Comfy and light road bike
flattythehurdler
Posts: 2,314
I am looking for a road bike. I want it to be as light and as comforatable as possible, with maximum damping of bumps/roadbuzz etc, and a non aggressive riding position, ie bars and saddle roughly level. I have been thinking of a BMC or a litespeed (but not the new one as it is quite harsh apparently). I don't care about lateral rigidity and all that sh@te.
Any recommendations?
Any recommendations?
Dan
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flattythehurdler wrote:I am looking for a road bike. I want it to be as light and as comforatable as possible, with maximum damping of bumps/roadbuzz etc, and a non aggressive riding position, ie bars and saddle roughly level. I have been thinking of a BMC or a litespeed (but not the new one as it is quite harsh apparently). I don't care about lateral rigidity and all that sh@te.
Any recommendations?
I'd try one of these. The non pro version has a longer headtube for a more upright position. Read the review it seems to fit your requirement really well.
http://www.cyclingnews.com/tech.php?id=tech/2007/reviews/trek_madone_5207
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Get something which will take nice wide tyres. The comfiest frame is no substitute for air suspension.0
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I would say anything titanium, probably a Van Nicholas or suchlike.
Lots of choice around in the ti area and very reasonable prices.0 -
Did you honestly say BMC? - Monstrously stiff and certainly not suited to the type of riding you mention. Suggest you look at a titanium frame - the best material for eliminated the 'buzz' and get something that takes a 25mm tyre minimum.Make mine an Italian, with Campagnolo on the side..0
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Second the Madone.
The most comfortable bike I have ridden in yearsRacing is life - everything else is just waiting0 -
If you really want it as light as possible then you probably want one of the carbon fibre sportif bikes they sell nowadays - that Trek, Cannondale Synapse etc
it's a hard life if you don't weaken.0 -
I think I said this in another blog just this morning but it bears repeating. Comfortable
is a Lazy Boy recliner chair in front of a television. Bikes, by their nature, are not
"comfy". They are something you get used to if you ride alot. As for a light bike
being "comfy", I really doubt you will find one as most really light bikes are racing
types and not "forgiving" at all. You sound like you want a full suspension mountain
bike with fat, lower pressure tires. Then you might get sort of "comfy".
Dennis Noward0 -
Or maybe for the nearest thing to that armchair, a recumbent (does mentioning that get me banned?)0
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I have a Litespeed Siena 2007 (I think the 06-08 frame is the same)
Comfortable position. Brilliant ride. Old Alu bike seems so much more pain over the long distance.0 -
Have a look at ti bikes and also carbon but not necessarily Trek, there are plenty of other names out there worth looking at. Choice is on your side!0
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My Waterford R33 is buttery smooth - significantly better ride than a Moots Vamoots titanium and better than my old colnago master olympic which was really good. All up with pedals my bike weights 16.5 lbs (7.45kg) - the frameis 3.1 lbs (1400g) which is light enough for me.
I've also heard good things about the new reynolds 953 tubesetpm0 -
I've a Van Nic Euros, which is very comfy. I think the fit has more to do with comfort than the material. The investment of a proper fitting is probably worth it in the long run. Saying that, I moved from steel to Ti, the Ti seems stiffer without an appreciable increase in "road buzz", but again that's probably more due to the geometry than material.0
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Term1te wrote:I've a Van Nic Euros, which is very comfy. I think the fit has more to do with comfort than the material. The investment of a proper fitting is probably worth it in the long run. Saying that, I moved from steel to Ti, the Ti seems stiffer without an appreciable increase in "road buzz", but again that's probably more due to the geometry than material.
That's a very good point. i should also have pointed out that my bike was a full custom build following a 4 hour bike fit session so it bloody well ought to be comfortable. the delicious lack of road buzz is definately down to the tubeset thoughpm0 -
I have a Cannondale Synapse Carbon and it is a dream to ride, agree in part with Dennis that nothing is going to be 'comfy' especially if you have came from suspension bikes. Whatever you choose there will be a period of adjustment then you will just accept that as the norm.0
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Nothing at all to do with the tyres then?portuguese mike wrote:the delicious lack of road buzz is definately down to the tubeset though0 -
I think I'll go for a litespeed. It's just that the BMC is so fugly it's beautiful and I would really like one.Dan0
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Until now I have always had aluminium frames. My neighbour has a stork, which I had a spin on the other day, and it was so rigid i could tell no difference. Even though it cost an awful lot of money, it felt to me like an ali frame.Dan0
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aracer wrote:
Nothing at all to do with the tyres then?portuguese mike wrote:the delicious lack of road buzz is definately down to the tubeset though
I was comparing the lack of road buzz compared to my own aluminium framed cannondale and a moots vamoots titanium bike that i test rode all of which had the same conti GP4000 tyrespm0 -
Was they tyre pressure the same on all of them (to within 5psi)?0
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I would put in a vote for a Look 585. This a fabulous piece of kit - light and comfy, yet really responsive. Search for a bargain 2006/7 colour version, no need to bother with the 595 (with the fancy seatpost) or the Ultra version - the standard bike is perfect. It has a slightly longer than average headtube, so getting a decent riding position is fine. I have been riding my 585 for the last two years, and I have yet to find a better all rounder. Believe me, I have tried. (I have not been on a C50 as it seems a bit pricy).
I have tried out the BMC (too stiff, no lighter than the Look) and the new Trek (non-descript). The Siena will be heavier and they have had dodgy forks in the past, so my friend who rides one says. Can't comment on the Cannondale, but IMO it does not look the part.
Specialized seem to have a good reputation for comfy bikes, although I did not get on at all with the S-works Tarmac I used to own. Too many stickers and a bit too "high street"?0 -
Don't buy anything without trying the Specialized Roubaix. It answers your requirements very closely and has a specific road vibration dampening system, which works very well. The only thing is that not everyone likes the look of it. There are several threads about it on this site, if you do a search.
I've got one and I love it. I'm on the Winter (touring) bike just now and, despite the wider tyres on it, I'm getting a lot more road shock than I was experiencing on the Roubaix.0 -
So actually up to 5psi variation?portuguese mike wrote:0 -
pcd993 wrote:I would put in a vote for a Look 585. This a fabulous piece of kit - light and comfy, yet really responsive. Search for a bargain 2006/7 colour version, no need to bother with the 595 (with the fancy seatpost) or the Ultra version - the standard bike is perfect. It has a slightly longer than average headtube, so getting a decent riding position is fine. I have been riding my 585 for the last two years, and I have yet to find a better all rounder. Believe me, I have tried. (I have not been on a C50 as it seems a bit pricy).
I have tried out the BMC (too stiff, no lighter than the Look) and the new Trek (non-descript). The Siena will be heavier and they have had dodgy forks in the past, so my friend who rides one says. Can't comment on the Cannondale, but IMO it does not look the part.
Specialized seem to have a good reputation for comfy bikes, although I did not get on at all with the S-works Tarmac I used to own. Too many stickers and a bit too "high street"?
+1. Does everything very well, is very light, and not outrageously expensive. Still one of the best frames ever produced.
Possibly a bit expensive as a crit bike is the only criticism i can find to throw at it.0 -
aracer wrote:
So actually up to 5psi variation?portuguese mike wrote:
Are you actually being serious? Your initial post suggests that within plus or minus 5 psi is close enough for a reasonable comparison then when i confirm that you seem to suggest that it is such a wild variance that the feedback is useless.
What, exactly, is it that you're having dificulty accepting? That one frame can transmit more road buzz than another?
Even when the tyres on my 'dale are down to 95 psi when its been wet it is distinctly harsher than my waterford (and before you ask i've tried both with the same wheels as well)pm0 -
Get your backside down to your nearest quality LBS!
Get a decent fitting, and the rest will fall in to place.
I went to Condor - check out their range : condorcycles.com
They essentially sell Deda. framed bikes.
I was jigged up for a Fratello (Audax style frame) - which is a heavy all-rounder (all things being relative - it's actually light).
I spec'd ITM Marathon bars - which are very comfy and offer a multitude of positions.
It has a high head tube, and has been left with a good amount of head-stack.
It can be spec'd with a nice pair of forgiving handbuilt wheels - Choose your spoking and rims, plus a set of 25c tyres.
A Fizik Pave saddle - which is more comfy than my Spez. BG Toupe gel.
The options are endless, as they built it from the ground up.
Plenty of other firms out there too.
Condor's Titanium offerings: Moda/Gran Fondo.
They have several carbon offerings in different geometries
I actually run a Squadra ally/carbon bike with handbuilt Mavics as my sportive bike now - The Frat. is my "comfy shoes" all-round trainer/commuter/winter bike.
Van Nics get some rave reviews, and are well known for their Titanium offerings - Amazon etc.
Pearson do some nice bikes, and offer the all important pre-sale setup - I believe they have a nice full carbon Audax frame now too - which will take mudguards - and therefore take 25c tyres - poss. 28c too.
Check out Planet-X bikes too - but I would advise against mail order - get yourself in to their shop - If you're down south, you can buy them through GB Cycles (Croydon).
Edit: The other advantage to Condor is that most stuff is available to test ride, and they have a useful strip of pave just behind the store. I'd advise calling in advance though, as they get stupidly busy.0 -
Yes. My first question was badly phrased, as I was looking for much less than 5psi variation, since 5psi difference in the tyres will make more difference to vertical compliance than the difference between any two frame materials. Not to say that a different frame can't be more comfy, as different geometry with longer stays will decrease the amount of road shock which reaches you - but you were putting the difference down to tubeset, not geometry.portuguese mike wrote:What, exactly, is it that you're having dificulty accepting? That one frame can transmit more road buzz than another?
Went looking for some figures on how much compliance there actually is in a frame, but instead found http://www.sheldonbrown.com/frame-materials.html#ride - read the bit on "Vertical Stiffness" and "Where Comfort Comes From".0 -
Find a decent framebuilder and assemble the rest yourself?
Hours of fun and it will be just how you want it!0 -
Went looking for some figures on how much compliance there actually is in a frame, but instead found http://www.sheldonbrown.com/frame-materials.html#ride - read the bit on "Vertical Stiffness" and "Where Comfort Comes From".[/quote]
Fair enough, the geometry is different on my 2 bikes - although the chainstays are very similar length it has to be said. perhaps its down to having a steeper seat tube angle (74 v 73 degrees) on my waterford placing me further forward than on my 'dale also there is more seat post exposed on the waterford. I have to say that there is a very noticable percieved difference between the two but as i said earlier it is a custom build so my ride position is spot on which must contribute hugely.
sorry if i came over a bit defensive and thanks for the link.pm0
