Originally Posted by
Nessism
Much like with a steel frame, the joining method is not very important. Clear evidence of this is in the marketplace; there are high quality frames using all the basic methods.
yeah, ok...but there has to be a reason a builder does what they do. take your steel example...lugged/brazed is generally done for the low temperature and/or aesthetics, fillet is heavy but gorgeous, TIG is quick but not applicable to all steel (and necessary for some), etc.
so, why are highest-end carbon bikes often lugged? it would seem (to this layman) that monocoque would be best suited to take advantage of the material properties but also the most difficult, yet many low-end frames are monocoque?
i'm not looking for a 'which frame to buy' recommendation, nor a market analysis...just a basic understanding of the hows and whys of the methods.
anyone else?