frame material

[coyote]

Hi,
I was wondering what the difference is that you feel when you ride the different bikes. If I ride an aluminum bike, how does that feel different then a steel bike versus ?????

I'm shopping around for a new bike and I've never had anything but aluminum and I would like to know what to feel for in the different materials.

[maillotpois]

So much of the feel of a bike has to do with geometry and how the bikes are made (and what wheels are on them) that it is almost impossible to give you an absolute answer.

I have an aluminum bike. Aluminum is "supposed" to be "harsh". I've ridden that bike in 8 double centuries and a 600k brevet. It's not "harsh" and I often find it a softer ride than my ti bike. Different geometries and manufacturers. My husband's new bike is carbon. It's more responsive than his old (ti) bike, but it's flexier. Different geometries, different manufacturers, etc. You just can't make a general comparison.


Go ride a bunch of different bikes and see how they feel.

[RoadRaven]

Our (my partner and I) first road bikes were steeel.
Mine reminded me of biking to school, lumpy rides, heavy churning. That may have been me getting used to the gears... or it may have been the bike...
My partner still has a steel bike he uses on training rides simply because he wants the extra weight resistance.

Then we ventured into the world of aluminium and carbon...

One of my bikes is aluminium, and wow... what a difference when I hopped on it... its hard to compare fairly, because this bike fitted me so much better, had better tyres etc etc... but I felt somehow more secure on the road... it felt easy to pedal and get up a good speed.

As for the carbon, it is hard to describe the difference, all I know is there definately is one... the place I feel the difference is descending and cornering - I just feel... safe... I feel secure and able to trust the bike to handle what I throw its way.

It is a much stiffer frame, so (a bit like the steel bikes I guess) ones backside and wrists can feel a bit uncomfy if you forget to stretch...

I hope something is helpful for you in my post - it all sounds a bit vague to me...

I just posted this link in another thread for SmilingCat... If you click at the top on reviews, you might be able to read about the "feeling" of specific frames...

http://bikesportmichigan.com/

[Veronica]

Funny I feel about my steel bikes the way RR feels about AL and carbon, except I don't get a sore butt or wrists until about mile 160.

Try lots of bikes. Get one that fits.

V.

[RoadRaven]

LOL V.... I don't do 160 miles!

But I do stretch and flex and stand when I ride, and when i forget, after about an hour, things feel bruised and uncomfy...

I think my opinion of steel bikes is prejudiced by the probably fact that they didn't fit so well - we were new to understanding about the importance of fit.

My partner likes his steel to train on...

[smilingcat]

It's a very nice link to really good reviews.

As for the material of the bike, more specifically, how does the bike handle, ride quality, turning, stability and so on. It has lot to do with how the bike is setup, the wheels you use how the spokes are laced up (radial to 3x cross) tires you use. So unless you are completely enarmored by one material look at bikes not on material but what you would feel happiest on.

I used to shun aluminum frames cause its reputation of too harsh on a small frame. And now I'm thinking of aluminum frame. I also used to be Ti only snob and now I may be more interested in carbon or aluminum.

And I've put many many miles over the years on steel frame with steel fork, Ti frames with carbon fork. And now I'm on a aluminum/carbon frame with carbon fork.

Don't be shy and try new bikes. Always take your pedals and shoes wih you when you look for a new bike.

meowmeow,
Smilingcat

[KnottedYet]

And if you have a saddle you love, don't be shy! Take that to the shop, too!

And if the shop won't let you put your saddle and pedals on the bike, go somewhere else. (My shop is very cool about that, and about letting me take a bike out for multiple test rides over weeks, or for hour-long 14 mile test rides... but then, I bring them beer! )