Has frame technology really improved in the last 5 years??

meesterbond

Ok, slightly provocative title, but stick with me..

I'm currently riding a five year old Cannondale six13 which I've been gradually upgraded over the years (Record, Cosmic Carbones etc) and I'm now thinking that maybe the frame should be next.
There's nothing inherently wrong with the current frame, but thought I'd pose the question in the last two bike shops I visited... If I spend a reasonably amount (say £1500) on a new frame, would I really notice the difference? Obviously I got a resounding 'yes' from both shops, the implication being that it would be like night and day, but I thought I'd put the question to a slightly more impartial audience...

I don't race (other than the occasional Duathlon) and most of my road riding is 30 - 50 mile solo rides at say 18mph average.. so for an average enthuiast, would the improvement really be that marked??

Anonymous

Naaah...

You may get a slightly lighter/stiffer frame but it won't be huge!

MrChuck

I don't think you'd notice a difference other than the ones you'd notice if, say, you changed to a comparable frame from 6 years ago, if you see what I mean! Obviously technology advances but on the whole I think it's incremental rather than leaps so, assuming you were swapping like-for-like, I think there'd be little effective change over 6 years.

Mettan

meesterbond wrote:

so for an average enthuiast, would the improvement really be that marked??

No, in performance terms, negligible at best (probably hardly notice at all) - (in addition, you've already got the Cosmics etc so you're already sorted).

Obviously, if your frame's had a hard 5 years pounding, then there's an argument for a new frame - you could get a Planet X for £500 - good basic carbon frame.

mrushton

Those 6/13s are excellent. If you don't hammer it you should get years out of it. Were they carbon with Aluminium lugs?

meesterbond

mrushton wrote:

Those 6/13s are excellent. If you don't hammer it you should get years out of it. Were they carbon with Aluminium lugs?

That's right.. the front three tubes are carbon, the lugs and rear triangle Al...

I think I'm trying to justify to myself that I need a new bike when actually it is still very much the rider that's the limiting factor in the relationship!

Monty Dog

Whilst there has been some improvement in terms of weight loss and stiffness, it would be quite tricky to translate that into a tangible improvement in performance. My best ride still uses 1" forks - I have got a lighter and stiffer frame but find is more harsh and less comfortable.

mrushton

meesterbond wrote:

mrushton wrote:

Those 6/13s are excellent. If you don't hammer it you should get years out of it. Were they carbon with Aluminium lugs?

That's right.. the front three tubes are carbon, the lugs and rear triangle Al...

I think I'm trying to justify to myself that I need a new bike when actually it is still very much the rider that's the limiting factor in the relationship!

You always 'need' a new bike but it will do exactly what the 6-13 does perhaps slightly different in ride terms but not neccessarily better for you

passout

You bought a fairly 'advanced' frame anyway, so no not really. I'd leave it a few years yet.

ugo.santalucia

I find the new generation of carbon frames quite awful, with those oversized tubes and bottom btackets and unnecessary fake aerodynamic tubes...
Some are grotesque, like the Pinarello onda, what's the need for a wavy fork?... and all those unnecessary curves, it's just fashion, they don't add anything.

They remind me of those bronze oil-coated body builders...

A frame should be essential, it's beauty is in it being as simple as it can possibly be... best frame is Eddy Merckx's the orange one he used for the hour record, exposed in an underground station in Brussels...

As for functionality, I've said enough elsewhere

chriskempton

ugo.santalucia wrote:

They remind me of those bronze oil-coated body builders.. exposed in an underground station in Brussels...

I've never read such filth