Southern California - And the SOCal cyclists are riding what material?

sshakari.......how've you been? We haven't seen you since that Tour de California ride back in Feb. Try to join us on upcoming rides...:)


I doing ok just got too busy w/ work and kids. Back to riding at the Zoo 3-4 times a week. What rides are coming up?

Trek 1000; aluminum.
Nishiki International (fixie); lugged steel.

I'm a clydesdale. Carbon scares me. Probably irrationally, but it still does.

My next roadie will be either titanium or lugged steel. Unless I drop 100 pounds or so. Heh.


My buddy ran head-on into a truck at almost 30 mph about a month ago. He road an Al. & carbon bike (Carbon fork and rear triangle)...the Al is bent, cracked, destroyed including, not surprisingly the Al. front rim which is folded in half . The carbon appears to be in perfect condition (it might not be, but it looks perfect compared to the Al.). I hope to have pics to post someday.

Think beer cans versus the Raptor.:p

What rides are coming up?

Too many to list..:) Check out caligurl's "upcoming rides" sticky thread at the top.

Aluminim with carbon stays by Dedacciai EM2 with a Ridley label. Cervelo Prodigy steel by Columbus. The Ridley is approx 3 lbs lighter.

Steel with carbon fork (Bianchi Veloce), but I've always wanted titanium. I don't like how risky carbon is or how rough aluminum is. If I were racing, though, aluminum would be the choice for me.

Ti with a carbon fork. Always wanted Ti. Rationalized it when I moved close to the salt air. Best bike I've ever owned. Climbs and decends exactly how I want. Now if I can just get my gears right...

My buddy ran head-on into a truck at almost 30 mph about a month ago. He road an Al. & carbon bike (Carbon fork and rear triangle)...the Al is bent, cracked, destroyed including, not surprisingly the Al. front rim which is folded in half . The carbon appears to be in perfect condition (it might not be, but it looks perfect compared to the Al.). I hope to have pics to post someday.

Think beer cans versus the Raptor.:p

I ride a Fuji Team issue - CF. I test rode the Felt and thought this bike was more responsive to me.

In any case, I raced in a semi-pro formulas car series in support of ALMS, CART and IRL for a number of years and the problem with carbon fiber is that it can suffer a lot of damage in crashes that are not visibly apparent. I never crashed a carbon fiber mono car myself (I left the series the year they went to full CF mono chassis), but I have plenty of friends who have and they typically send them out for x-ray analysis before rebuilding. Sometimes they were perfectly, and amazingly, fine, sometimes they were trashed while looking fine. With CF, you can't really tell by looking.

I've seen your bike at the end of the Montrose rides. Nice ride...:)

Thanks, I took a chance on his frames since he was new to building (bicycles) and happy I did. He's one of THE big R&D guys at the motocross section of Honda corp. so I thought why not. He took my Cannondale geometry and adjusted a few angles and viola, it's the ride I have always wanted. With most big frames, taking your hands off the bars can be a bit shaky due to the more upright angles of the frame. But with this bike I never worry about it. It's just so solid, I love it.

He does the Montrose ride most weekends btw.

Sometimes they were perfectly, and amazingly, fine, sometimes they were trashed while looking fine. With CF, you can't really tell by looking.

You're absolutely right, and even if those parts could be salvaged I would never use them until they went through NDT. I was just noting how destroyed the Al. was and that the carbon parts that everyone is so paranoid about LOOKED perfect.

Had a lil paceline going on Sunday's ride. There was:

A KESTREL CARBON FIBER:D
A TREK CARBON FIBER:D
A SPECIALIZED CARBON FIBER:D
LITESPEED TITANIUM:D
and my Lemond aluminum.:o

Man I felt like an outkast! Is most of SoCAl on CF now? Whatta you riding?

There's an old saying.... Steel is Real

1990 Waterford Paramount - Lugged Steel with Steel fork 20lbs.
2004 Surly LHT - Tig'd chromo
2005 Bacchetta Corsa - Aluminum and doesn't need a steenkin paceline to go fast. :)

There's an old saying.... Steel is Real Old

1990 Waterford Paramount - Lugged Steel with Steel fork 20lbs.
2004 Surly LHT - Tig'd chromo
2005 Bacchetta Corsa - Aluminum and doesn't need a steenkin paceline to go fast. :)

:)!

Depends on the mood and terrain.

Steel Sachs
Carbon/titanium Serotta Ottrott
Titanium Serotta Legend
had a couple different carbon bikes, none were keepers
never have owned a aluminum bike

Titanium 90% of the time.

TREK CARBON FIBER
^^^ :)

I've been riding a Cannondale Six13 for the last two years, well, it will be two years in December...and that's a Carbon Fiber/ Aluminum mix....I've been doing some research on my next Bike and am about to order a Seven Cycles ID8 which is CF/Ti which is more of a Century Bike...
I don't have a proclivity towards any particular material because there's so much more involved in building a Bike than materials...it depends on what kinda ride you're looking for I guess...even the Tires and pressures can make a huge difference....

All carbon Specialized Roubaix Pro.

Cool, same here, all carbon 2006 Specialized Roubaix Pro model and loving it with the compact cranks; 50/36 and 12/27.

LOOK KG461 - Carbon Fiber
LeMond Zurich - Steel

full carbon Trek Madone. I love it, I love riding it, I trust it. Best bike I've ever ridden.

All carbon Specialized Roubaix Pro.

Same bike, and really love it.

During the last year I've owned/ridden an aluminum bike, a lugged steel bike, and now the Roubaix Pro. I was quickly in lust with the first two, but the Rouaix's geometry, high-end components, and fit have won my heart. It's hard to say what role the carbon fiber frame plays in this. It certainly does ride smooth.

I think I'm going to ask it to move in with me.

Trek 2100 (Al)
Giant Bowery (SS TCR) Al
Crevelo P2K (Al)
Giant Boulder (Steel)