Originally Posted by halfspeed (Post 16408450)

Every frame material has its place.

Originally Posted by dmcdam (Post 16406618)

I just bought my first carbon frame set after riding alu for my first 5 years of road cycling. We're encased in ice up here right now so I'll build it up over the winter. My only fear is that after dropping a bunch of money into it, I'll still prefer the ride of my alu bike.

Originally Posted by hueyhoolihan (Post 16408704)

after years of riding steel and ti, i bought a carbon frame (very light!). it's okay, but my last two frame/fork purchases were aluminum/carbon. i more than happy with them.

(i can't get past feeling that i am riding a fancy pinata when i'm on the carbon one :))

Originally Posted by rm -rf (Post 16408745)

This may help. The entertaining pinkbike carbon frame destructive testing video ended with slamming a carbon frame into the corner of a concrete tool stand. Woah!

But I've also seen a carbon frame crack from a low speed crash when the rider landed on the frame.

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=359505

Originally Posted by rekmeyata (Post 16408766)

I will never buy a carbon frame, I would only buy steel or titanium, yes both are heavier than carbon but I don't care because both will last longer than carbon. If they went back to titanium lugs and bonded carbon tubes that could be replaced should a tube get damaged then I could understand the carbon idea a bit better. But for long life in all types of conditions titanium and steel are the best.

Originally Posted by zymphad (Post 16408361)

Person mentioned in this thread won the race... Obviously sponsored athletes are expected to promote the sponsor's product. But if the athlete wins with said product, that speaks for itself.

But as @caloso has mentioned, you can find plenty of anecdotes from other racers who wanted a more economical solution.

And my comment wasn't necessarily about how amazing the weld is. It's more likely the geometry, design of the bike. But person I was replying to was criticizing the weld and saying his old steel bike has better. I was replying, I highly doubt it. I would bet the smartweld is stronger and lighter and provides better strength at the joints than his double or triple butted steel. The smartweld to me isn't just smart, it just makes sense. And I expect all future aluminum bikes to have something similar to that.

Originally Posted by Long Tom (Post 16408838)

I like how my carbon bike is laterally stiff, yet vertically compliant. Also it has this thing called a "modulus", which I believe is akin to a warp drive.

The other materials can't touch THAT!

Originally Posted by halfspeed (Post 16408495)

And steel's is the archeological dig

Originally Posted by rekmeyata (Post 16408766)

I will never buy a carbon frame, I would only buy steel or titanium, yes both are heavier than carbon but I don't care because both will last longer than carbon. If they went back to titanium lugs and bonded carbon tubes that could be replaced should a tube get damaged then I could understand the carbon idea a bit better. But for long life in all types of conditions titanium and steel are the best.

Originally Posted by f4rrest (Post 16407685)

I'm a carbon-based life form... Not a snob. Lol

Originally Posted by zymphad (Post 16407276)

You sure about that? You may want to look up what Specialized super weld is. It makes joints stronger than traditional welding, lighter etc. There really isn't any downside. And from what I read recently, Specialized will be switching all their Allez bikes to superweld next year.

I also been reading plenty of articles where the superweld s-works allez are surprising racers all over. Can be built to be under 15 lb and it's as stiff and responsive as the Tarmac SL4. That sounds to me, damn good welding and joints.

Originally Posted by CharlyAlfaRomeo (Post 16409026)

I think he was commenting on the appearance of the welds and I would have to agree, they're ugly.

Of course a full penetration butt weld is going to be stronger than a filet but you don't see a lot of frames failing at the welds. The real reason they're doing it is likely that it's a fully automated process and they don't have to pay a human to do it.

Originally Posted by patentcad (Post 16408894)

Besides, everyone knows bamboo is the new cutting edge.

Originally Posted by halfspeed (Post 16409040)

Hey, hey, HEY! This is a family forum.

Originally Posted by halfspeed (Post 16408777)

This post is pretty much completely wrong, but nice try.

Originally Posted by rekmeyata (Post 16409254)

It's my opinion and on subjects like this that is what any of this is all about...opinion, so in my opinion you are completely 1000% wrong.

Originally Posted by rekmeyata (Post 16409254)

It's my opinion and on subjects like this that is what any of this is all about...opinion, so in my opinion you are completely 1000% wrong.

Originally Posted by patentcad (Post 16408963)

Yeah, because we all know the big feature we're all looking for on our road bikes is a 20+ year lifespan. You know, in the sport where 5 years from now your current ride will be largely obsolete.

Originally Posted by RJM (Post 16409526)

who wins all our club rides