Carbon v Aluminum

[GLC1968]

I just bought my first carbon bike the other day, but I haven't been able to ride it yet.

That said, aluminum is quite stiff, so if the AL frame didn't break, it's likely a good carbon one wouldn't either. Carbon breaks when it is forced in a direction opposite to 'normal'. So it's easier to crack a top tube with a bike rack than it is to break a frame by just riding on a rough road.

But my heart belongs to Ti for both excellent road feel and durability.

[Eden]

A suddenly cracked chainstay on a carbon bike sounds like a flaw the construction or some previous damage. Vibration from a chip seal road is highly unlikely to have caused it. Remember they build airplanes from the stuff - its not fine china. Alu isn't really any more durable - it cracks (my husband has cracked a chainstay on an alu bike) and if it gets dented or bent it is finished.

[TxDoc]

A suddenly cracked chainstay on a carbon bike sounds like a flaw the construction or some previous damage.

+1.
People ride the Paris-Roubaix on carbon frames...

[colorisnt]

I don't have a full carbon bike, but I do have two road bikes with carbon components. The carbon fork on both bikes has never had an issue. My road riding bike saw some BAD chip and seal back in IN when I was doing group rides in a place where they were too cheap to re-asphalt the road. And no problems whatsoever. I have always lived in the Chicago area, so that is where my first carbon got a lot of work on chip and seal and rough roads. Roads back home are awful because of all the freezing and thawing that they go through.

[zoom-zoom]

I'm on aluminum, but am thisclose to upgrading to a more aggressive, carbon frame. The vast majority of our roads are chip-seal and I am tired of returning from rides with numb hands, feet, and butt from the vibration. Hubby is a big guy on carbon and hasn't had major issues. Specialized did replace his frame (under lifetime warranty against manufacturer defect) when it developed an odd crack where the top tube meets the seat tube. He'd ridden 12-13k miles before noticing that spot.

So his bike really took a beating on our roads...plus a 250# beast on the saddle. From the sound of it carbon manufacturing has improved over the last few years, so I don't think most women have much to worry about, even on bad roads.

[Triskeliongirl]

I just bought my first carbon bike the other day, but I haven't been able to ride it yet.

That said, aluminum is quite stiff, so if the AL frame didn't break, it's likely a good carbon one wouldn't either. Carbon breaks when it is forced in a direction opposite to 'normal'. So it's easier to crack a top tube with a bike rack than it is to break a frame by just riding on a rough road.

But my heart belongs to Ti for both excellent road feel and durability.

What did you get?? I thought you loved your ti isis???? I do love my cervelo RS even more than my isis, but i think its cuz I screwed up the size when I bought my Isis and mine is too small for me.

For the original poster, I have had steel, ti and carbon. My carbon is my favorite, but it may not be just about the frame material, its about the fit and other aspects of the design, although it is also my lightest bike and light is good if you like to climb or do fast group rides. But aluminum is equally light although I personally don't have any experience with aluminum.

[GLC1968]

What did you get?? I thought you lived your ti isis???? I do love my cervelo RS even more than my isis, but i think its cuz I screwed up the size when I bought my Isis and mine is too small for me.

The carbon bike is my new TT/Tri bike. A Quintana Roo Seduza. I do still love my Isis and she'll still likely get most of my ride time. If our house burned down and I could only save one non-living thing, I'd save my Isis.

I just realized that I have 4 bikes made of 4 different materials. My MTB is aluminum, my road bike is Ti, my commuter is steel and my tri bike is carbon! Funny! Maybe I need a bamboo bike next?

[Triskeliongirl]

Oh, I just found your new bike thread. ENJOY!! See the note on chain rings I posted there. I am not sure you need a new crankset at all, just different chain rings.

The carbon bike is my new TT/Tri bike. A Quintana Roo Seduza. I do still love my Isis and she'll still likely get most of my ride time. If our house burned down and I could only save one non-living thing, I'd save my Isis.

I just realized that I have 4 bikes made of 4 different materials. My MTB is aluminum, my road bike is Ti, my commuter is steel and my tri bike is carbon! Funny! Maybe I need a bamboo bike next?