Carbon or Aluminium?

boxxer750
Posts: 33
Hi guys!
Sorry if this has been asked a lot before. I'm looking at getting a road bike for the first time. I currently have a hybrid and love getting out on it all year round but would like more performance hence getting a road bike.
Ive got around £1000 to spend so from what i can make out this has the best spec for a carbon bike for the price.
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/pin ... e-ec032172
However, I've read stories of carbon cracking. Ive had situations when out on my alloy hybrid of coming up to a pothole/drain cover and not being able to go round it as a car has been coming up behind me or at the side of me so I've had to hit it and its not at all comfortable to say the least!
Could this crack a carbon frame or are they stronger than that? Am i worrying too much!?
Would i be better off getting an alloy frame with a slightly better spec for the same price?
Thanks
Sorry if this has been asked a lot before. I'm looking at getting a road bike for the first time. I currently have a hybrid and love getting out on it all year round but would like more performance hence getting a road bike.
Ive got around £1000 to spend so from what i can make out this has the best spec for a carbon bike for the price.
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/pin ... e-ec032172
However, I've read stories of carbon cracking. Ive had situations when out on my alloy hybrid of coming up to a pothole/drain cover and not being able to go round it as a car has been coming up behind me or at the side of me so I've had to hit it and its not at all comfortable to say the least!
Could this crack a carbon frame or are they stronger than that? Am i worrying too much!?
Would i be better off getting an alloy frame with a slightly better spec for the same price?
Thanks

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Comments
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You could pick up a 2012 Cannondale CAAD 10 for the same money, when it first came out it was retailing at £1599 super bike,https://www.instagram.com/seanmcgrathphotography/
Trek Domane SL7 GEN4
Planet X RT58
Cannondale CAAD 10 2012.
Pain.. Is weakness leaving the body.
HATING LIFE-CYCLES FROM 20110 -
If you can get a CAAD10 for a grand I'd go for it!http://www.strathspey.co.uk - Quality Binoculars at a Sensible Price.
Specialized Roubaix SL3 Expert 2012, Cannondale CAAD5,
Marin Mount Vision (1997), Edinburgh Country tourer, 3 cats!0 -
Carbon frames are more robust than many fear them to be, I know of many who ride quite early generation carbon bikes and they are still going even though they've had the odd fall on them, most bikes in a fall go one way and you the other resulting in scratches and scuffs, it's the incidents where you go from what can be quite modest speeds to zero instantly where what can be terminal damage of some kind occurs.
For sure there are more robust materials but in reality this often translates to non cycling incidents, so not the "pothole/drain cover" incident you have mentioned, think more getting damaged in transport or silly mishaps; friend of mine broke her carbon bike when a gust of wind caught it while it was resting against some railings while she was in the café, it toppled over and the lower part of the railing pierced the top tube, it's odd silly things like that which carbon frames may suffer more than others. Many manufacturers are sensitive to this and offer half price crash replacements, crash-mishap all the same in these moments; you can always insure the bike as well of course, if you have a home contents policy you can often add your bike as an extra if it's not already included.
Paul0 -
Carbon can crack but if you can crack a carbon frame you have either crashed it or been a bit ham fisted with fitting parts. It very robust. Alluy frames can crack. In fact if you can bend crack a ally frame a carbon frame might survive the same same incident. It impact toughness is very high.http://www.thecycleclinic.co.uk -wheel building and other stuff.0
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Thanks for the replies! Went to Evans Cycles yesterday to have a look and test ride the pinnacle evaporite. I ended coming home with.....
Well chuffed! Although it was a little over budget at £1199 (from £1399) it seemed the obvious choice compared to the pinnacle. Although its an alloy frame theres no noticeable weight difference between the two. Its a high end alloy frame compared to a low end carbon frame so not a lot in it really and as its my first road bike I don't think i'd notice that much difference in the way it rides.
It has pretty much the same group set (Shimano 105) as the pinnacle only this has 105 brakes where as the pinnacle had Shimanos budget brakes.
Also i thought the paint finish on the pinnacle was pretty poor considering it had come straight out the box as they had to build it up so i could test ride it.
Got a really good service at Evans and would recommend them to anyone. They even through in some PD-R540 SPD pedals for free!
Christmas has come early! woo!0 -
looks great caad10's are great bikes and look nifty too0
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Google is your friend, but i got mine from Westbrook cycles, highly recommend them.https://www.instagram.com/seanmcgrathphotography/
Trek Domane SL7 GEN4
Planet X RT58
Cannondale CAAD 10 2012.
Pain.. Is weakness leaving the body.
HATING LIFE-CYCLES FROM 20110 -
Well done! Lovely bike. It gets more nods of appreciation than any other ally bike. I think same geo as supersix and it looks cool in Liquigas colours. So glad you didn't buy the Pinnacle thing.0
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I prefer carbon but that is a great looking bike you've got. Love the colour scheme.
Happy cycling. Merry Christmas.0 -
Depends what you intend to do with it.
Normally i'd say Aluminium at that price point, regardless. Maybe consider a Madone 3.1 if you wana go budget carbon.
One more vote for a Caad10 105 if its the right style of bike/you can find a deal on one. 8)
The new 2.3 is also a great bike at £1150.
Lime green
Sharn0 -
Nice looking bike! Don't worry about whether its carbon or aluminium. As long as it fits the main difference in performance will be the engine i.e. you!0
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Carbon has the advantages of generally lighter, damping road buzz, and corrosion-resistant, but CAAD10 is widely mentioned as among the best Al frame so can't go wrong with it.0