does carbon work?

dmch2
dmch2 Posts: 731
edited September 2010 in Road beginners
Someone asked recently if carbon 'worked'. I've got carbon forks and seatpost with an ali frame on my Trek 1.5. I pumped my tyres up to the required 100psi (my titchy pump is hard work to get up that high so I bought a last week track pump) and then went riding on and found a few bits of road where the surface had broken.

hands - perfect comfort. Gel gloves and bar tape help but barely perceptible vibration
backside - perfect comfort. Padded shorts and the standard trek saddle
feed - ouch! SPD-SLs, no padding and they felt like I was standing on a spinning washing machine that was about to explode!

Not sure how scientific that is but perhaps I need some in-soles for my shoes. My right foot was a bit numb after 40 miles but I think the cleat is too far towards my heal as it was most numb in front of where I think the ball of my foot is.
2010 Trek 1.5 Road - swissstop green, conti GP4000S
2004 Marin Muirwoods Hybrid

Comments

  • father_jack
    father_jack Posts: 3,509
    Weird, I don't have that problem. SPL-SL too. Get road buzz/banging on the very worst bits of road surface, but feet are fine
    Say... That's a nice bike..
    Trax T700 with Lew Racing Pro VT-1 ;-)
  • dmch2
    dmch2 Posts: 731
    Father Jack wrote:
    Weird, I don't have that problem. SPL-SL too. Get road buzz/banging on the very worst bits of road surface, but feet are fine

    What shoes have you got? I've got basic shimano r094 (i think) and they don't feel like there's much padding in them.

    Maybe it's my 23mm standard bontrager tyres? Someone said better tyres can be more compliant.
    2010 Trek 1.5 Road - swissstop green, conti GP4000S
    2004 Marin Muirwoods Hybrid
  • pst88
    pst88 Posts: 621
    Get carbon soled shoes... probably won't help, just looks cool.
    Bianchi Via Nirone Veloce/Centaur 2010
  • father_jack
    father_jack Posts: 3,509
    Shimano R086
    Say... That's a nice bike..
    Trax T700 with Lew Racing Pro VT-1 ;-)
  • MattC59
    MattC59 Posts: 5,408
    Father Jack wrote:
    Shimano R086
    +1
    Science adjusts it’s beliefs based on what’s observed.
    Faith is the denial of observation so that Belief can be preserved
  • MattC59
    MattC59 Posts: 5,408
    I'ce got a 1.9, which has an aluminium frame with carbon forks and seatpost. I have no problem with road buzz (I'm 12.5 stone and run my tyres at 90psi).

    Maybe your shoes are too tight ? If they're too tight they'll become more sensitive so you might feel the buzz a little more.
    Science adjusts it’s beliefs based on what’s observed.
    Faith is the denial of observation so that Belief can be preserved
  • dmch2
    dmch2 Posts: 731
    This was really nasty coarse tarmac with half the top layer flaked off at 30mph. Everything's peachy on normal tarmac.
    2010 Trek 1.5 Road - swissstop green, conti GP4000S
    2004 Marin Muirwoods Hybrid
  • father_jack
    father_jack Posts: 3,509
    Yeah some is pretty bad, bone shaking. I don't think anything will help, unless you have full suspension.
    Say... That's a nice bike..
    Trax T700 with Lew Racing Pro VT-1 ;-)
  • inseine
    inseine Posts: 5,788
    Your not sure how scientific ? LOL
    I think you need to compare it to something else to be even vaguely valid!
    http://cyclinganddesign.blogspot.fr/

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