Carbon - Worth the change?
Road Red
Posts: 232
I've been riding for a year or two now and really enjoy sportives. I even like climbing despite being a big lad. I train a bit but at 50 I'm unlikely to get a whole lot fitter or lighter than I am now. I manged to get around the Dragonride and Etape last year in a slow but steady pace.
I currently ride a Cannondale Synapse aluminium. I'm thinking of upgrading to carbon, something like a Trek 4.7.
What are the views on an upgrade? Is it worth it? Will I notice a big difference?
Any other suggestions for a comfortable bike for a big lad.
I currently ride a Cannondale Synapse aluminium. I'm thinking of upgrading to carbon, something like a Trek 4.7.
What are the views on an upgrade? Is it worth it? Will I notice a big difference?
Any other suggestions for a comfortable bike for a big lad.
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deffo worth it- I had a aluminium road bike and have bought specialized roubaix 58- sooooo much better- smoother more comfortable, faster etc.
I'm 16 stone and was worried about overloading the frame but there's no weight limit on frame- would support 30 stone man.
Might be worth getting handmade wheels if you're 20 stone plus tho....0 -
I doubt that a Trek 4.7 is a big enough upgrade(if at all) over what you have at the moment. There are plenty of top aliminium frames that are better than a lot of carbon ones, Cervelo's S1 springs to mind. If your Cannondale is fairly new and you like the position then perhaps a top to tail revamp might be more appropriate. Better wheels and tyres to start then an upgrade of finishing kit to improve the ride and cut weight, sadle,seatpost,stem and bars. I would say groupset last as its the most expensive to upgrade without giving a big enough return.Norfolk, who nicked all the hills?
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I think you'll fine that your Synapse is at least as good as an awful lot of full carbon frames out there...0
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I've got an aluminium framed bike, giant scr1 which is great and I was quite happy with it but recently, by accident I got a carbon framed Lapierre s lite 200
Though I've not done many miles on it, the Lapierre is noticeably more comfortable. It just absorbs anything the road throughs at it. well obviously not potholes.
Is it worth the extra money ? Jury's out.0 -
wiffachip wrote:I've got an aluminium framed bike, giant scr1 which is great and I was quite happy with it but recently, by accident I got a carbon framed Lapierre s lite 200
Though I've not done many miles on it, the Lapierre is noticeably more comfortable. It just absorbs anything the road throughs at it. well obviously not potholes.
Is it worth the extra money ? Jury's out.
Big difference between Giant alu and Cannondale Alu...
Big.0 -
NapoleonD wrote:wiffachip wrote:I've got an aluminium framed bike, giant scr1 which is great and I was quite happy with it but recently, by accident I got a carbon framed Lapierre s lite 200
Though I've not done many miles on it, the Lapierre is noticeably more comfortable. It just absorbs anything the road throughs at it. well obviously not potholes.
Is it worth the extra money ? Jury's out.
Big difference between Giant alu and Cannondale Alu...
Big.
specifically ? or even generally0 -
Ride quality. Stiffness. Finish. Weight.
Put it this way, I'd rather have a Cannondale CAAD9 frame than any carbon frame below about the £1500 quality price point...0 -
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Never ridden the synapse, same aluminium but more relaxed geometry it looks like...0
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Back to the OP - yes, you will almost certainly notice a difference, especially in the comfort department0
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OP -
Rather than listen to us all disagree, the best thing would be to ride one.0 -
definetely test them, but would go for at least a trek 5.2 (I own one, great bike) and check u get the right version...ie not compact frame0
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Why?
a CFRP frame could be uncomfortably stiff, neutral, or flexy.
Please don't believe marketing hype.[/quote]
But surely in principle you'd have to agree that a carbon frame is likely to be more comfortable than an aluminium one? You can find an exception to every rule, but in general carbon offers a more forgiving ride to due to damping quality of the material.
And it isn't hype, it's experience of having owned plenty of both types.0 -
ajb72 wrote:Redddddddddddddragon wrote:Why?
a CFRP frame could be uncomfortably stiff, neutral, or flexy.
Please don't believe marketing hype.
But surely in principle you'd have to agree that a carbon frame is likely to be more comfortable than an aluminium one? You can find an exception to every rule, but in general carbon offers a more forgiving ride to due to damping quality of the material.
And it isn't hype, it's experience of having owned plenty of both types.
Same here and in some cases it is definitely hype...0 -
ajb72 wrote:And it isn't hype, it's experience of having owned plenty of both types.
It is hype, from the experience of owning and riding many frames, and being a materials scientist. What people experience with frames is generally psychosomatic, they've either just bought a bought a bike and want it to be good, or they have subconsciously digested marketing hype which then becomes reality in their mind.
IME, it is not the material that determines frame characteristics but the design and geometry, although CFRP will be more tuneable, the properties of CFRP are rarely fully exploited in cheaper carbon frames.0 -
You obviously know something the rest of us don't - except that is the meaning of psychosomatic! Not too sure what the experience of riding a bike has to do with a disorder having physical symptoms but originating from mental or emotional causes.0
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You obviously know something the rest of us don't - except that is the meaning of psychosomatic! Not too sure what the experience of riding a bike has to do with a disorder having physical symptoms but originating from mental or emotional causes
A mate of mine still rides his Raleigh chopper and has been diagnosed as psychoceramic-he's a crackpot!0 -
A carbon frame is not a quick fix to a better bike; like all frame materials quality will vary enormously and this will affect ride quality (eg all the older differing steel types from drainpipe quality to reynolds 853, all `steel` frames), and you`ll generally get what you pay for---defn test ride though if you can.
If all carbon frames were better than aluminium why are some so cheap (<£1000 for a full bike??)0 -
Thanks folks. I love the way these threads can take off.
To summarise, I reckon I have a pretty good frame on my Synapse. I may or may not get a major benefit from a carbon frame. Critical that I go and test a few.
The reality is that with the amount of riding I am doing I want a second/winter bike. Budget could be stretched up to £2k so it's just a question of seeing what suits best in that bracket.0 -
Road Red wrote:Thanks folks. I love the way these threads can take off.
To summarise, I reckon I have a pretty good frame on my Synapse. I may or may not get a major benefit from a carbon frame. Critical that I go and test a few.
The reality is that with the amount of riding I am doing I want a second/winter bike. Budget could be stretched up to £2k so it's just a question of seeing what suits best in that bracket.
If you have that budget, have you looked at Titanium
Just trying to help
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There is no right answer to your question, as you've probably worked out by now
If your current bike is not comfortable on long rides, then yes you can find a new one that will be more comfortable. Whether that is carbon, alu or ti, is probably immaterial, but the fact is there are more carbon frames on the market, so you have a wider range of bikes to choose from.
I'd agree with Reddragon that the frame design is the overriding factor in how a bike rides, not the materials.0 -
Go to a proper road bike shop and they will be able to tell you loads.
Probably give you a coffee too.
Where abouts are you based?What wheels...? Wheelsmith.co.uk!0 -
Based in Sevenoaks, working in London. Happy to travel a bit if you have a good LBS to recommend.0
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Road Red wrote:Based in Sevenoaks, working in London. Happy to travel a bit if you have a good LBS to recommend.
Wildside in Tunbridge Wells? They can also fit you properly. All LBS have there faults and employ good and bad people.Pegoretti
Colnago
Cervelo
Campagnolo0 -
Some good Van Nic titanium bikes , eg Yukon (audax / sportive, takes mudguards) at less than £2 k built up, should be a LBS taht does these in london or try Fatbirds in Norfolk0
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I also think Ti is not the be all and end all...0
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I agree! and particularly as my Ti frame has just cracked at BB area
, but will be replaced under lifetime warranty 
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