Old Town
10-14-09, 06:45 PM
I raced a bit back in the 70s, early 80s when most bikes were steel. What do most guys run today? Any idea what percentage use CF vs. aluminum or steel? Road racing nothing else. Thanks.
Professional Cycling For the Fans - Frame material
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old and new
10-14-09, 07:23 PM
Just to start with, for a few years now, off the top of my head most use Carbon Fiber on the Pro Tour, I meen pretty much all. I caught a very few glimses of written words indicating that a few bikes own by a team or two were composites.
These bikes were essentially aluminum alloys containing scandium, perhaps with CF stays, not sure (CF stayed frames, not scand.= compostite) I did not spot them as I was watching it on TV mind you nor can I say how many years ago it was that CF has NOT represented the vast majority of the Pro bikes.
It wasn't like an on 'n' off switch, through the '90s and beyond more and more teams went to CF. It WAS quite drastic of a change square at about '90. Prior to the very few bikes were not "steel". Even in '91 ('90) bikes that were CF were masked to resemble steel but moreso on account of brand sponser interests. Indurain came to make no secret of riding CF after winning the first or second tour.
Titanium wasn't used to my knowlegde and I've no idea to what extent AL. was.
These bikes were essentially aluminum alloys containing scandium, perhaps with CF stays, not sure (CF stayed frames, not scand.= compostite) I did not spot them as I was watching it on TV mind you nor can I say how many years ago it was that CF has NOT represented the vast majority of the Pro bikes.
It wasn't like an on 'n' off switch, through the '90s and beyond more and more teams went to CF. It WAS quite drastic of a change square at about '90. Prior to the very few bikes were not "steel". Even in '91 ('90) bikes that were CF were masked to resemble steel but moreso on account of brand sponser interests. Indurain came to make no secret of riding CF after winning the first or second tour.
Titanium wasn't used to my knowlegde and I've no idea to what extent AL. was.
Bacciagalupe
10-14-09, 07:36 PM
Almost all road pros now are using carbon fiber, not sure about cyclocross. Pretty sure track guys are also using CF now. Caisse d'Epargne used the Pinarello Dogma, which is magnesium with a CF fork.
Old Town
10-14-09, 09:34 PM
Thanks, I didn't know carbon fiber was that dominant.
roadgator
10-19-09, 11:57 PM
Pro's run the CF, but aluminum is still very popular for amateurs, because it is a good bit cheaper for negligibly lower performance.
old and new
10-20-09, 12:12 AM
Pro's run the CF, but aluminum is still very popular for amateurs, because it is a good bit cheaper for negligibly lower performance.
Excellant point, I totally spaced-out on the NON-pro Tour competative realm. Thanks.
Excellant point, I totally spaced-out on the NON-pro Tour competative realm. Thanks.
Fat Boy
10-20-09, 10:48 AM
I'd say 75% of people racing amateur are racing on full carbon. 10% on some mix of carbon and aluminum, 14% on full aluminum and 1% on something else.