Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Road Cycling
Reload this Page >

Is there a difference between lugged and straight carbon frames?

Search
Notices
Road Cycling “It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them. Thus you remember them as they actually are, while in a motor car only a high hill impresses you, and you have no such accurate remembrance of country you have driven through as you gain by riding a bicycle.” -- Ernest Hemingway

Is there a difference between lugged and straight carbon frames?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 05-29-10 | 06:09 PM
  #1  
eddiepliers's Avatar
Thread Starter
Senior Member
 
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 692
Likes: 0
From: Pittsburgh, PA

Bikes: 2011 Scott Addict R3 and Redline Conquest with Campy Veloce

Is there a difference between lugged and straight carbon frames?

I see some carbon frames with lugs and without. Is there a difference in durability or performance between the two types? I'm just curious because I'm looking for a new frame possibly.
eddiepliers is offline  
Reply
Old 05-29-10 | 06:13 PM
  #2  
ericm979's Avatar
Senior Member
 
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 6,169
Likes: 1
From: Santa Cruz Mountains
Not really. Many of the "non lugged" cf frames have internal lugs.
ericm979 is offline  
Reply
Old 05-29-10 | 09:13 PM
  #3  
Senior Member
 
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 10,879
Likes: 6
From: Northern California
When properly used, either technique can create high quality, reliable frames.

However, I will say that all of the CF frames that I have personally seen fail due to manufacturing defects were lugged (and the frame failed at a lug joint). Has anyone seen a monocoque frame fail, other than due to crash damage?
johnny99 is offline  
Reply
Old 05-29-10 | 09:37 PM
  #4  
Carbon Unit's Avatar
Live to ride ride to live
 
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 4,896
Likes: 1
From: Austin, Texas

Bikes: Calfee Tetra Pro

There is a difference. Read Craig Calfee's white paper (link below) Craig has been building carbon frames since 1987. Monocoque frames can have thin spots in some of the bends. The purpose for lugged construction is so you have uniform thickness in the tubes and they are thicker in the lugs (where most of the stresses occur).

Some may stay that Craig Calfee is biased and he might be but he build custom carbon frames and few companies can do that. He also builds a bike built for three that converts to a bike built for two, builds bikes from bamboo and repairs everyone's carbon frames.

I trust Craig's opinion on carbon frames more than anyone else.

Read his white paper:

https://www.calfeedesign.com/whitepaper1.htm

Last edited by Carbon Unit; 05-29-10 at 09:41 PM.
Carbon Unit is offline  
Reply
Old 05-29-10 | 09:52 PM
  #5  
.
 
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 3,981
Likes: 0
From: Hillsboro, Oregon

Bikes: Specialized Roubaix Comp, Soma ES

The frame on my bike is lugged and from what the manufacturer says, the front triangle is moncoque for lightness and the rear triangle is lugged for strength and stiffness where it matters. Whatever..
__________________
Demented internet tail wagging imbicile.
knobster is offline  
Reply
Old 05-30-10 | 05:38 AM
  #6  
waterrockets's Avatar
Making a kilometer blurry
 
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 26,170
Likes: 93
From: Austin (near TX)

Bikes: rkwaki's porn collection

In most cases, it's more of a matter of: did the builder smooth over the lug joints? I would base the decision on test rides if you're deciding between frames. Try to forget the scale and what your eyeballs see.
waterrockets is offline  
Reply
Old 05-30-10 | 06:53 AM
  #7  
eippo1's Avatar
I like beans
 
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 3,336
Likes: 1
From: Meffa, MA

Bikes: Tarmac Pro, Bianchi Zurigo, Raleigh Gran Sport, Fuji Del Rey, Ironman Centurion

Often, lugs are used to make it easier to tune the ride quality for each size of bike offered. For instance, larger diameter tubes on larger bikes. It also allows custom frame makers to tune specific attributes out of a given frame.

Lastly, smaller shops might prefer lugs rather than making different monocoque molds for each size, but that one is purely speculation on my part.
eippo1 is offline  
Reply
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
exmechanic89
Bicycle Mechanics
44
09-26-23 08:54 AM
Screaminmeemer
Framebuilders
1
06-05-12 08:25 PM
mlrs_27m
Road Cycling
32
01-28-12 03:53 PM
bhdavis1978
Road Cycling
58
06-10-11 09:31 PM
M_Wales
Road Cycling
46
05-03-11 07:06 PM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off



Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2026 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.