Aluminum vs Steel?

[KnottedYet]

Make sure to check Free Range Cycles and Counterbalance Cycles!

I still like Recycled Cycles, but the last 2 times I took my bike in the repairs were kind of poorly done. (I had them redone at Free Range.) Recycled has gotten a lot bigger and busier and quality may have started to slide.

ETA: By the way, the steel bike in my avatar weighs 2 lbs less than your REI Novara Carema... just sayin'

[Velocivixen]

I'm going to Free Range Cycles on Friday to check out a 7L Zimbale bag in person. Have walking and driving directions from hotel. It's only 2.4 mikes so it would be a nice walk. Going north over what looks like a bridge it has me going along a path instead of the street. Don't mean to hijack, but google walking is in Beta. Thoughts about this trail?

[Bike Chick]

Ride the Salsa--or any similar steel frame bike--to get a comparison to your aluminum and you won't believe the difference in the ride. I would be willing to bet there isn't much weight difference between the two bikes but the difference in comfort will be worth any extra weight. I love my steel frame bikes.

[Catrin]

Knotted makes a good point about the weight of steel frames. My steel Gunnar frame weighs 3.25 pounds...

[Becky]

I've never weighed my steel Bianchi frame by itself, but the full bike is ~20 lbs, and it's not a weight-weenie build by any stretch.

I agree with Velocivixen about weight versus gearing. I don't climb appreciably better or worse on the steel bike than I do on the lightweight carbon bike.

Ride what's comfortable and makes you happy

[KnottedYet]

I'm going to Free Range Cycles on Friday to check out a 7L Zimbale bag in person. Have walking and driving directions from hotel. It's only 2.4 mikes so it would be a nice walk. Going north over what looks like a bridge it has me going along a path instead of the street. Don't mean to hijack, but google walking is in Beta. Thoughts about this trail?

There are a lot of bridges going over Lake Union/the ship canal. The drawbridges have sidewalks (I'm guessing you'd use the Fremont bridge?) If you walk over the Ballard locks, that's a ped/bike only crossing, which might come up on google as a trail?

Free Range is very very tiny and cozy with great wrenches. Be sure to walk kitty-corner to Theo's chocolate factory. Free samples! A block up the hill from Free Range is Cascade Bicycle Studio, and a block or two east (on the same street) from CBS is Hub and Bespoke.

Three bike-y shops and a chocolate factory all within the same 3 or 4 blocks!

[Sky King]

And a nice tap room across the street!

There are a lot of bridges going over Lake Union/the ship canal. The drawbridges have sidewalks (I'm guessing you'd use the Fremont bridge?) If you walk over the Ballard locks, that's a ped/bike only crossing, which might come up on google as a trail?

Free Range is very very tiny and cozy with great wrenches. Be sure to walk kitty-corner to Theo's chocolate factory. Free samples! A block up the hill from Free Range is Cascade Bicycle Studio, and a block or two east (on the same street) from CBS is Hub and Bespoke.

Three bike-y shops and a chocolate factory all within the same 3 or 4 blocks!

[Hi Ho Silver]

Check out the following article by Sheldon Brown if you want an objective comparison of aluminum vs. steel vs. carbon fiber in terms of weight, strength, stiffness, and "comfort": http://www.sheldonbrown.com/frame-materials.html


Jean

[Velocivixen]

I just really enjoy anything by Sheldon Brown!

@Knotted & Sky King, map has me north on Dexter from downtown, crossing water on Fremont Ave., west along the Gilman-Burke Trail, then north to Free Range. The trail looks nice. Hopefully there's a sidewalk along Fremont on the bridge.
Thanks.

[KnottedYet]

I just really enjoy anything by Sheldon Brown!

@Knotted & Sky King, map has me north on Dexter from downtown, crossing water on Fremont Ave., west along the Gilman-Burke Trail, then north to Free Range. The trail looks nice. Hopefully there's a sidewalk along Fremont on the bridge.
Thanks.

There is, and the walk across is lovely.

[VeganBikeChick]

Well, my bike shopping has been put on hold for now. Much as I would love to test ride and fall in love with the Salsa, it's not the fiscally responsible thing for me to do right now. While I'm not in love with my bike, it's practically brand-new and there's not a thing wrong with it.

Maybe when I hit the lottery..

[Antaresia]

I've been commuting on 40 pounds of hi-ten steel this summer; 5 gears and lots of hills. Weight is something you get used to, there are lots of people out there who use and love their beastly heavy bikes.

Don't even worry about weight, in the end it's the fit, your posture, wheels, and practice that will decided how fast you go. And don't worry about not getting a bike right away, I fell in love with a new model every 2 weeks when I was shopping. I think the more time you take, the better. The casserole was recommended for me too, it's a cute versatile bike. I wanted steel, never mind the weight they LOOK cooler.