steel? carbon? or steel/carbon combo?

[caligurl]

which is best? all steel? all carbon? or a combination of steel and carbon?

[SadieKate]

Geez, it depends. How are you planning to use the bike? What kind of riding do you do? What are your likes/dislikes about your current frame? I assume from all your other questions, you are talking road?

[caligurl]

sorry! yes... road! i normally do rides between 20 and 40 miles... but i also like to so longer (metric century's) and plan to do some real centuries!

i don't really have any complaints about my current bike ride-wise... (aluminum with carbon fork and seat post) but i know i've read a LOT about steel and full carbon!

[massbikebabe]

Carbon...just love the stuff...never been on a sweeter ride, and I've owned steel aluminium, ti, and carbon is by far the best
Pricey, but best..

karen

[sarahfixit]

If you can afford all carbon then do it. Otherwise I would say steel/carbon.

[Veronica]

How long does carbon last?

V.

[doc]

The new lightweight steel is supposed to be amazing. Steel will definitely outlast carbon which can crack. Steel is also felt to be more flexible and provide a less stiff, more comfortable ride than carbon. Of course both are superior to aluminum which is light but completely inflexible.

[Trek420]

I looooove my steel bike, the ride, the way it handles. Every so often I wish it was a little stiffer, if I'm feeling frisky on a hill I might lust after a few more fancy carbon bits. But I love steel.

[Veronica]

I too love steel. And descending on my bike is pretty close to heaven. Whatever line I pick on a twisty descent, the bike follows. No wobbles, nothing.

I asked about the durability of carbon because my personal feeling is that if I'm going to spend a couple K on a bike, I want it to last a decade or two. We have such a throw away society these days. And I know, steel bikes do get thrown away, but not by me.

Veronica

[sarahfixit]

Asuming no abuse, carbon will outlast any of the materials, but it is vulnderable to cracking from impacts.
I can attest to the feel of steel. I only have one AL bike if that says anything
My Sedona actually let me finish a trail race after sustaining a 1.5 inch kink in one of the tubes! That was with rocks and climbs and all for 7miles. Did not even know until it was over. Then there is the other cool thing with steel, I fixed it. Welded a new tube in and now Im painting it up. Can't do that too well with the other materials.
That being said, Carbon has come a long way to being tough. As long as you are carful to look for deep pits and scratches it is good stuff.

[ctwirlee]

Love my Gunnar Roadie, and the "classic" steel frame -- but everything else on my bike is carbon (Easton and FSA) except the saddle and pedals. Oh, and my rims are alloy not carbon, but superlight handmades.

Carbon just smoothes out the already ultra-smooth ride of the steel (especially the handlebars) and shaves off weight. It's a nice combo.

[MightyMitre]

Steel/Carbon - intersting combination. Not seen much over here. Steel is generally thought of as a bit 'old skool' - although there's LOADs of people who swear by it. My winter bike is steel and I love it.

Alu/Carbon is the most common combination here. Leading Italian frame builders like De Rosa and Pinarello have started doing very groovey things with the stuff .

Check this out.
http://www.derosanews.com/ Click on Products/Bike de Rosa then have a squint at the Merak. ( Sorry - it wouldn't let me do a direct link)

They use a special process on the alloy and the top tube has this cool sculpted effect.

[SadieKate]

One thing I like about steel (other than the wonderful ride) is that it is repairable, customizable, etc. You want another bottle cage, you have a crash and need a fix, you're tired of the color and you want it re-powdered? Voila! Done!

I have never ridden an all carbon frame, but hubby who has a steel bike and a carbon bike says the carbon has a nice ride but feels "numb" compared to steel. It doesn't have the liveliness of steel. He feels a bit disconnected from the road on the carbon. When we go on long rides or rough roads, he takes the steel.

Me? I have 1980's old-school lugged steel Mercian which cannot really be compared with today's steel frames (though she ain't bad!). But I can compare a modern day steel cross Kelly Knobby X and a Litespeed Tuscany Ti road frame. The Kelly has an incredible feel, light, lively, quick and painted in my choice color. The new steel tubing and the frame/fork geometry makes it a real lightweight winner.

For the price of a nice custom or semi-custom steel frame, you'd have a superb one of a kind bike (go Waterford, Rivendell, Kelly, you name it). There is a plethora of fine American builders.

One last thought: these materials all behave differently under different weight loads. Carbon and Alu can be stiff and harsh under a lightweight rider unless you have just the right tubing and frame design. Before you buy a frame from one of these, try to talk to riders of a similar weight to see what they think.

[MightyMitre]

One thing I like about steel (other than the wonderful ride) is that it is repairable, customizable, etc. You want another bottle cage, you have a crash and need a fix, you're tired of the color and you want it re-powdered?

Good point Sadiekate - there's still a big place in the world for steel.

[caligurl]

i asked about steel cuz margo (luna) uses steel.. but she has options of adding some carbon parts (fork and another area... the rear) or i could have all steel.

if i went carbon.. it would more than likely be a "cookie cutter" bike as in a premade giant or trek...

i'm leaning more to the custom fit to me luna!

also... i'm small (which is why i feel the custom is really important) i'm only 5'2" and weigh *gaps* am i putting this on the internet!?! 111 pounds (112 on a bad day )

i have (so i've been told) long legs for my height

i know i've read a LOT of good things about steel!