Originally Posted by
mrwichser
So from what I can tell so far I need to ride a lot of bikes to see how they feel. That makes sense. What about for long rides? As a marathoner I know that I can run in just about any shoe for 3-5 miles but over the long runs or as mile accumulate some shoes just don't work. Is it the same for bikes? I know what to look for in shoes, how they fit, where they will rub and so on.
You need at least a few hours to really know how a bike feels. I would encourage you
not to read this forum for good advice, as you will just get dogma and myths perpetuated. For example, wheel quality and specs will determine comfort as much as any frame. Many of these guys go from Trek 1000s to Madones, and think the CF is the reason why it's better.
You need to start with a professionally fitted frame to get your dimensions.
For test rides, Competitive Cyclists' program is the best, they ship you the bike to try.
Originally Posted by
mrwichser
When I was at a LBS the owner showed me one carbon bike and one Al bike and demonstrated how you could squeeze the back of the bike (not sure the correct term) with your hands on the AL but not on the carbon. He told me because of the "give" of the AL the ride would be softer. Is that correct?
Again, a generalization -most CF frames are stiffer than most aluminum frames in the head and bottom bracket. A good Aluminum frame will give you a softer ride, but you sacrifice stiffness and energy transfer. A good CF frame will give you both qualities. But wheels are very important, as important as the frame. These need to be gauged with your weight and power output.
Originally Posted by
mrwichser
From what I've been told Carbon is stiffer and therefore transfers energy better and also dampens road vibration. I would think that a stiffer bike would ride rougher.
Carbon is the only frame material that can be made directionally strong, so you can get a very stiff BB and head (real numbers 200-350% over metal), but have the frame as vertically compliant as metal frames. This is all good, but at a price.