Originally Posted by
BirdsBikeBinocs
I'm getting up there in age and I'm finding that the single most important quality in a bike is the ride. I want a nice ride. A truck that goes down the highway like a Cadillac. A bike that doesn't notice the cracks and the holes and the gravel and the debri that city, town and and trails present.
These days Aluminum seems to be king yet many find out that Aluminum is too stiff. It pounds. It beats you up. The cracks and holes win...everytime. So some go back to Steel. Some turn to Carbon Fiber. Others love their Aluminum.
Talk to me about Carbon Fiber. It too is described as stiff, like Aluminum. Is it.?? Is Aluminum too stiff for you.?? Is Carbon Fiber the best of all worlds.?? Does Carbon Fiber ride like a Cadillac. Is Steel still the king of a nice ride.??
Bring me up to speed. It's been a long time since I bought a bike. Talk to me about Carbon Fiber. And it's ride.
I've always rode a bike. Always. But now I am becoming a bike rider. There's a difference. I'm getting serious about it at age 56. I want a nice ride...
Getting serious about a comfort ride seems like a contradiction- like saying I want a good sleep, so I'll get the softest possible mattress.
If riding slow on a heavy bike, the frame material matters not at all. Supple tires is the only real variable.
I'm imagining that your riding area is flat- that 40 lb 'just rolls once it's up to speed' thing peters out quickly when you get to a hill, & the discomfort sets in.