Leader or EAI BK
 

i was really psyched and pretty much set on getting a Leader 735 when someone i know told me it wouldnt be a good idea and then recommended a EAI Bareknuckle and said i couldn't go wrong with this frame. now im kind of stuck on the fence between both. thoughts on both of these? i hear good and bad about leader frames. any help is appreciated, thank you to all. :thumb:

im upgrading from a fixed windsor "the hour", 54cm, 46:15

Well, why did he say it's a bad idea?

Get the bk. Its a nice stiff frameset and you'll definately notice an improvement over your Windsor. It doesn't have the gimicky looking huge aero tubes,which makes it look better than the Leader and less likely to dent. I also think the bk geometry is more reasonable. My bk has over 15,000 miles on it and still going strong.

guh, this thread is going to suck.

in before brakeless discussions, steel is real discussions, and hipster street cred discussions.

not only are you vague about what exactly you heard about why leaders are bad, you also give us useless information(your gear ratio on your hour) while omitting the most pertinent information, like what surfaces you ride what your budget is what wheels you like and what you'll use the bike for, like racing or commuting or longer rides.


honestly i'd get the bareknuckle but that's because i don't like leaders. if i wanted aluminum i'd get a mash.

They're two totally different frames. Do you even know what you're looking for?

In B4 Kilo TT.

Also, I hear Big Shot Bieks are nice.

EAI because my cog is EAI so i like EAI because EAI is better than leader because leader sucks because i have eai on my bike because my lbs had it.

my bad i wrote this **** late and tired as hell.

im going to be on the street a lot. work, school and all that mess. ive been told the leader is just flimsy and "clumsy" compared to the stiff and reliable bk. looking to spend under 1,000, so my options are pretty wide

3 Kilo TT's.

get the bareknuckle.

BK for sure. Its gonna ride better on the street and its subtle looks will attract a lot less attention from theefs when its locked up. Leaders are totally meh compared to the BK. Man I am totally jealous of your financial ability to afford a BK. http://assets.diylol.com/hfs/c1f/1bb...now-2234d6.jpg

HA

my sentiments exactary. cept i'd get a gozirra for 1" threaded justice.

I'd rather have a Soma Rush. Oh, wait. I already do. :D

Whoh, did not know goshirrras were 1"! So radhttp://media.desura.com/cache/images...se-do-want.jpg

aa

so you are comparing an oversized aluminum bike to a normal diameter steel one? as far as stiffness go I would bet that the 735 is more stiff then the BK, but then again you need the exact opposite for street use, a forgivable ride without feelling mushy.

What I can say is that my Leader 722TS (not the heritage crappy looking one btw) is a great commuter bike, good geometry, good toe clearance, it handles me dropping of curbs everyday for a whole year without any problem and is much cheaper then a BK. The downside is that it's not a light frameset but I do have the steel fork, don't know how much weight the carbon fork would shave.

I have a Godzilla and love it.

I know nothing about that leader, but I would definitely consider a steel frame for a daily ride.

If price is not an issue I would go with the BK.

I'm calling BS on this. The BK frameset is very stiff...that should be obvious enough from the geometry and oversize steel tubes. My experience from riding one for more than 15,000 miles (and a whole lot of other bikes during the same time) also agrees with this being a very stiff frame. The BK will buck you when riding over waves and bumps in the road, and you will regret ever riding a long stretch of rough road with it.

Also, if it fits small, why did you choose a size smaller....that makes no sense. Anyway, a cm is a cm. The BK is measured C-C, not C-T. You should base your sizing decisions on factors other than seat tube length anyway.


The BK is made from Dedacciai COM 12.5 oversize double-butted Cro-Moly tubing...this is not normal diameter steel tubing. I have no idea how stiff the 735 is, but the BK is more than stiff enough for track riding. Neither frame is going to be ideal for road riding. My BK gets along fine on the road, and I have taken it on many rides in excess of 100 miles, but it doesn't handle road irregularities as well as a road-specific frame. However, it loves rough treatment and is at its best when hammering it out of the saddle. I have no doubt the Leader frame in question is similar in that regard.

Dropping knowledge ^.

The BK will still be less stiff than an aluminum frame?

get the bk. it'll be the envy of all your friends.
then powercoat it candy apple blue.

aa

As mihlbach siad, EAI frames measure c-c.

Material alone does not determine stiffness. You can make a noodle or a brick out of any material, depending on the shape, diameter, thickness, and length of the tubes. Steel has different material properties than aluminum..in fact, as a material, it is much much stiffer than aluminum, stronger and more fatigue resistant. This is why steel frames have a greater range of ride characteristics than aluminum. Aluminum frames have to be stiff or they won't last very long.

Soaked up bumps?....sounds like a Salvador Dali painting, or maybe a LSD hallucination.