Do carbon seatposts and road bars make a difference in softening the harshness of the ride of an aluminum frame? The bike has a carbon fork w/alloy steerer but no carbon in the rear triangle.
Maybe, maybe not- It depends on the individual frame, component and rider characteristics.
Unfortunately, there is no one generalization or simple, blanket answer to this. It is situational.
This is like the set of generalizations that say, “Aluminum rides like this… Cro-Moly rides like that…Carbon rides like this… and titanium rides like that…”
Those generalizations are inaccurate and short-sighted. As Bob Jenny of Seven Cycles once said, “We can make anything ride like anything.”
The most comfortable riding bike I’ve ever been on was an aluminum frame, a Vitus 979 Duralinox, and the stiffest, roughest, most jarring ride I’ve ever been on was also another brand of alumnium bike.
You simply can’t make generalizations about materials.
I agree with Tom.
I have a Cannondale R4000 (carbon fork, all aluminum rear) that jars my molars on even the smallest bumps. I also have an Elite Razor (carbon fork, all aluminum rear) that feels very comfortable to me and nowhere near as harsh as the Cannondale. I guess it all depends and you have to test the bike before you buy it.
My experience is that the carbon bars and seat post do very little that is really noticeable. Thicker bar tape will make more of a difference on the bars. A carbon fork with a carbon steerer like my Reynolds Ouzo Pro seems to have good dampening properties. As for frames, all I can say is that my OCLV/steel Lemond is much smoother than my aluminium Giant TCR.
Do a “Search Posts” for one of my previous posts about wrapping handlebars.
Helped my front end considerably. My butt still gets sore, though.
For the seatpost i would go with Ti. The seatpost diameter is almost always pretty small and ti in this diameter is pretty flexy. If the walls were thick it could be stiff, but most Ti seatposts are pretyy light so they soften up the ride somewhat.
For the front you might want to check out Aztec. they make a variety of under wrap pads to soften the blow.
Styrrell