Originally Posted by
meanwhile
The Fuji does have a reputation for a good ride. However the presence of CF in the stays almost certainly isn't the reason*, although it does sex the bike up for marketing purposes. And you do know that a frame with any CF at all in it should be professionally inspected after even a minor crash and might have to be junked as a result?
I think the Fuji probably is a good buy - but that's not because of anything to with frame flex or those carbon stays.
I am not a road bike expert so I will leave the science to those who know. However, I test rode two other bikes in the Fuji Roubaix' price range--all except the Roubaix had AL seat stays. Without knowing much about CF, it was immediately obvious to my sensitive butt that was so used to a full suspension MTB that the Roubaix had a much smoother ride than the other, full AL frames. Whatever was causing it, I chose the Roubaix because of that smooth ride.
As for the professional inspection after a crash, I'm not concerned. I'm not going to turn away from a bicycle with CF just because of that. I ride for fitness and fun. I don't ride to crash. If I did crash, I would be worried about other things. In addition, no matter what, CF is THE up and coming bicycle frame material for many other reasons beside its drawbacks. Most middle/higher end road bikes either use CF on many parts or on the whole frame. AL is now the entry level material for road bikes. So the choice has been made for us if you want to buy higher end bikes.
Finally, my comments about efficiency was directed at my transition from a full suspension MTB to a road bike. So it wasn't frame flex but the weight and the bobbing rear suspension I was referring to. Definitely a HUGE difference there.