Originally Posted by
sloar
How do the carbon tube frames ride? I'm thinking about picking up one, just not sure about the ride quality.
I couldn't really answer this yesterday, but today I rode my Trek Elance 400T and the Allez back to back. I've only had a road bike for eight months or so, the first was a 2007 Trek 1500 so I have aluminum, steel, and now a carbon bike. The aluminum 1500 is on a trainer right now with a trainer rear tire so I didn't compare it.
I have to say, between the the steel and the carbon, the carbon was much smoother. We have poor roads around here, lots of heavy truck traffic courtesy of rock trucks and tanker trucks. The steering is twitchy, it'll track straight down the road but even the slightest steering input and it wants to immediately dart into that direction.
I think I really lucked out with the Allez, it just glides and it is silent. Take this with a grain of salt, one I'm very new to road bikes, and I'm still a bit starry eyed from actually getting this bike. I think they are very pretty.