Originally Posted by
Hiro11
This is true, but it's extremely hard to find a CF bike with that springyness. Average carbon road frames sold in bike stores are generally extremely rigid. This is because buyers generally look for a high degree of stiffness in their frame, convinced that it's faster. I'm not sure that stiffness=speed. Lemond, Roche, Fignon & co. rode first gen carbon or Ti bikes that were complete noodles by today's standards to very, very fast times up mountains. Sean Kelly was one of the greatest sprinters and classics riders of all time and he won a hell of a lot of races on a Vitus 979, a bonded thin-tubed Al frame famous (infamous?) for its flexibility.
Personally, I like both the "rocket", immediate response feeling of a stiff CF frame and the springy, "alive" feeling of a more compliant Ti frame. I'm unconvinced there's any real proof that energy is "lost" in using a flexy frame.
Your comments are frought with counterdictions and likely why you can't make a decision. There is no better...but there is different. If speed is your goal, you will be fastest on a stiff carbon frame. Forget the argument about frame stiffness and speed. Lets call it irrelevant. But those that ride an uber stiff frame like a Foil or even a Tarmac will say each accelerates like a rocket. Most don't say the same thing about any Ti frame. As to Lemond and others of his era riding noodly frames. It was the fashion because that was what was available. If you wanted stiff in that era, it would add weight which is worse than greater flex. A fast rider on a flexy bike will be faster than an average racer on the best racing frame on the planet.
So you can't decide what you want. Not all carbon bikes are uber stiff. My Roubaix SL3 which is the best bike I have ever owned feels like a high end snappy ski. To me there has never been a better bike and I have ridden most of them out there and currently own a Ti bike as well.
This stuff is preference at the end of the day. Some like a particular feel which maybe Ti or steel. I get that having owned several. But I want the lightest, fastest most comfortable bike that allows me to keep up on long fast group rides and my choice is carbon.
If you want to know the most 'favorable' racing bike material, look no further than what all top of line road bikes are made from. Specialized, Trek, Giant, Look, Cervelo, Scott...all of them are carbon fiber both on and off road.