Titanium or Carbon for Flanders ?

Spesh67

I've decided to do the Flanders Sportive again this year. I've done it three times in the past so I know what to expect but since I last did it, I've got a Titanium bike.

My question is, should I use my Carbon bike (Kuota Kharma) or give the new Titanium (Enigma Eclipse) a go ? Will the two rides be massively different over the cobbles ?

alan_sherman

Ride the one with clearance for the largest tyres!

FWIW I rode my Enigma Esprit with 25mm tyres on handbuilt wheels when I did the event a few years back. Cobbles are never 'comfortable' but it went ok. A plus of the titanium is that the chain slapping off the chainstay doesn't scratch the paint.

A big off could damage either bike of course.

MountainMonster

If you're worried about chain slap on that course, spend a few quid and get a MTB chainstay protector for your bike, or wrap the tube up in an old inner tube.

Which bike do you feel is most comfortable OP? Take that one.

Monty Dog

The one that's more comfortable / takes the biggest tyres - trying to ride up the Koppenberg in the wet on 23mm tyres is no fun. Bikes that are overly stiff don't ride too well on cobbles either, they tend to skip and jump on the stones.

tlw1

Which bike did you use in use in the past?

Monty Dog

Last few times in Flanders, been on the Retro-Ronde riding a 1983 Gios with lowest gear of 42x21. Last time I rode RvV was on a titanium Colnago with 25mm tyres.