rpenmanparker 

I think that is false. While it is true that structural engineers and materials scientists would be most expert on this topic, all engineers and many physical scientists have the general background to understand bike materials and construction. Much like you train to be a general physician before you specialize, engineers and scientists also train generically before they specialize.

sced

Also, through work experience technologists develop knowledge far beyond what they learned in college. I worked at Alcoa R&D for many years in process design automation for manufacturing aluminum, ti, and composite products, and can say that the materials, design and fabrication technology in the bike industry is only toenail high.

Maelochs

Well, get to work updating it! We are all counting on you to lead the next wave of bicycle evolution.

shelbyfv

+1. I like my old aluminum Cannondale ST and would probably buy aluminum before carbon if I only wanted a really light bike. I'm disappointed that Cannondale and others are abandoning threaded bottom brackets in favor of press fit. That could have been a selling point for aluminum, IMO. BTW, a friend is going down to Chattanooga next week to pick up his new bike from Lynskey. Maybe he can tell us whether any manufacturing is going on there.

Nachoman

I didn't pay super close attention to all the posts in this thread, but I was surprised to see that people hold Nashbar in such high regard.

Maelochs

Yeah, why respect a company which offers a wide range and variety of products which its target clientele very much wants, describes its wares honestly, sells them for very reasonable prices, ships them promptly, and accepts returns no questions asked?

Nachoman

I guess you're right. The couple times that I bought really inexpensive jerseys from them, they were good about taking them back, after they fell apart within the first few months.

rpenmanparker 

Clothing is not Nashbar's strong suit. Ha, ha. No pun intended. Seriously, their clothing, unless a name brand closeout, tends to be lower end stuff. But that shouldn't detract from what they do well, the well-priced bike hardware.

thunderworks

I'll offer a somewhat more nuanced perspective. I've owned three different Lynskey bikes. All were nicely made, rode well and I enjoyed them. I sold one because I wanted an S&S coupled bike and Lynskey won't retrofit one of their bikes. I purchased a Moots CR with couplers. I've had the Moots a little over a year now, and have 5,000 miles on it . . . It is the best riding bike I've ever had . . .not because the welds are better (the Lynskey welds were really good too) . . . And certainly not because it cost more . . .I think the key difference is grounded in the nuance of design that Moots incorporates into their bikes and that design sophistication is a reflection that the "people" at Moots are hard core bike riders. Geometries, tube gauge selection, i.e. all the choices that go into a bike before a tube gets mitred contribute to the ride of the bike, and IMO, ultimately that's why companies like Moots make a better bike than fabricators who may be good at putting tubes together, but may lack the nuanced understanding, or connection to bike riding.

just an opinion . . . It's all shades of grey . . .lots of good bikes in the world . . .separated by personal bias and personal experience.

Chandne

This thread makes me miss my Moots. I should never have sold it. I think a Ti bike is next for me. I have been looking at the Lynskeys but it will likely be a Potts (if I can afford it) or a Seven or a Moots. I keep reading and builders have told me that tube choices (and there are many types/shapes) can significantly affect ride quality, but very few can almost perfectly align a Ti frame. I am no expert but I figure if I am going to get a lifetime frame, I'll go with the best in my mind. That will make me happy every time I look at it.

Maelochs

I have to admit, Nashbar shorts are pretty much 50-50 if they will fall apart. I have never had problems with their jerseys. Their gloves are maybe 80-20. Really pathetically cheap stichting, it seems. But I have never had a problem with their jerseys.

And as noted, they will take them back if they fail.

rpenmanparker 

Ya gotta do whatcha gotta do. Personally, I wouldn't wait an extra minute to buy Ti in order to find more cash for a higher-priced brand than Lynskey.

StanSeven

When I bought my Seven, the LBS had several in stock for demo. I tried one in my size and a store employee had his personal bike there in almost the identical geometry. His was amazingly stiff. I asked about it and the only real difference between in and the demo was different tubeset thickness. The frame Seven built for me was reasonably light and built stiff in the rear. That's the nice thing you can do with custom. As much as I liked the Seven, I would consider a Moots now. I know several people who owned Moots and everything raves about the bike.