Originally Posted by
dwmckee
No, it matters a lot.
You see very few higher-priced aluminum gravel bikes as evidence. Inexpensive gravel = Aluminunm. Medium-priced = steel. Higher-priced = carbon.
It is a lot more than just vibration dampening. Overall compliance is a huge factor. Carbon frames are laid up with exceptional compliance vertically but with lateral stiffness by varing the types, orientations and amounts of carbon throughout the frame. Aluminum is pretty much the same material everywhere and has similar (not exactly the same, but nowhere as varied as carbon frames) compliance properties in either direction. If you are young with flexible bones it may not matter as much but as you get older you will feel a huge difference. That is a HUGE DIFFERENCE in well made carbon frames. Ride an hour on an Open U.P. on some rough gravel then the same route on a $1,000 aluminumTrek and there will be no question in your mind of the differences.
Again, note as evidence the absence of any POPULAR gravel bikes in aluminum at price points above $1500.
Well said. I'm 52, and for years rode ultra stiff aluminum framed road bikes. The jarring didn't both me much in my 30's! I used to ride my stiff Giant AL framed gravel bike across a few miles of washboard on the trail near my house, and it would literally jar my fillings loose! On my carbon Niner, I find myself riding faster on that same stretch and the bumps almost vanish. Sometimes I'm amazing at how stable and solid this bike is over the rough stuff.