New frame, wanting to go aluminum
02-22-12, 07:00 PM
#1
Kilo TT
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New frame, wanting to go aluminum
Man, been out of the bike scene for a while, so I am a little uninformed on the current frames these days. However, I have been wanting to build up an aluminum frame, and have been looking at several. I had my eyes on the Histogram for awhile (I am aware this is not a well liked frame on here) and I also noticed the Dodici Gara up on retrogression which caught my eye. I'm trying to keep my budget around 800ish for the frame, so kinda limits my choices. I been riding steel for awhile and wanting to try aluminum, and full carbon is out of my price range. Any opinions?
02-22-12, 07:24 PM
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Low Pursuit, Cinelli Mash Bolt, Bianchi Super Pista, Leader Kagero, Trek T1. I've never owned an aluminum frame, but those were some other options.
02-22-12, 07:26 PM
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If they have your size, Wabi is a light frame.
https://www.wabicycles.com/lightning_bike_spec_11.html
See if you can get one of the newer Langster frames?
https://www.wabicycles.com/lightning_bike_spec_11.html
See if you can get one of the newer Langster frames?
Last edited by UCF Eric; 02-22-12 at 07:33 PM.
02-22-12, 07:33 PM
#4
Kilo TT
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Not too crazy about the lo pro, seems too aggressive. Out of my size in the lightning. I was considering the Kagero for a bit...
02-22-12, 07:36 PM
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It's all aesthetics. But around for around 800, a Kagero is not a bad bet if you like it.
LOW also makes a standard frame that does not have a sloping top tube, but I don't think it's the way to go. Frame+fork for 945, plus a LONG turn around time.
You'd have a fairly unique bike, however. Not too many LOWs out there yet.
LOW also makes a standard frame that does not have a sloping top tube, but I don't think it's the way to go. Frame+fork for 945, plus a LONG turn around time.
You'd have a fairly unique bike, however. Not too many LOWs out there yet.
02-22-12, 07:48 PM
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test ride a tk3/tk2 at your local felt dealer.
find the toughest roughest worst repair street, hard pack large gravel, train tracks, cracked joints you can. ride them full speed carefully so you don't dump someone else's bike.
make sure you're on 23c's or 25c's.
then buy the tk3. it's fantastic and the whole bike costs what a low or kagero costs. that's the best buy you can get if what you want is track, fixed, and aluminum to "try" without getting a soft aluminum bike like a visp or a dawes sstal.
if you don't have a local felt dealer, test ride an aluminum road bike. pedal all the time, pedal RIGHT THROUGH road hazards and bad conditions. keep power through the pedals and you'll get a good idea.
i really don't think it makes sense to buy a pake, visp, kagero, leader, cinelli if you just want to 'try' aluminum.
that said, get a ****ing MASH.
or a LOW///.
i love my FTP but there's no reason to get a cheap aluminum frame, even the french 75 is a lot of money for something that isn't columbus tubing or handmade in the bay area.
and again, i love my FTP but having an aluminum frame is really only nice on good pavement. i don't ride it on the same streets that I ride my nature boy on.
find the toughest roughest worst repair street, hard pack large gravel, train tracks, cracked joints you can. ride them full speed carefully so you don't dump someone else's bike.
make sure you're on 23c's or 25c's.
then buy the tk3. it's fantastic and the whole bike costs what a low or kagero costs. that's the best buy you can get if what you want is track, fixed, and aluminum to "try" without getting a soft aluminum bike like a visp or a dawes sstal.
if you don't have a local felt dealer, test ride an aluminum road bike. pedal all the time, pedal RIGHT THROUGH road hazards and bad conditions. keep power through the pedals and you'll get a good idea.
i really don't think it makes sense to buy a pake, visp, kagero, leader, cinelli if you just want to 'try' aluminum.
that said, get a ****ing MASH.
or a LOW///.
i love my FTP but there's no reason to get a cheap aluminum frame, even the french 75 is a lot of money for something that isn't columbus tubing or handmade in the bay area.
and again, i love my FTP but having an aluminum frame is really only nice on good pavement. i don't ride it on the same streets that I ride my nature boy on.
02-22-12, 08:04 PM
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Yeah fine. I was considering moving to the bay but didn't really find any jobs. I also didn't look very hard. Will move for job.
And I don't consider scandium aluminum. I don't consider titanium aluminum either, even though it only takes like a couple grams of scandium to make aluminum scandium, i think it's the same principle.
And I don't consider scandium aluminum. I don't consider titanium aluminum either, even though it only takes like a couple grams of scandium to make aluminum scandium, i think it's the same principle.
02-22-12, 08:16 PM
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Kilo TT
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Is the aluminum THAT noticable on bad streets? I mean, roads arent dirt, but they certainly arent perfect asphalt either. I got a few buddies that ride aluminum and they seem to do ok around here..
And is the MASH, Kagero, etc considered cheap aluminum? I thought it was more mid grade..
And is the MASH, Kagero, etc considered cheap aluminum? I thought it was more mid grade..
02-22-12, 08:23 PM
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depends on the frame construction.
my ftp is MURDER over a pothole. even with the i05tr fork that is cush as a baby, it's an asshatchet.
mash is near top quality aluminum, cinelli aeroplane is not much better than midgrade but it's damn fine. and like redpear said, it really don't get much better. you have to make it scandium or titanium to make it better, there just aren't many alloys that are intrinsically better than 6061-t6 or 7005/7000. it has more to do with how it's drawn constructed and finished.
kagero is totally midgrade but with a GREAT fork and while i haven't ridden it, i'm sure it's near high grade.
low grade aluminum will fail unless you use a ton of it... e.g. visp being so heavy and comfy...
my cannondale is more comfy than my ftp and almost as stiff. there's grade of the aluminum, quality of how it's drawn and quality of how it's built and treated.
that's the key.
my scattante xrl road bike was comfy and pretty good power transfer, basically a perfect midpoint between visp and cannon. aluminum has a very linear quality-price curve, unless you get something that's just a super high markup, like a few of the more expensive brands that are basically giants at a higher price point.
the phenomenal thing about aluminum is that when it's cheap, it's terrible but it's SUPER cheap. and when it's expensive it's brilliant, and really still not that damn expensive.
my ftp is MURDER over a pothole. even with the i05tr fork that is cush as a baby, it's an asshatchet.
mash is near top quality aluminum, cinelli aeroplane is not much better than midgrade but it's damn fine. and like redpear said, it really don't get much better. you have to make it scandium or titanium to make it better, there just aren't many alloys that are intrinsically better than 6061-t6 or 7005/7000. it has more to do with how it's drawn constructed and finished.
kagero is totally midgrade but with a GREAT fork and while i haven't ridden it, i'm sure it's near high grade.
low grade aluminum will fail unless you use a ton of it... e.g. visp being so heavy and comfy...
my cannondale is more comfy than my ftp and almost as stiff. there's grade of the aluminum, quality of how it's drawn and quality of how it's built and treated.
that's the key.
my scattante xrl road bike was comfy and pretty good power transfer, basically a perfect midpoint between visp and cannon. aluminum has a very linear quality-price curve, unless you get something that's just a super high markup, like a few of the more expensive brands that are basically giants at a higher price point.
the phenomenal thing about aluminum is that when it's cheap, it's terrible but it's SUPER cheap. and when it's expensive it's brilliant, and really still not that damn expensive.
Last edited by cc700; 02-22-12 at 08:26 PM.
02-22-12, 08:37 PM
#14
Your cog is slipping.
My Kagero isn't harsh at all, even on rough roads. Compared to my 725 - which still wasn't even that bad (I had the full carbon fork) - my Kagero almost feels like a steel bike. A lot of that has to do with my choice of wheels and tires too though.
02-22-12, 08:45 PM
#16
Your cog is slipping.
As usual with the internet, most people saying such things have never even seen either frame in person - let alone side by side. They're similar but the tubing and construction is different. I currently have a Histogram and a Bolt in the shop and neither one is exactly like a Kagero. As for which one might be "better", I have no idea.
02-22-12, 08:52 PM
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There's also the Superb Sprint, it's beautifull but we don't know the geometry (some crazy mad toe overlap going on) and type of aluminum used, but damn it's sexy:
02-22-12, 09:09 PM
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and 8bar out of germany. been getting a lot of blog love buzz.
honestly i'd get this over anything but a mash or low.
plus, redheads.
honestly i'd get this over anything but a mash or low.
plus, redheads.
02-23-12, 12:41 AM
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https://affinitycycles.com/store/fram...-frameset.html
Affinity Kissena - $750?
I love how this thing looks, I want one.
Affinity Kissena - $750?
I love how this thing looks, I want one.
02-23-12, 01:40 AM
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It's funny that everyone's saying this since the last time I remember a LOW being posted here, everyone took a giant **** on it as an overpriced frame with ****ty welds.
Just kidding, I love you guys. But the BFSSFG hivemind is some phenomena.
Just kidding, I love you guys. But the BFSSFG hivemind is some phenomena.
02-23-12, 02:29 AM
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pfft I said I wanted one but was too impatient since the 725 build! they are priced a bit on the high side, though I'm sure that doesn't bother someone like Leuky 