Is having a Carbon Triathlon bike overrated?
Right now, I have a Trek Equinox TT/Tri aluminum bike in which I changed the wheels to Aeolus 5.0 ACC carbon aero rims, Sram Red cranks, Sram force derailleurs. My bike is around 22 lbs, but have seen some pretty light carbon bikes.
My bike is a bit heavy are thinking of changing my frame to carbon…Do I need a carbon bike or is it not needed?
The benefit of a carbon tri bike is that it can be shaped more aero than many other materials or at least at a more aero at a more reasonable cost
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Sounds like what you are really asking is, “How important is weight in a TT bike”. The answer is not very.
the main consideration is aerodynamic drag, and the trek equinox is pretty good there.
if you bother to upgrade, you will need to spend quite a lot to get a carbon frame that is also faster, and unless you get something really fancy like a p4/shiv it will only be a little faster.
I agree with Rickn. That’s the biggest advantage of CF. And it does make the bike lighter. You may be paying a 2lb penalty for your metal frame, but the weight makes a smaller difference than you think/feel/intuit that it does.
So is CF overrated? Depends on how highly you rate it! I don’t over-rate it, so I don’t find it overrated.
I do think that it’s the current state of the art for frame materials, when manufacturing methods/costs and function and weight and strength and stiffness are all factored in.
It’s a lot less overrated in a frame than it is in rims! which I see you have! 
referring to rim track of course, not fairing material…there’s no other viable way to make a deep section wheel without it, so on that side of the coin yes…
You could do hed jets with normal plastic =)
there’s no other viable way to make a deep section wheel without it, so on that side of the coin yes…
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I don’t understand how your Equinox is so heavy. I don’t think my P2Sl is heavier than your Equinox, and mine is stock build
Look at the amount of people here kicking butt on P2-SLs, P2Ks, and P3-SLs. Your answer is right there.
I don’t understand how your Equinox is so heavy. I don’t think my P2Sl is heavier than your Equinox, and mine is stock build
heavy seats, aerobars, cassettes, and large frame sizes are a hell of a thing.
but yeah you can probably drop 2lbs off that sucker without spending a whole lot, and that wouldn’t be a bad thing.
just don’t sacrifice aero to do it!
You could do hed jets with normal plastic =)
Isn’t that what Flo was going to do but switched to CF?
Asad
You could do hed jets with normal plastic =)
there’s no other viable way to make a deep section wheel without it, so on that side of the coin yes…
That’s true…a lightweight plastic might do just fine. I’m curious if the lack of that kind of product in the marketplace is one of economics or just irrational market acceptance (or lack thereof)?
If you were going to change then it would be for 2 other reasons over weight. First is stiffness, so that you put more power into forward motion than flexing the frame, and the handling could be improved. Second, and possibly more important as the distance goes up is comfort. Carbon absorbs more vibrations in the material than aluminium, and titanium even more.
However, note that a very well designed alu frame can be stiffer and more forgiving than a badly designed titanium/carbon frame, so it’s not as simple as choosing simply by material.
Really??? I know we’re on ST and all, but biggest benefit of carbon of aluminium is frame aero drag??? So why do they make road frames in carbon in pretty much identical shapes to steel / alu / ti frames if they aren’t benefiting from the drag?
A key attribute to carbon fiber is that it is anisotropic, or can be configured to transmit and damp energy differently in different directions.
Most metals and alloys like aluminum, an alloy of bauxite, are isotropic, or tend to transmit energy the same in all directions.
Additionally, metals are generally welded, some are bonded (vitus 979 duralinox, old Raleighs, etc.) and configured of tube sets. The joint between the tubes, whether bonded or welded, is an opportunity for failure sometimes referred to as a “stress raiser” depending on how the joint is configured. Some manufacturers, notably Cannondale, grind their welds smooth in an attempt to reduce stress raisers on welded aluminum frames, they claim, a place where a crack can start to propagate or move through the material.
A key feature of carbon fiber is that it is increasingly molded- fewer joints, and the material can be controlled to a greater degree throughout the lay-up amnd engineering/mold designing process.
It’s about impossible to argue away carbon’s “better-ness” now. While you can argue sponsorship contracts and their influence- the last time a pro cyclist or top triathlete rode anything other than carbon has been some time. Carbon fiber is simply a very strong, controllable, well engineered compositie material for many applications.
One thing that flumoxes customers is that some carbon frames are $600 and some are $10,000. That has to do with carbon configuration, lay-up and content and the degree of precision with which the lay-up is installed in the mold and the costs of the molds themselves. All carbon bikes look like black plastic to a consumer. It’s tough for people to get past that- until they own it.
because cyclists think weight is a bigger deal than it is
aerodynamic shaping is hard, most bike companies did not or do not know how to do it well
aesthetic styling freedom
less weight is still a good thing
ability to tune stiffness in different directions for the all important laterally stiff yet vertically compliant meme
fad/hotness
Really??? I know we’re on ST and all, but biggest benefit of carbon of aluminium is frame aero drag??? So why do they make road frames in carbon in pretty much identical shapes to steel / alu / ti frames if they aren’t benefiting from the drag?
Your Trek frame weighs in at about 1900 grams give or take. A good light carbon frame will save about 650 grams, give or take. That’s about 1.4 pounds, give or take a few. These are just some frame weights I pulled quickly off the internet.
You can decide on your own if 1.4 static pounds, not rotational, will save you time in a race.
Fully agree. Lots of reasons, but aero drag is not really a significant issue.
I beleive that this post will be my last as it’s surely heresey beyond comprehension on here 
rotational weight isn’t worse
Your Trek frame weighs in at about 1900 grams give or take. A good light carbon frame will save about 650 grams, give or take. That’s about 1.4 pounds, give or take a few. These are just some frame weights I pulled quickly off the internet.
You can decide on your own if 1.4 static pounds, not rotational, will save you time in a race.
Fully agree. Lots of reasons, but aero drag is not really a significant issue.
you can choose to decide that say, 6 minutes saved in an ironman bike isn’t significant, that is a rational opinion.
but then you have to conclude that nothing about bike design is significant =)
You can decide on your own if 1.4 static pounds, not rotational, will save you time in a race.
Time savings is time savings. The only person who decides time savings is Mother Nature herself. I’m just giving you a hard time, but I think your point would (more precisely) be that “you can decide on your own whether or not the miniscule time savings due to eliminating 1.4 lb of non-rotational weight is worth the absurd amount of money you will have to spend per second saved.”
OP: I think my opinion as to the matter is clear: it’s not worth it. If you want a new bike then fucking say it. Don’t be one of those people that comes up with some cocked up justification that doesn’t add up when you put numbers to it. Once you have a modern TT bike you don’t need a new bike. Yes, there are time savings, but unless it’s your job to save time which it is not then triathlon is a hobby and a means, rather than an end and you don’t “need” the bike in the strictest sense of the word. If it somehow becomes your job to compete in triathlon, then even still, IM HI has been won on bikes of a lesser caliber than that. Note (I’m not disregarding the fact that there are time savings from upgrading, but in terms of marginal benefit per dollar spent this will be the lowest ROI you’ll ever get. That said, go for it! New bikes are fun, sexy, go faster (even if it’s only a little bit), will motivate you to train more, and are just more fun to ride (usually). The intangible “IT-factor” of having the hottest bike is something you can’t quantify, and really can’t rationally argue for or against. So get it because you want it–you don’t “need” it.