rdubbz

i've been crit racing my chinese carbon frame for two seasons now. Still hasn't exploded like everyone said it would. in fact, i've lost the rear derailleur too just like op. frame is still fine, just scratched.

Mayonnaise

I'm angry because I am conflicted. I would love to buy a new Storck. I just can't bear to have my heart broken again. (Hey Marcus, why not a crash replacement program?).

Time to be honest...I'm not a young man anymore. I've got a pretty good idea that my racing calendar will continually shrink. If the race is further than one hour from where I'm sitting right now (mmm, this coffee is good), I'm not going. Wet course? Forget about it. Hillsboro Roubaix? Never again.

So if I'm not racing that much anymore I could soon make an argument to myself that buying another Storck makes some kind of sense.

Trouble is, I'll end up putting gator skins on my zipps so I can commute on the lakefront, opening myself to all kinds of snickering.

two non sequiturs:
My cyclocross wheels are as true as the day I got them.

I hate vinyl

Mayonnaise

Skills class? Are you kidding? I've raced hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of crits over the years. My skills are as sharp as anyone I race with. Better even. I keep a mental count of all the times I've done something stupid in a race that caused a crash. Do you know what that number is? 1 One time: hit an invisible hole in the blacktop on a turn and slid out, taking out the guy behind me.

In my entire career I've been in maybe 5 other crashes, always someone else doing something stupid, putting many of us in unavoidable situations.

There is no safe place in a bike race. If there were we'd all be there. But there are safe and unsafe riders. I quickly scan in detail as many riders as possible. If your chain is dry or your cleats squeak, I don't trust you and won't let you get ahead of me. Overcook a corner? Get behind me.

Many many many times i've had guys come up to me after a race and say they loved being on my wheel: I'm smooth, confidant, and predictable.

Bacciagalupe

You can get a new Allez E5 frame for less than $900. An Allez E5 with 105 is $1500 or less, with Rival is $2300. CAAD's are in the same price range. Sounds to me like this won't be a big financial hardship for you.

The reality is that functionally, there's very little difference between a $1500 bike and an $8000 bike. Heck, a $1500 bike is better than what the pros were using less than 10 years ago. There should be no question that you can race with confidence on a good-quality aluminum bike.

So: Storck for rides where you aren't like to crash, good-quality aluminum frame for races and commuting. Sounds like a no-brainer to me.


Because riders like you will bankrupt him?


1) Who cares what other people think
2) Use the aluminum race bike with the stock wheels and tough tires for commutes, throw on the good wheels and good tires for race day.

Racer Ex 

I think this is what you meant

Commodus

Yea. It's really not as complicated as you're making it out to be, OP. Use the right tool for the job, one bike doesn't have to do everything unless you're broke.

marqueemoon

It only takes one person one time. The guys who took you out might have counts that look similar.

And sometimes despite your best efforts circumstances are going to place you around sketchy riders. That or you can burn matches getting out of their way.

But you are certainly confident. No doubt about that.

LarDasse74

Racing bikes have always been fragile. You mainly see broken pictures of carbon bikes on the internet because the internet didn't exist when lightweight steel bikes were the standard. There were also many many irrepairably bent steel frames that might have been ridden to the shop to be disassembled before being sawed into new cheater-bars or parts for a stool for the shop.

I have broken several steel frames. My main road bike is ~20 years old, and despite being heavier than the recommended rider weight for RC tubing I saw in an old Columbus catalog, I think it probably has a few more years in it... as long as I don't ride into a ditch at 30 mph or forget to tighten the Front QR and try to jump over some railroad tracks.

I have never broken an aluminum frame, despite subjecting several of them to very harsh regular use.

b2run

Sorry, but I've missed your point. Are you saying that it's worth while for me to buy a bike that's .5 kg lighter? How much of a time difference do you think that would make, ballpark? My races are 20 - 30 km.

DaveWC

My point was that someone who is new to the sport, has had a 25 year old bike and now a newer, lighter bike, is probably not the best judge of the value of a more expensive bike. I'm guessing you test rode the bike you bought, liked it and bought it. I'm doubting that you've placed a foot on the pedal of any of the higher priced bikes being discussed. Yet you're willing to give your opinion on them. I'll also bet that the weight difference is greater than 0.5kg between your bike & mine.