OO bought from the shop mentioned in the article.
If you read the cyclingtips link in post 78 they talk about a connection to Condor Cycles. I actually have a 1972 Condor that the PO/OO bought from the shop mentioned in the article.
Last edited by seypat; 11-04-22 at 07:47 AM.
#82
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That design of the 2023 Trek Madone's not looking like an original design now. They just moved the junction up higher.
If you read the cyclingtips link in post 78 they talk about a connection to Condor Cycles. I actually have a 1972 Condor that the PO/OO bought from the shop mentioned in the article.
If you read the cyclingtips link in post 78 they talk about a connection to Condor Cycles. I actually have a 1972 Condor that the PO/OO bought from the shop mentioned in the article.
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#83
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Yeah, the old Madone was a looker (especially some of the Project One with custom paint), this is... erm... yeah, not quite my cup of tea. It's not newest Bianchi super hideous, but not my cup of tea.
#84
Senior Member
Someone mentioned magnesium and I read about that a while back. What's the deal?
FWIW, my Ti bike is by far the most comfortable. My Carbon the least. But their geometries are vastly different. Has anyone make frames out of various materials all the same specs to test it out? I would doubt it, since many manufacturers make one or another.
FWIW, my Ti bike is by far the most comfortable. My Carbon the least. But their geometries are vastly different. Has anyone make frames out of various materials all the same specs to test it out? I would doubt it, since many manufacturers make one or another.
#85
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Someone mentioned magnesium and I read about that a while back. What's the deal?
FWIW, my Ti bike is by far the most comfortable. My Carbon the least. But their geometries are vastly different. Has anyone make frames out of various materials all the same specs to test it out? I would doubt it, since many manufacturers make one or another.
FWIW, my Ti bike is by far the most comfortable. My Carbon the least. But their geometries are vastly different. Has anyone make frames out of various materials all the same specs to test it out? I would doubt it, since many manufacturers make one or another.
The bikes with more conventional road bike geometry all rode like each other, too. I guess I'm not particularly prone to confirmation bias in this area, because the bike that's been my favorite one to ride for the last 15 years or so is a Specialized Langster fixed-gear bike. It has road geometry and an aluminum frame and straight-blade aluminum fork, both with "oversized" tubing.
#86
Senior Member
I've had good luck with most materials:
1. Aluminum: I suspect those who mention "aluminum harshness" have not ridden a modern aluminum bike. I have a brand new Allez Sprint custom build that is very smooth riding and fast as any race bike. Regardless, modern high volume/low pressure tubeless tires make a huge difference on any frame. Also, I have a fairly high end aluminum hardtail that I have absolutely abused for five years and it's still in great shape. Aluminum is plenty tough if engineered well.
2. Carbon: I have a 2019 carbon road bike that I have raced and ridden about 17k miles and it still looks essentially brand new. It also rides incredibly comfortably and fast. My cross bike is also carbon and it's been through lots of tough miles without issue. Carbon is hardly the brittle material some portray it as. I have beaten the crap out of a wide variety of carbon wheels without wheels. I suspect carbon is the least reliable in a crash, but I have no evidence one way or another. A bad crash will destroy any bike in my experience. Is carbon worth the huge price increase over aluminum? Maybe?
3. Steel frames are the toughest, most practical and most reliable in my experience. I own a Reynolds 631 adventure/gravel bike and that's the frame material to take into the wilderness. I also love that steel tolerates clamping forces well, take beautiful threads and isn't very reactive with dissimilar materials. I have never seen rust kill a steel frame. I used to race on steel back in the day, so I know it's not intrinsically "slow". I crashed that frame several times in low category races back in my teens and never had an issue. Steel is great stuff.
4. Titanium: great stuff. Doesn't rust, rides with a great springiness, lightweight, takes good threads, doesn't react to dissimilar materials, looks amazing with custom anodization. I still have two Ti bikes, a very mid-range racy road bike and a very fancy Ti/carbon road bike. Still... over the years I have had two titanium bikes from very reputable makers (Seven and Lynskey) fail at welds. I'm not sure how common this is, but in talking to mechanics I trust it's not uncommon for Ti bikes to have bad welds. In both cases, the manufacturer did the right thing... but I don't think Ti is quite the "forever bike" people portray it as. Barring that, Ti would probably be my favorite material for non-race bikes...
1. Aluminum: I suspect those who mention "aluminum harshness" have not ridden a modern aluminum bike. I have a brand new Allez Sprint custom build that is very smooth riding and fast as any race bike. Regardless, modern high volume/low pressure tubeless tires make a huge difference on any frame. Also, I have a fairly high end aluminum hardtail that I have absolutely abused for five years and it's still in great shape. Aluminum is plenty tough if engineered well.
2. Carbon: I have a 2019 carbon road bike that I have raced and ridden about 17k miles and it still looks essentially brand new. It also rides incredibly comfortably and fast. My cross bike is also carbon and it's been through lots of tough miles without issue. Carbon is hardly the brittle material some portray it as. I have beaten the crap out of a wide variety of carbon wheels without wheels. I suspect carbon is the least reliable in a crash, but I have no evidence one way or another. A bad crash will destroy any bike in my experience. Is carbon worth the huge price increase over aluminum? Maybe?
3. Steel frames are the toughest, most practical and most reliable in my experience. I own a Reynolds 631 adventure/gravel bike and that's the frame material to take into the wilderness. I also love that steel tolerates clamping forces well, take beautiful threads and isn't very reactive with dissimilar materials. I have never seen rust kill a steel frame. I used to race on steel back in the day, so I know it's not intrinsically "slow". I crashed that frame several times in low category races back in my teens and never had an issue. Steel is great stuff.
4. Titanium: great stuff. Doesn't rust, rides with a great springiness, lightweight, takes good threads, doesn't react to dissimilar materials, looks amazing with custom anodization. I still have two Ti bikes, a very mid-range racy road bike and a very fancy Ti/carbon road bike. Still... over the years I have had two titanium bikes from very reputable makers (Seven and Lynskey) fail at welds. I'm not sure how common this is, but in talking to mechanics I trust it's not uncommon for Ti bikes to have bad welds. In both cases, the manufacturer did the right thing... but I don't think Ti is quite the "forever bike" people portray it as. Barring that, Ti would probably be my favorite material for non-race bikes...
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#87
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I suspect you meant "does react" ...ask anyone who forgot to use copius amounts of grease or anti-seize on their alloy seatpost in a titanium frame.
#89
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Titanium and high-end steel bikes are really a "lifestyle" choice, I'm guessing mostly attractive to older, traditional riders with a healthy budget and plenty of nostalgia.
More workhorse steel bikes are often the favoured weapon of choice for daily commuting, winter riding, touring etc.
Aluminium bikes are now the budget option for most uses, from full-on racing to daily pottering.
Carbon is both the competitive racer's choice and the choice of most reasonably affluent club riders and weekend warriors. A few of the older guys still ride steel/ti out of preference, but even most of the vets around here have discovered carbon or at least have both in their fleet.
More workhorse steel bikes are often the favoured weapon of choice for daily commuting, winter riding, touring etc.
Aluminium bikes are now the budget option for most uses, from full-on racing to daily pottering.
Carbon is both the competitive racer's choice and the choice of most reasonably affluent club riders and weekend warriors. A few of the older guys still ride steel/ti out of preference, but even most of the vets around here have discovered carbon or at least have both in their fleet.
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#91
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I wonder what percentage of cyclists that do the local racing scene have dedicated race bikes/setups? If they do have dedicated race setups, what are they using for those? Most of the crits you can watch on Youtube are flat as a pancake. You see some 1X setups, but most are 2X with top end groups and full range cassettes. I guess you race what you ride during the week. Maybe the old saying "race what you can afford to replace" no longer applies.
#92
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Titanium and high-end steel bikes are really a "lifestyle" choice, I'm guessing mostly attractive to older, traditional riders with a healthy budget and plenty of nostalgia.
More workhorse steel bikes are often the favoured weapon of choice for daily commuting, winter riding, touring etc.
Aluminium bikes are now the budget option for most uses, from full-on racing to daily pottering.
Carbon is both the competitive racer's choice and the choice of most reasonably affluent club riders and weekend warriors. A few of the older guys still ride steel/ti out of preference, but even most of the vets around here have discovered carbon or at least have both in their fleet.
More workhorse steel bikes are often the favoured weapon of choice for daily commuting, winter riding, touring etc.
Aluminium bikes are now the budget option for most uses, from full-on racing to daily pottering.
Carbon is both the competitive racer's choice and the choice of most reasonably affluent club riders and weekend warriors. A few of the older guys still ride steel/ti out of preference, but even most of the vets around here have discovered carbon or at least have both in their fleet.
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#93
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The order is (spin the wheel and it will pick for you)
Carbon
Steel
Aluminum
Titanium
Steel
Aluminum
Titanium
Carbon
Aluminum
Titanium
Carbon
Steel
Titanium
Carbon
Steel
Aluminum
Carbon
Steel
Aluminum
Titanium
Steel
Aluminum
Titanium
Carbon
Aluminum
Titanium
Carbon
Steel
Titanium
Carbon
Steel
Aluminum
Carbon
Steel
Aluminum
Titanium
Steel
Aluminum
Titanium
Carbon
Aluminum
Titanium
Carbon
Steel
Titanium
Carbon
Steel
Aluminum
Carbon
Steel
Aluminum
Titanium
Steel
Aluminum
Titanium
Carbon
Aluminum
Titanium
Carbon
Steel
Titanium
Carbon
Steel
Aluminum
Carbon
Steel
Aluminum
Titanium
Steel
Aluminum
Titanium
Carbon
Aluminum
Titanium
Carbon
Steel
Titanium
Carbon
Steel
Aluminum
Carbon
Steel
Aluminum
Titanium
Steel
Aluminum
Titanium
Carbon
Aluminum
Titanium
Carbon
Steel
Titanium
Carbon
Steel
Aluminum
#98
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Touring bikes are still made from steel, correct? There must be a reason for those bikes to not be made from CF.
#99
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There are carbon touring bikes too. It's also a very conservative market and not focused on either aero or super low weight. So steel still makes a lot of sense for touring.
#100
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If you intend to race the intercontinental, it's generally a CF bike with a Tailfin CF rack.
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