how to choose frame?????

okeydokey79
okeydokey79 Posts: 89
edited August 2012 in Road buying advice
ok so im looking at buying a new bike(possible on c2w scheme) been riding a carrera tdf for about a year and loving the road bike, but feel its time to upgrade(use this for commuting) now looking around bikes around £1000 or less and getting slightly confused with all the tech data, trying decide between carbon or carbon/alu, read that its better to get a bike with a good frame that will last has i can upgrade components as they wear, but with all different makes of frame what would you look at to help you decide??? i understand everyone has different opinions but if i look at two bikes with similar spec but 1 carbon 1 alu/carbon what would help u decide? i am aware that the fit of the bike is the most important part but just need a little bit of help.
thank you for your help in advance from very confused person.

Comments

  • Mikelancs
    Mikelancs Posts: 99
    TBH go visit your LBS see what they have in and get them to give you an indication of specs etc then Id say come home and do a little more homework.
    Its hard to comment on something like this without knowing the bikes your looking at.
    Carbon is always a better choice than Alu but there are some very good sub £1K bikes out there with Alu/Carbon forks ....... the Giant Defy for 1.
    If your getting it on C2W always factor in as i say to all that you may want a bit more kit to go with it to enchance your ride, shoes pedals, saddle bag, tools, cage, bottle etc etc
    2012 Giant TCR Composite 3
  • lc1981
    lc1981 Posts: 820
    Mikelancs wrote:
    Carbon is always a better choice than Alu

    Surely that's nonsense. A decent aluminium frame is better than a cheap carbon one.
  • rolf_f
    rolf_f Posts: 16,015
    lc1981 wrote:
    Surely that's nonsense. A decent aluminium frame is better than a cheap carbon one.

    In what way? How do you know this?
    Faster than a tent.......
  • lc1981
    lc1981 Posts: 820
    edited August 2012
    Rolf F wrote:
    lc1981 wrote:
    Surely that's nonsense. A decent aluminium frame is better than a cheap carbon one.

    In what way? How do you know this?

    It's an opinion. I don't "know" for sure, but it makes sense that an expensive aluminium frame would be better made than a cheap carbon one. As they point out here, not all carbon fibre is equal, so to simply say that carbon is always better is rather simplistic. See also reviews such as this.
  • lc1981
    lc1981 Posts: 820
    Anyway, the correct answer is steel! 8) Or titanium, but that requires a higher budget...
  • Mikelancs
    Mikelancs Posts: 99
    lc1981 wrote:
    Rolf F wrote:
    lc1981 wrote:
    Surely that's nonsense. A decent aluminium frame is better than a cheap carbon one.

    In what way? How do you know this?

    It's an opinion. I don't "know" for sure, but it makes sense that an expensive aluminium frame would be better made than a cheap carbon one.

    And again how do you 'know' this?

    Yes I believe that a 'cheap' carbon frame would indeed be less inferior to a higher end Alu but thats not exactly what I said, I was merely suggesting that actually as my post pointed out he can get a very good Alu bike for sub £1K.

    Anyway I digress, get down your LBS or actually if you have a few then do the rounds and see and compare what they say.
    2012 Giant TCR Composite 3
  • lc1981
    lc1981 Posts: 820
    Mikelancs wrote:
    And again how do you 'know' this?

    From reading about frame materials over the years. How do you know that carbon is always better?
    Mikelancs wrote:
    Anyway I digress, get down your LBS or actually if you have a few then do the rounds and see and compare what they say.

    Good advice. You might also want to think about what the bike will be used for. If you're planning to ride sportives or race, or go on fast club runs, then carbon may well suit. If you're planning on going touring on it, then perhaps another material would be a better choice.
  • alihisgreat
    alihisgreat Posts: 3,872
    Mikelancs wrote:
    TBH go visit your LBS see what they have in and get them to give you an indication of specs etc then Id say come home and do a little more homework.
    Its hard to comment on something like this without knowing the bikes your looking at.
    Carbon is always a better choice than Alu but there are some very good sub £1K bikes out there with Alu/Carbon forks ....... the Giant Defy for 1.
    If your getting it on C2W always factor in as i say to all that you may want a bit more kit to go with it to enchance your ride, shoes pedals, saddle bag, tools, cage, bottle etc etc

    :lol: I'll take a nice stiff CAAD10 frame over a floppy,and heavy carbon frame any day!


    Its all down to the individual frame.. and you can only tell by riding and reviews.

    Yes the Defy 1 has a superb frame.. I've got one.

    Cycling+/Bikeradar reckoned it was the best riding bike for under £1k when they reviewed it... but how is this possible for an aluminium frame!?!??! it must be witchcraft! :roll:
  • WheelieBad
    WheelieBad Posts: 43
    ALIHISGREAT wrote:
    Mikelancs wrote:
    TBH go visit your LBS see what they have in and get them to give you an indication of specs etc then Id say come home and do a little more homework.
    Its hard to comment on something like this without knowing the bikes your looking at.
    Carbon is always a better choice than Alu but there are some very good sub £1K bikes out there with Alu/Carbon forks ....... the Giant Defy for 1.
    If your getting it on C2W always factor in as i say to all that you may want a bit more kit to go with it to enchance your ride, shoes pedals, saddle bag, tools, cage, bottle etc etc

    :lol: I'll take a nice stiff CAAD10 frame over a floppy,and heavy carbon frame any day!


    Its all down to the individual frame.. and you can only tell by riding and reviews.

    Yes the Defy 1 has a superb frame.. I've got one.

    Cycling+/Bikeradar reckoned it was the best riding bike for under £1k when they reviewed it... but how is this possible for an aluminium frame!?!??! it must be witchcraft! :roll:
    What would your opinions on a CF bike like this? It's the "cheap" CF Vitus frame but it seems to be the same as the higher priced models? Does this make it a good frame for that sort of value or should I be suspicious of it's low cost..
  • okeydokey79
    okeydokey79 Posts: 89
    Mikelancs wrote:
    TBH go visit your LBS see what they have in and get them to give you an indication of specs etc then Id say come home and do a little more homework.
    Its hard to comment on something like this without knowing the bikes your looking at.
    Carbon is always a better choice than Alu but there are some very good sub £1K bikes out there with Alu/Carbon forks ....... the Giant Defy for 1.
    If your getting it on C2W always factor in as i say to all that you may want a bit more kit to go with it to enchance your ride, shoes pedals, saddle bag, tools, cage, bottle etc etc
    yeah have looked at the giant defy 1, but also mekk 2g poggio(looks nice) carrera vigaro, boardman team,cube agree gtc(just out of price)willier triestina 105(again just out of price),
    have already got the shoes but would have get new pedals and more kit cause rest on my other bikes!!!
  • okeydokey79
    okeydokey79 Posts: 89
    im am generally goin be using the bike for rides out normally around 40miles, may look at sportives next year and do some club runs but they are average around 14-16mph. i just njoy getting out on my bike bike over the last few weeks have been doing around 80-100 miles and just thought time to get something better than what i ahve got and with the c2w i can get a better bike...
  • Wheelie Bin
    Wheelie Bin Posts: 162
    You don't need the lightest bike in the world for 14-16 mph club runs, but you do need comfort for 40 mile and 80-100 mile rides. Might not be your thing, but as an alternative to the obvious, with your budget, I'd look at the steel framed Genesis Equilibrium - here you go:

    http://www.epic-cycles.co.uk/Genesis_Equilibrium.html
    I'm at that difficult age... somewhere between birth and death.
  • lc1981
    lc1981 Posts: 820
    Wheelie Bin wrote:
    You don't need the lightest bike in the world for 14-16 mph club runs, but you do need comfort for 40 mile and 80-100 mile rides. Might not be your thing, but as an alternative to the obvious, with your budget, I'd look at the steel framed Genesis Equilibrium - here you go:

    http://www.epic-cycles.co.uk/Genesis_Equilibrium.html

    I second that, and highly recommend Epic Cycles as well!
  • okeydokey79
    okeydokey79 Posts: 89
    lc1981 wrote:
    Wheelie Bin wrote:
    You don't need the lightest bike in the world for 14-16 mph club runs, but you do need comfort for 40 mile and 80-100 mile rides. Might not be your thing, but as an alternative to the obvious, with your budget, I'd look at the steel framed Genesis Equilibrium - here you go:

    http://www.epic-cycles.co.uk/Genesis_Equilibrium.html

    I second that, and highly recommend Epic Cycles as well!
    very sorry but just dont like the look of the equilibrium :(

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