Originally Posted by Bearbig
I ride an old Klein aluminum bike from the early 90's that I love. A friend claims I should buy a new bike which got me thinking. My mechanic says he can keep my Klein on the road for as long as I want. Would a carbon frame be too brittle for me ( about 250). I have had steel frames but they rust away as I'm a sweathog! I am very comfortable with the aluminum frame and the prices of Ti scare me. What do you folks think?
Thanks in advance
John
Hey! I have a Klein, too. A '97 Stage Comp. I currently weigh 215 and I asked the LBS if I was too heavy for it. He laughed and said, "No Problem!" and there hasn't been. I usually don't hammer on it, though, since it's a triple. The bike is really* fun to ride.
On the other hand, my Atlantis is steel and I couldn't ask for a softer, cushionier ride with those Big Apple tires. Choosing which bike to take is kind of like deciding whether to take the Caddy or the MG midget. (Not that I own either...)
Edit: a side note. I was looking at a bike at a sale the other day. It was lugged aluminum*. Very sexy and light. I asked the guy if I was too heavy for it, and he said, "Yeah... it's more for a rider who is about 130 lbs." He may have understated the weight not wanting to guess at mine, though. But wow. There must be a whole group of riders who are like "bike jockeys".