How to make an alluminium winter bike comfortable?

witstu

Finding my winter hack very harsh after a summer on a carbon six cannondale.will putting carbon bars and seatpost soften the ride up a bit?

dru

maybe a little.

What tyres have you got on it? a change to wider ones would help alot

father_jack

Just buy the right saddle, perhaps cork bar tape, some decent gloves, and shorts with a pad, and move upto 28mm tyres.

redballoon

Type of tyre and pressure is the biggest single thing you can do for comfort. Even letting them down by 10 Psi makes a big difference. I have never got on with Aluminium frames and went back to 531 for my winter bike

Red Balloon

gkerr4

28mm tyres!!

I have 28's on my winter bike - an aluminium trek pilot - it is proper comfy! - I have a set of ultragatorskins hangning up waiting to go on as the 28mm bontrager hardcase tyres on the winter bike have done 3 seasons now and look worse for wear - but i'm dreading it as the gators are 23mm and i know they will make the pilot as uncomfy as f@ck!

seriously - the trek with 28s is more comfy than my s-works roubaix! - but with 23s it takes yer bloody fillings out!

bendertherobot

No need for carbon bars. Cork tape is a good idea. Better tyres. I'd go carbon seatpost if you want to do carbon anything.

spooky1980

redballoon wrote:

Type of tyre and pressure is the biggest single thing you can do for comfort. Even letting them down by 10 Psi makes a big difference. I have never got on with Aluminium frames and went back to 531 for my winter bike

Red Balloon

best advice so far plus it doesnt cost a thing

scruffyduncan

a rolls saddle, heavy, but very comfy. And two lots of bar tape.

itboffin

as already suggested go for larger tyres, perhaps 28c rear and 25c front, defo a carbon seatpost forget the stem, if you don't have carbon forks then upgrade ASAP.

A saddle like the selle italia c2 gel flow and some roubaix bar tape.

I'm sure it is but just in case make sure you winter bike is set up less racy.

mrushton

Aluminium is harsh imo but v.good at transmitting power. My Pinarello I used to own was v.cruel over a long distance, but a fast 2 hour ride was great. I switched to a Selle Italia Fluid saddle and that made a difference but I'm not keen on alloy frames - but that Pinarello was a race frame and was designed to be like it was

witstu

Thanks for all the info.Tyres and pressures sound good sense,i,m on 23mm and yes they are pumped up to the max!!! Bike is a winter ribble so it does have carbon forks already.Only problem i can see with going up to larger size tyres is keeping full size sks guards on? they are pretty close fitting now.

mrushton

mrushton wrote:

Aluminium is harsh imo but v.good at transmitting power. My Pinarello I used to own was v.cruel over a long distance, but a fast 2 hour ride was great. I switched to a Selle Italia Fluid saddle and that made a difference but I'm not keen on alloy frames - but that Pinarello was a race frame and was designed to be like it was

FWIW my partner has a Ribble alloy but she hated it as it was so uncomfortable.She rides a Ti winter bike now which is also better in terms of angles etc.

gkerr4

witstu wrote:

Thanks for all the info.Tyres and pressures sound good sense,i,m on 23mm and yes they are pumped up to the max!!! Bike is a winter ribble so it does have carbon forks already.Only problem i can see with going up to larger size tyres is keeping full size sks guards on? they are pretty close fitting now.

ah - you might struggle with 28s then - but I would reckon you will fit 25s to it and still the difference in comfort is massvie!

Zendog1

I run 25mmgatorskins on the Ribble winter audax with full SKS guards. Took a bit of fiddling but the clearance is OK. I doubt you could go to 28.

itboffin

witstu wrote:

Thanks for all the info.Tyres and pressures sound good sense,i,m on 23mm and yes they are pumped up to the max!!! Bike is a winter ribble so it does have carbon forks already.Only problem i can see with going up to larger size tyres is keeping full size sks guards on? they are pretty close fitting now.

Same as me then, a 25 conti on the rear is fine BTW, being the sad person I am I measured my 23s & 25s they actually avg 22/24 .05 ish as I dont own any 28s I cant tell but to be honest 25 feels just fine, now i'm used to it.

sub55

you could always toughen up a bit. get on with it and become a real man.

witstu

Cheers sub55, think age may be creeping into the equation a bit, hit the 50 recently and still love speed and distance but got to have some comfort aswell!!!!!!

twotyred

Conti folding 25mm Ultragatorskins inflated to 100psi.

Thread closed!

Scrumple

Scrumple

either that or sell it...