Broom Wagon

If you are a bigger rider (180+ lbs.), is there any value in investing in a carbon bike vs. steel.

I'm new here and haven't bought a new bike in 25 years. thanks

oilman_15106

Go to your favorite LBS and try out some bikes. Will CF make you faster? Possibly if your comparing it to a 40 pound steel wallymart bike. Usually finish rides on my steel/cf bike(Jamis Eclipse) just as fast as on a full CF bike so the answer from me is no it will not make you faster.

AEO

you get to save what? 5~6lbs on a quality steel vs. carbon bike?

Reducing rolling resistance, wind resistance and your body mass (in a healthy manner) would be the answer.

You should try out both types of bikes at your LBS, find what you prefer first, I figure.

powerglide

steroids and crack may make you go even faster

Schrup

If your like me and crash a lot, carbon probable isn't a good choice.

DC Bruz

The only limit to your speed is how hard you can pedal.

It doesn't matter if you are riding a 20kg steel thing from 1960 or a $10k CF FeatherMachine both will do the same job if the engine is up to it.

Velo Vol 

I wish.

If you ride hills a lighter bike will be somewhat faster going uphill than a heavier one. But unless you are racing, I don't think this should be the determining factor in selecting a bike. You should also consider fit, comfort, ride quality, etc.

thelazywon

If I was spending cash, I would choose Ti over C any day. I think the durability is bad ass, and the lightness isn't to be scoffed at.

alanbikehouston

Sadly, there are NO "fast" bikes. The guys who are fast have strong legs, strong lungs, and a strong heart...and the ability to suffer a lot of pain.

I've ridden my regular 20 mile circuit on a carbon fiber "wonder bike" and on a heavy steel four speed beach cruiser. My times are remarkably similar with either...both bikes are stuck with the same crummy 'ol rider...

However, for "Joe Average", the "fastest" bike over a four or five hour ride is the bike that is most comfortable and fits well. If a bike is too small, or has the bars too low, in an hour or two, the rider has neck and back pain, wrist pain, hand pain...and he won't even feel like finishing the ride, not even slowly...

The most comfortable bike for a four hour ride is a bike with a long wheelbase, long chainstays, and its bars positioned at about the same height as the top of the saddle. Classic touring bikes have that sort of geometry, because a serious touring cyclist might be in the saddle for 20 or 30 hours over a long week-end.

The SLOWEST bike for a "Joe Average" cyclists are racing bikes and the cheaper "pretend" racing bikes. These are the bikes with an ultra-short wheelbase, short chainstays, compact frame, and bars positioned four inches lower than the saddle. Because such bikes have a harsh ride and cramped riding position, a "Joe Average" rider is soon hurting too much to continue riding at any speed.

Pros use such bikes because their "aero" advantage is worth the heavy price in pain that such designs extract from the rider....but unless you are paid to suffer, these are the worst sort of road bike for a long day of riding.

The only affordable bikes today with a long wheelbase are the bikes sold as "hybrids" or "fitness" bikes. Trek sells some "fitness" bikes in the $500 range that have the same geometry as a classic touring bike, but sell for about half the price.

The cheapest real touring bike I know of is the model sold at REI stores. At $800, these are not "cheap" bikes, but they are built to last...with reasonable care you can get decades of hard riding from this type of bike.

531Aussie

what? Two pounds, tops! The lightest carbon frames are around 850/900g, and a light steel bike would be about 1550/1650g; maybe lighter for small sizes

531Aussie

only if a two pound weight penalty slows you down up hills. Some carbon and aluminium bikes will feel a lot faster because they're stiffer, but it's impossible to tell if this translates to real speed. The only way a flexier bike will be definitely slower is if it flexes so much than the front brakes rub

Paniolo

I picked up a little under 1mph avg going from a steel cross bike to cf on 35-40 mile rides. ymmv

clausen

Try 1-2 lbs for high end carbon frames and steel frames. Choice of component and wheels can make up that difference. I just built up a sub 19 lb steel bike. If I chose to go all light weight on components and wheels, I could have easily shed 3+ lbs. So no the material of the frame does not slow you down.

grahny

yes, carbon will make you faster than steel. much, much faster.

ovoleg

I think they will

ZurichSeattle

The right bike IS faster. Try a Cervelo SLC. You will be faster. Stiff and lightweight built right by proper engineers will make you go faster.

ovoleg

everyone here who thinks that bike doesnt make a difference hasn't ridden a nice bike compared to a POS AND is in good shape.

If your fat and out of shape, the bike wont make a difference. If you can put down substantial power, a very stiff BB/frame and light bike will make a pretty considerable difference.

Broom Wagon

good info. guess i got to shop around. thanks

alanbikehouston

About thirty years ago, some engineering school profs tried to figure out a way to measure which of two bikes was "faster". They decided that a good test would be to pedal two bikes until they were going 20 mph, stop pedaling, and then measure how far each bike would coast.

Their assumption was that the "best" bike would have the least rolling resistance, due to superior bearings in the bottom bracket and hubs, and due to having superior tires. And, sure enough, the light weight "big buck" bike beat the heavy "cheap" bike by a considerable margin.

Then, the profs switched the wheels. Now, the heavy, cheap bike had the pro quality wheels and pro quality tires. The light "pro" bike had the mediocre wheels and mediocre tires. And, guess what? The cheap, heavy bike was now outperforming the light, heavy bike.

So, unless your cycling career will consist primarily of racing up steep mountains, the difference between pedaling 200 pounds of bike and rider down the road, versus 204 pounds of bike and rider down the road is meaningless.

Any good road bike, IF it is carefully fitted to the rider, combined with a top wheel set and high quality tires, is capable of going any speed your legs are capable of. Unfortunately, no store sells better legs.

waterrockets 

I outsprinted about 30 CF bikes on my steel bike in my last training race (Austin Tuesday Nighter, A group). There were two Soloists, an Orca, a couple Scotts, some Madones, and I think the rest of them were Tarmacs

If steel was slowing me down, then I should probably get a CF bike and go pro

My bike is no noodle, but it's not as stiff as these other bikes, and it sprints like a dream.

I'd say that weight is a no-brainer in making you faster on a climb, but that's about the only difference you'll see in frames at the same quality level.

Even for handling, a little flex can be preferrable to some people. In crits, I can make up 2 or 3 places in the corners. My bike tracks with laser precision, just where I want it.

I'd say to go ride a bunch of bikes really really hard and see what you like. If you like the feel of CF, go for it. AL, Ti? Steel? It's all good. They're just bicycles. Not much you can screw up with two triangles

EDIT: Note also that CF doesn't mean a bike is stiffer. It has to be engineered into the frame. I've seen several CF frames that flex more through the BB than my Ritchey.

mustang1

I can ride a $10k CF bike faster than a 20KG steel thing from 1960.
(Unless it's downhill maybe)

badkarma

There's a big difference between a $10k dreammachine and a $250 wallymart special.

There's not so much of a difference between a $10k dreammachine and a $1000-$1500 bike. If you're a professional racer, maybe that small difference will be the difference between finishing first and finishing 3rd, but I don't think too many of us fall into that category.

Brianwh

"It's not about the bike." -Lance Armstrong

MrCjolsen

A good steel frame weighs less 3-4 pounds.

lvleph

If it wasn't about the bike, why did he insist on having very specific bikes for specific rides? Realistically, a bike can make the difference between winning a race and not winning a race. But it still comes down to the engine.