Honey, you should know that when somebody asks what you're wearing through the Net, the ONLY answer possible is "I'm naked!"... ;-) - "Yeah, no one likes a smartass, but we all like stars" - Thom Yorke
Now to get back on topic, carbon is the trend of the moment. It's been growing the last few years and I would say it is close to its peak. Then it will be substituted by the next great big thing, probably light alloys. - "Yeah, no one likes a smartass, but we all like stars" - Thom Yorke
It was only a few years ago that aluminium was the glamour material.
Carbon cranks, bars, saddles, chain rings, bolts, spokes, rims, etc. C'mon give us break.
In theory carbon/titanium/steel have ride advantage over aluminium. But carbon and aluminium can best be formed into more aero tubing.
Therefore, a carbon areo frame may have theoretical advantages over anything else if your main consideration is for comfort plus aero in a TT/tri frame..
If money is no object I'd pick carbon for an aero frame.
I'd still pick titanium/steel over carbon for road bike.
Expect carbon to drop in price and then be replaced by some sort of $$$$ carboplastic as the next gollygeewhiz frame material.
yup - like my aluminum just fine and have no reason to change - just need to work some on the engine:) http://www.endurancesports.ca Coaching and Training Camps
I have carbon stays on my Scandium bike simply because Ves told me it would be stiffer that way. No other reason whatsoever. Like any material, it serves some purposes better than others. You won't see me riding carbon spindles any time soon...
Unless Ves or SAC tells me to! ;-) <If you're gonna be dumb, you gotta be tough> Get Fitter! Proud member of the Smartasscrew, MONSTER CLUB Get your FIX today?
......it's hard for me not to love this kind of carbon fibre bike!! **All of these words finding themselves together were greatly astonished and delighted for assuredly, they had never met before**
Carbon has its' place as a useful material. Wheels especially benefit from being made of carbon, but some of the rest is quite suspect. The Record Carbon group is one of the worst cases of carbon excess. Do people really need a carbon crankset that costs $800?
I like my aluminum frame just fine, but it does have a carbon fork, my race wheels are carbon and that is about it.
Formula One car designers have been quoted as saying carbon-fiber is here to stay because no other material combines the strength, light weight, and formability. When F1 cars switch to something other than CF for all their high stress parts (like the gear box and braking systems, minus the ceramic pads) then I will believe in the future of a new material.
What will be really cool is when companies start using nanocarbon tubule ribbon to produce computer displays and combine that with miniature electronics like those in the Cingular Razor. Then you could have all the data feedback like that from a computrainer produced by a unit the size of a pillbox and with a display wrapped around the top tube.
I live in a rural area and train almost exclusively on tar and gravel (aka "chip and seal") roads. I have a K2 Mod 5 (alum. w/ carbon stays), a Cervelo Soloist (alum.) and a Trek 5500 (OCLV carbon). I've had the Trek for years. On a 25 mile ride, I'd be hard-pressed to pick one bike over the other. But get beyond that on these roads and the road buzz and vibration start to take their toll. When I'm going long, I go on the Trek. The carbon does soak up the road buzz and that does make a difference in helping to endure longer rides ... at least it matters here where I ride.
My TT/tri bike is aluminum. I've gone to some really nice Vittoria tires with a high thread count that really improve the ride on the rough terrain ... and they improve the ride despite a very high psi rating (for clincher tires). I'd tell you what kind they are, but I can't remember. Vittoria must have 900 different tire configurations and their numbering system is really goofy.
Everyone's looking for the magic pill that'll make 'em faster. Also, it's getting a bit like cars... a means to show off your wealth - nothing to do with performance. Or, how about frames becoming a form of art rather than a tool to get you from one place to another. Proud member of FISHTWITCH: doing a bit more than fish exercise now.