Originally Posted by
Lombard
The difference you feel in compliance is most likely because of wider or even just more supple tires on the Trek, not differences between the frames.
I ran 23C Conti's @
100psi on the Cdale. The Trek came with cheapo 25's that I ran @
100psi. I had over 30k miles on that Cdale - the bike was rigid, almost cold... it would rattle you to death. Modern tube shapes, different aluminum alloy. The Cdale tubes were fat, round and straight, the Trek tubes are compound shapes with varying wall thickness.
In terms of ride quality, the Trek is worlds better. As it should be, it's 25 years newer.
And the only point I was making - you don't need a CF frame to get better ride quality than the old Cdale aluminum frames. They were brutal.