Re: Carbon vs. Aluminum vs. Composite


"Qui si parla Campagnolo" <peter@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:1180614025.852251.89520@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
On May 30, 9:39 am, "bram...@xxxxxxxxx" <bram...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
I'm looking at purchasing a new road bike. My main goals include some
minor racing, but mostly some major centuries and hill challenges this
summer.

What would people say are the real benefits of carbon, aluminum, and
composite bikes are? I know that aluminum is quite stiff and taking
bumps on it can be a less comfortable experience (I own an older Fuji
Al right now). But are carbon bikes really that much lighter, or is
it the added flex that really helps, but won't that decrease your own
power output if the frame flexes as you apply force? Don't stiff
bikes perform better on downhill sections because they are so much
stiffer?

Only 3 things are important, fit, fit and of course, fit. You don't
mention steel either. Well made, about the same weight as many
'blends, rides like a dream, looks great, lasts forever. No mention of
ti either, great material. Blend bikes are marketing 101, aluminum
'should' be cheap, the market is awash with carbon, the latest 'great'
thing and as some tell it, the 'last word' in frame material(of
course, not true).

So, just about any bike that fits you will work for you, ragardless of
material. Ride all 4 materials, to see what suits you, then get a fit
and get the one that fits you...did I mention fit??

Does fit matter?

Being the bicycle guy at work, my co-workers (and most recently the wife of
a co-worker) ask me for bicycle recommendations and then regale me with
their stories of test riding bicycles. Sometimes the decision to buy one
frame material or another is based on whether a shift lever was sticky or a
derailleur was misadjusted on a test bike. It's also amazing that these
infrequent recreational riders are spending so much money on bikes. The
aforementioned wife stated a distinct preference for the feel of CF (versus
Al), but that could have been a preference implanted by the sales person.
The CF bike also sounded like it was a better fit. There are apparently a
lot of off the rack carbon bikes in the $2K range these days. -- Jay
Beattie.


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