Aluminum: are there any fans left?
06-14-20, 01:25 PM
#126
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Originally Posted by Mulberry20
Go for it!!! You will be at 4k on a restoration in the blink of an eye. Paint, decals, new fork, headset, stem, bars, groupset, wheels,pedals, tires, saddle and labor.
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06-14-20, 02:09 PM
#127
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Originally Posted by dfrench52
Hi folks... I've been looking for a new bike and am considering an aluminum-framed one. What's putting me off is this business of creaking bottom brackets. I'd think that a metal framed bike would be just the ticket for a threaded bb, but no, press-fit seems to be the order of the day with maybe one exception, Trek. Is there anyone here who has an objective measure as to the percentage of press-fit bb problems in newer bikes? Are there a greater percentage of bb problems with CF frames when compared to Aluminum? It seems to be a long-term discussion in forums, but it's probably fair to say that only the problem cases get aired (squeaky wheel getting the grease, so to speak.😁
Thanks
Thanks
A good steel option is Gunnar. You can probably be out the door for $2500 I am guessing with Shimano 105.
Last edited by Mulberry20; 06-14-20 at 02:13 PM.
06-14-20, 02:15 PM
#128
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Originally Posted by shelbyfv
I hope not! I have a nice 7800 group, wheels, tires, saddle, pedals and I do my own work. Fork looks fine on that one?? It is a little gaudy for my taste. Probably a solid color powder coat and just some down tube decals. Should be under $1000, easily.
06-14-20, 04:38 PM
#129
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Originally Posted by Mulberry20
Aluminum bike BB do creak. My old CAAD 7 did and at that time is was a top level aluminum bike. Every time I complained they torqued the cranks and said it was fixed. I don’t know about newer bikes because i am only around steel and carbon bikes sometimes Ti.
I am sure that the bike shop will blame the internet for the loss of business though.
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06-14-20, 08:53 PM
#130
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Originally Posted by cyccommute
There’s more to suspension than comfort. I’d say that comfort is actually the least important reason for suspension. Front suspension increase control. If you’ve ever gotten a rigid bike trapped in a rut, you learn the lesson of staying out of ruts fairly quickly. To get out of the rut with a rigid fork, you have to counter steer but the wheel is trapped against the rut. You are probably going to crash if you can’t come to a stop.
With a suspension fork, the bike will almost climb out of the rut by itself. The fork provides give and allows the side knobs to catch the edge of the rut and climb out. The give of the fork allows that little bit of counter steer you need.
With a suspension fork, the bike will almost climb out of the rut by itself. The fork provides give and allows the side knobs to catch the edge of the rut and climb out. The give of the fork allows that little bit of counter steer you need.
For road bikes, wouldn't an alu-frame/CF fork bike be nearly as comfy as an all-CF bike? A recently-posted video explained how various materials have little effect on absorbing rear shock. & one could get one of those fancy CF flexy seat-posts.
I hadn't heard about the alu BB creak before, hasn't happened to me including with an old Cannondale that did high mileage on bad roads.
06-15-20, 04:29 AM
#131
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Originally Posted by Mulberry20
Actually I can think of three carbon bikes with threaded BB, Specialized, Pinarello and Bianchi. Check each model. Aluminum bike BB do creak. My old CAAD 7 did and at that time is was a top level aluminum bike. Every time I complained they torqued the cranks and said it was fixed. I don’t know about newer bikes because i am only around steel and carbon bikes sometimes Ti.
A good steel option is Gunnar. You can probably be out the door for $2500 I am guessing with Shimano 105.
A good steel option is Gunnar. You can probably be out the door for $2500 I am guessing with Shimano 105.
06-15-20, 05:59 AM
#132
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Early aluminum wasn't all that great just like early CF wasn't all that great but they've both come long way in the 40 or so years. I'm a steel/Ti guy but if I were to go out today to buy a bike for fast group rides either on the road or on the ttrail it'd be aluminum. Everything else out there is just to expensive (minus Surly on the dirt) to just go bang around and possibly/probably dump.
06-15-20, 06:07 AM
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My feelings, exactly. The press-fit BB issue is something else altogether (probably belongs in another thread), but in my opinion, an aluminum frame would be a good candidate for a threaded BB.
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06-15-20, 08:33 AM
#134
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The best material for a bike is the material on the bike which you enjoy riding. Opinions about quality of material aside, if you enjoy the bike and enjoy riding it then nothing else matters. That said, my bikes are steel. Not the latest, nor ever the greatest, but I ride. I have rode a carbon for about 50 miles, I didn't find anything special about the ride. And I have rode aluminium. For the price, put a decent groupset on the aluminium and ride. Frankly to me it has more to do with having to have the latest and greatest. A bike which fits you and has good working mechanicals will get you a long way.
06-15-20, 11:08 AM
#135
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I chose Al over carbon when I bought my bike. I thought the ride feel was superior and carbon was not worth the premium for otherwise similar configuration.
06-15-20, 11:24 AM
#136
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Iam definitely a steel/Ti guy, but due to cost I bought a Santa Cruz Chameleon aluminum frame and... I freaking love it. Almost no discernible difference to me vs my old ROS steel that I wish I hadn't sold. Never thought I'd own aluminum, but I like it! If I get the money for a new road bike, I may get an Allez sprint now. OrCAAD something.
06-15-20, 11:28 AM
#137
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06-15-20, 11:29 AM
#138
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Originally Posted by General Geoff
I love aluminum, the material is great. It gets a bad rep because its the cheapest material and therefore is used in cheap designs with cheap components.
Get a premium aluminum bike and its fantastic.
Get a premium aluminum bike and its fantastic.
There are people who ask for carbon fiber to be fashionable, and I tend to give up trying to help them, and let someone else overcharge on the deal.
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06-15-20, 11:39 AM
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my main road bike is al everything including the fork
GT
i guess it is stiff, i don;t really know
i have 3 other al bikes with either carbon or al forks, they all seem great to me
either klein or fuji
i'm not racing
wle
GT
i guess it is stiff, i don;t really know
i have 3 other al bikes with either carbon or al forks, they all seem great to me
either klein or fuji
i'm not racing
wle
06-15-20, 11:40 AM
#141
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I ride a 2010 (2011?) aluminum Trek 2.3. It has 105 components and was a huge upgrade (for me) over the 1990s era fat tube aluminum Cannondale I had been riding before the Trek. I'm not a clydesdale, I don't race, and I don't really care about an extra pound or two or three of frame weight.
I do care about the components, though, and the problem these days with aluminum is that it seems to have moved decidedly down-market, such that you can no longer find aluminum frames with 105 or Ultegra level groups, at least not unless you build it up yourself, which I don't want to do. Thus my next bike will be CF, not because I'm dissatisfied with aluminum, but because I want 105 or Ultegra.
I do care about the components, though, and the problem these days with aluminum is that it seems to have moved decidedly down-market, such that you can no longer find aluminum frames with 105 or Ultegra level groups, at least not unless you build it up yourself, which I don't want to do. Thus my next bike will be CF, not because I'm dissatisfied with aluminum, but because I want 105 or Ultegra.
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06-15-20, 12:33 PM
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Originally Posted by road292
I ride a 2010 (2011?) aluminum Trek 2.3. It has 105 components and was a huge upgrade (for me) over the 1990s era fat tube aluminum Cannondale I had been riding before the Trek. I'm not a clydesdale, I don't race, and I don't really care about an extra pound or two or three of frame weight.
I do care about the components, though, and the problem these days with aluminum is that it seems to have moved decidedly down-market, such that you can no longer find aluminum frames with 105 or Ultegra level groups, at least not unless you build it up yourself, which I don't want to do. Thus my next bike will be CF, not because I'm dissatisfied with aluminum, but because I want 105 or Ultegra.
I do care about the components, though, and the problem these days with aluminum is that it seems to have moved decidedly down-market, such that you can no longer find aluminum frames with 105 or Ultegra level groups, at least not unless you build it up yourself, which I don't want to do. Thus my next bike will be CF, not because I'm dissatisfied with aluminum, but because I want 105 or Ultegra.
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06-15-20, 12:35 PM
#143
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Originally Posted by taco2ewsday
As a heavier rider I trust aluminum over Carbon, I do have a carbon fork however.
06-15-20, 12:59 PM
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Originally Posted by Paul Barnard
I don't begrudge those who have to suffer aluminum frames on account of their limited financial means. I used to be poor too.
06-15-20, 01:01 PM
#145
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The downside to CF to me is that if it fails and you happen to inhale the dust from the fibres, you are going to die, its just a matter of time as the small shards of fibre get in your lungs and poke holes in the cell walls which causes bleeding and infection.
I first heard about this from an ex-military friend who read a report about a heavy equipment guy who ploughed (buried) the corpse of the first Canadian F-18 to crash in Canada. Not long after he got serious lung problems and died. They determined the cause was the CF in his lungs..
Having said that my fav steed, 2000 Devinci Millenial roadbike has a front fork made of CF.
I am saying this to make PPL aware of that danger, not to dis CF.
I first heard about this from an ex-military friend who read a report about a heavy equipment guy who ploughed (buried) the corpse of the first Canadian F-18 to crash in Canada. Not long after he got serious lung problems and died. They determined the cause was the CF in his lungs..
Having said that my fav steed, 2000 Devinci Millenial roadbike has a front fork made of CF.
I am saying this to make PPL aware of that danger, not to dis CF.
06-15-20, 01:09 PM
#146
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Originally Posted by sjanzeir
I don't know if it's just me or that it's actually become a thing to crap all over aluminum recently, but if these great forums of ours are anything to go by, most everyone seems to be riding aluminum not because they want to, but because they feel like they have to.
Everywhere you look around the forums, people seem to be pining for something other than aluminum: there are the fanatical steel purists who talk down to you because... nostalgia and this whole "nothing rides better" business.
There are the cost-no-object carbon bros who seem to believe that the fact that they could afford, bought, and paid for carbon fiber somehow gives them the right - nay, the obligation - to crap on the "lesser beings" around here as their second favorite pastime.
Then there are the titanium elitists, whose other favorite sport seems to be crapping on other titanium elitists because... only they have the birthright to ride titanium? Or something - whatever.
And the bamboo people? There seems to be too few of them around here to cause any major controversy, aside from the possibly occasional you're-killing-the-planet-and-we're-saving-it mantra.
So, where are the aluminum fans in all of this? Are there any of them actually left? It's been a long time since I've seen anyone (dare to) say that they actually prefer aluminum to any other material, even though they could easily afford to ride carbon, steel or titanium. After having been dubbed "the material of the future" at some point in the history of cycling, how did aluminum fall from grace like this, to the point where it almost became "the material of the dumb?"
Everywhere you look around the forums, people seem to be pining for something other than aluminum: there are the fanatical steel purists who talk down to you because... nostalgia and this whole "nothing rides better" business.
There are the cost-no-object carbon bros who seem to believe that the fact that they could afford, bought, and paid for carbon fiber somehow gives them the right - nay, the obligation - to crap on the "lesser beings" around here as their second favorite pastime.
Then there are the titanium elitists, whose other favorite sport seems to be crapping on other titanium elitists because... only they have the birthright to ride titanium? Or something - whatever.
And the bamboo people? There seems to be too few of them around here to cause any major controversy, aside from the possibly occasional you're-killing-the-planet-and-we're-saving-it mantra.
So, where are the aluminum fans in all of this? Are there any of them actually left? It's been a long time since I've seen anyone (dare to) say that they actually prefer aluminum to any other material, even though they could easily afford to ride carbon, steel or titanium. After having been dubbed "the material of the future" at some point in the history of cycling, how did aluminum fall from grace like this, to the point where it almost became "the material of the dumb?"
06-15-20, 01:11 PM
#147
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I’m still loving my MountainKlein from 1986!! Ride it often.
06-15-20, 01:33 PM
#148
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My first real good bicycle was a Cannondale SR800. Got it right as I was graduating college, spring 1987, because my girlfriend at the time and her family were into bike racing. I was a runner/XC skier but wanted to get into tri's and dabble in bike racing. She and her Dad got me connected with a shop that did a great job sizing me up and getting that bike set up to race. I LOVED that bike so much!! It fit great, was mechanically easy, and gave back as much as I could have ever wanted when I punched it. I raced it until about 1992 when some cretin stole it out of my garage. Had some super fast bike splits and TTs on that bike, and it always treated me well in training.
After that one got stolen I went with a Serotta Colorado LT (steel) that I'm still riding.
After that one got stolen I went with a Serotta Colorado LT (steel) that I'm still riding.
06-15-20, 01:44 PM
#149
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Current primary steed is Al with Carbon fork. It was priced right and rides beautifully. Unless something either very bad or something very good happens, it will probably be my last. What I do like about my bike is the paint job. It is a matt black (read stealth), and no one can see me until I have already passed them.
06-15-20, 01:50 PM
#150
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Originally Posted by sjanzeir
.... And the bamboo people? There seems to be too few of them around here to cause any major controversy, aside from the possibly occasional you're-killing-the-planet-and-we're-saving-it mantra.
