What affects ride quality (in order) ?
 

People talk of frames giving a good ride quality. Others talk of lowering the air pressure. What do you think affects ride quality the most in a bike?

For me (in order):
Tire pressure (lowering a 120psi 23mm tire by 10 or 20 psi has a huge effect)
Wheels (weight at rim, or weight at center, how stiff are those spokes, spoke count and pattern)
Frame (the way it's constructed, the geometry, frame material matters least of these three)
Seatpost (I cant explain it, but my Thomson Elite feels a HUGE lot better than the stock item)
Bar tape/saddle/gloves/shorts (I haven't given this as much consideration)

You?

Fit
Choice of tires
Tire pressure
Saddle
Bibs

Fit
Frame
Wheels and tires
Bibs and saddle

fit
saddle
tires

Apparently we all have different definitions of "ride." In the car sense ("This thing sure rides nice"), I'd rate tire size and pressure first, by far. I switch the tires on my Atlantis between 700x28s at about 95 psi and 37s at 70-75 psi (I weigh 240) for various types of riding, and it's like a different bike. I've made similar changes on my mountain bikes, from big flabby tires for cruising to skinny hard ones for road, and that makes much more difference than anything else.
Fit is very important to COMFORT, but it has no effect on ride in the customary definition. Frame material is probably significant, but since all but one of my bikes are steel, I really can't compare that. And I don't know that you can get enough compliance out of a saddle to affect ride. Again, it affects COMFORT, but that's not the same thing. My Cannondale MB with Thudbuster seat post is comfortable with a Brooks B-17, uncomfortable with the cheesy saddle that came with the bike. But it rides the same either way.

It all works together. Fit is important, but ride quality will be low if you're on a 10% grade on a gravel road in 40mph winds and driving rain in 33F temps as log trucks run you off the road

fit
saddle
tire pressure

Compared to the weather here now, I'll take that.

1. tits*
2. everything else is just detail







* time in the saddle

very good.

Attitude
Traffic
Weather
Terrain/scenery
Bike fit/comfort
Fitness

you've been there havent you?

+1

Although I'd make a slight change to Traffic ... I'd make that "Road Conditions" in general which might encompass things like chipseal roads, roads with or without shoulders, and traffic density.

i like this one.

OK agreed, fit is first, then
frame material . . . steel is real,
then all the rest of that stuff.

A mild hang over and smooth asphalt.

1. Confidence - getting flats (or any type of mechanical problem) all the time and not being able to figure out why is very frustrating and expensive...
2. Comfort - not fit but fitness
3. Road conditions
4. Speed

The order to 2, 3, 4 change on a consistent basis and is the order as of today for me.

Wind.

iPod song selection.

weather
weather
weather
weather
iPod

fat
fat
fat

Qualities of the bike:

1. overall fit
2. tire width and pressure
3. bike quality (particularly, bearings)
4. bike geometry
(2 and 3 are virtually a tie)

Qualities of the rider:
attitude
fitness

External qualities
road surface (smoothness)
frequency of expansion joints ;)