Aluminum vs Carbon Vs Composite

[VeganBikeChick]

It's time for my n+1. I want a lightweight roadie for commuting/touring. Liking the look of the Giant/Liv Avail, the disc brakes are a huge plus. Not sure about aluminum vs carbon. Pros & cons? Want a great entry-level roadie. My price point is less than 2k. Thoughts & suggestions welcome. Of course I'm going to test ride a bunch first, but appreciate the collective wisdom of TE ladies.

[VeganBikeChick]

My straggler is a 50. No, not for touring as much as commuting and riding distances, but wanting relaxed geometry, lightweight, and speed. Have not ridden an Avail yet. It gets really decent reviews though and spoke with a coworker who owns a bike shop about it.

[rebeccaC]

My straggler is a 50. No, not for touring as much as commuting and riding distances, but wanting relaxed geometry, lightweight, and speed. Have not ridden an Avail yet. It gets really decent reviews though and spoke with a coworker who owns a bike shop about it.

isn't the straggler good for commuting?...that and say an Avail or a bike like it would be a good combination. i'm sure muirenn will cover that. sport touring geometry can get you a faster bike with a relaxed but quicker geometry than a touring bike. My waterford sport tourer is great for long rides or carrying more than on my road bike.
There are differences in how frame materials ride…but my two steel bikes don’t feel that much different than my ti/carbon or aluminum….but each is for a separate kind of riding too. steel is real though :) Personally I’d concentrate more on component and wheelset quality for long rides on the roads you ride.

[VeganBikeChick]

Thanks so much for your advice, Murienn. I think I'm wanting an n+1 because I don't ride my Straggler at all anymore and I want a nice bike to motivate me to start riding again. I see many women my age and older (and TE'ers!) who have such a passion for cycling that I don't have. I want to be fitter, and after attempting to start running again and developing plantar fasciitis the week after resuming, my running is on hold. That being said, I don't know that fall/winter in the Pac NW is not necessarily the best time to start cycling long distances. I got back on the Straggler today to run a quick errand after not having ridden it for 2 months. It's a really nice bike, and I really like it. I just wish I didn't struggle so much with the hills here. Even a small incline gets me out of breath pretty quickly. It's defeating. I have these grandiose ideas in my head of cycling on long adventures, and then when I put the pedal to the metal (or cog, as it were), I'm quickly reminded that I'm nowhere near in shape to accomplish something like that. It's hard for me to grasp that fitness is not achieved overnight. Thanks for your recs and putting up with my rambling :).

[assanelli]

Ever considered a cyclocross bike? Disc brakes double or triple crankset and can accomodate wider tires, for foul weather. Cheers!

[VeganBikeChick]

My Straggler is a Cross bike. :)