Carbon Fibre !
Hondated
Posts: 136
A question to all you CF bike owners. I have a Alu and Steel bike and I would like to know whether I am really missing a lot by not having a CF bike.
I did test ride a Willier some time ago and it did feel nice and smooth but I think that having 25mm tyres helped and it alsdo had the thicker bars as well. Its just that I need to know whether it is so different from my Bianchi Alu racer because if it is then I need to start saving some pennies.
I did test ride a Willier some time ago and it did feel nice and smooth but I think that having 25mm tyres helped and it alsdo had the thicker bars as well. Its just that I need to know whether it is so different from my Bianchi Alu racer because if it is then I need to start saving some pennies.
hondated
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I'm awaiting delivery of my Felt AR4 (hopefully tomorrow) to replace my Trek 1.7, so I'll let you know after the weekend!!
Jason0 -
IMO, No.0
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IMO, Yes.
I have a alu frame and a carbon frame - completely different feel and yes the carbon is smoother.0 -
It depends what you want from a bike.0
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There you go then, that makes everything clear0
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If you can't feel the difference between an alu frame and a carbon one, then the carbon one isn't much cop imo ...... I don't care what name is on the downtube either.0
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giant mancp wrote:If you can't feel the difference between an alu frame and a carbon one, then the carbon one isn't much cop imo ...... I don't care what name is on the downtube either.
Yep +1
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giant mancp wrote:If you can't feel the difference between an alu frame and a carbon one, then the carbon one isn't much cop imo ...... I don't care what name is on the downtube either.
Quite possibly.....either that or the Alu one is good.0 -
Possibly but I've yet to ride an alloy frame which gives me the comfort and feedback that a carbon frame does give you, and I've ridden a lot of alu frames.danowat wrote:giant mancp wrote:If you can't feel the difference between an alu frame and a carbon one, then the carbon one isn't much cop imo ...... I don't care what name is on the downtube either.
Quite possibly.....either that or the Alu one is good.0 -
Its not that simple. You can get what you want from a CF frame. It can be comfy or it can be very harsh.
I have currently :
Alu tcr - harsh ride but fast
CF tcr - plush ride - still fast
PX alu cross bike - somewhere in the middle for comfort but still feels fast.
I had a 653 frame with cf forks on and transferred wheels and groupset over to my cf frame and it was amazing - really dampens out vibrations.
You're not losing out any by having an alu frame really - its just a slightly different ride, but another alu frame would also give you a different ride if you see what I mean ?0 -
Such a generic question, a good ali frame is probably better than a similar carbon frame made out of poor quality carbon.
I get the impression that a decent (expensive) carbon frame, has the potential to engineer stiffness, lightness and comfort beyond that available in other materials at a similar price point.
Marketing aside, where we must have the latest product and spend more money, there must be something in it if the pros mostly race on carbon bikes,,,having said that if you are commuting, slightly wider tyres and an ali frame would surely be more than adequate?0 -
I know it's really not that simple, but on the whole and due to the sheer number of carbon frames out there, I am generalising, which is what a new purchaser of a carbon frame would also do. Carbon frames vary so much, due to their lay up of carbon and different geometries.cougie wrote:Its not that simple. You can get what you want from a CF frame. It can be comfy or it can be very harsh.
I have currently :
Alu tcr - harsh ride but fast
CF tcr - plush ride - still fast
PX alu cross bike - somewhere in the middle for comfort but still feels fast.
I had a 653 frame with cf forks on and transferred wheels and groupset over to my cf frame and it was amazing - really dampens out vibrations.
You're not losing out any by having an alu frame really - its just a slightly different ride, but another alu frame would also give you a different ride if you see what I mean ?0 -
The OP asked if they were "missing a lot", to which I answered no as I don't think that a different frame material equates with a massively different experience on the bike, as you still have to pedal, so don't expect to suddenly be going a lot faster, your tyres are still pretty thin and highly inflated so the ride is never going to be "comfy" on some of the roads in the UK. I think there are differences, but I don't think the OP is "missing a lot".0
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danowat wrote:Essex Man wrote:IMO, No.
I agree with this,
I can feel no discernable difference between my Alu Spesh and my Carbon Canondale.
If you could feel no discernible difference between your Alu Spesh and your Carbon Spesh or an Alu Cannondale and a Carbon Canondale you have yourself an argument.
All you've proved (in your experience) is a Alu Spesh rides just like a Carbon Canondale.0 -
everyone for your comments.I asked the question really because I have just spent £2,500 on a steel tourer and I have been left wondering whether I should of instead brought a CF bike.I can assure you that me being me if it had of been the other way then I would have been asking whether I was missing out on anything from having a Steel tourer.
By what has been said it seems that I am not missing out on too much by not having a CF bike so for now I will be grateful with what I have got.
I just need to ensure now that I have a bike made for touring I will actually get out and use it for that.
However given that so many CF bikes look so gorgeous it looks as though I will have to begin to convince the wife that I really do need to get one.hondated0
