Frame questions + best frame you ever rode

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moonoi
Posts: 663
Joined: Sat Nov 21, 2015 3:04 pm
Location: Earth

by moonoi

iliedanila wrote:
Fixie82 wrote:I also have no idea where the frames are made - I would suspect they are outsourced but I'm sure more knowledgeable people on this forum can chime in with the correct information.

Outsourced to Taiwan. 3 years warranty.
Storck is off the list!
Outsourced frames should be cheaper than ~3500 euros, unless there is a lifetime warranty and cheap crash replacement.
Outsourced, expensive and short warranty is just a major turn-off for me.


If that's what you think, then that takes pretty much every bike on your list off it.


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iliedanila
Posts: 122
Joined: Mon Feb 15, 2016 7:30 pm
Location: Romania

by iliedanila

moonoi wrote:If that's what you think, then that takes pretty much every bike on your list off it.

It doesn't. Let me clarify: If it would have taken all the bikes off the list, I would've lowered my requirements.
So, now we have all the Cervelos, Canyons, Specialized, Cannondale...
Out of those, only Canyon has a 6 years warranty, the others...limited lifetime.
And mind you, Storck and the Italians have at the same time shorter warranty and bigger prices.
That is while ENVE offers bigger warranty for their wheels (5 years), while a pair of wheels take a lot more pounding than a frame...
Don't you feel it's fair to expect at least 5,6 years warranty and crash replacement?
I mean some of these frames are so expensive I don't have the money to buy it twice (full price) if I crash it...
I'm just happy there is competition, that's a win for the customer. (I still have choices :) )

abrown3mtg
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Location: Minneapolis, MN
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by abrown3mtg

Even if they are not the greatest fitter, they can get you in a good position on a fit bike that you feel comfortable in. Record those positions (reach, saddle to bar drop, bar height, saddle to pedal, etc). I think that is easier than trying to fit a bike after the fact when the compromises can start to come in to play a bit more.

I got the opportunity to hop on an automated fit bike recently. They could adjust every aspect of the reach, saddle height, bar height, etc while I was on it. Once comfortable it provided a list of bikes that would most closely fit that position.... very cool experience. If it isn't obnoxiously expensive for a pre purchase measurement I'd consider 50-100 bucks a solid investment.

As for the Look, I'm with you. But that's why I went for the 595. I always had a lust for a lugged carbon frame. No proprietary non-sense! A few years old, but looks and rides top notch to me. It is a very predictable ride and the elastomer smooths out the ride a lot. However it's stiffness allows it to accelerate quickly, and steering is very responsive and agile. It is the most balanced handling I have found. Basically a race bike without the sting.

grilledcheese
Posts: 34
Joined: Thu Mar 17, 2016 7:25 am

by grilledcheese

Cervelo r5 is stiff and absorbs bumps well. Climbs well and descends even better.
However, even in mountain stages, the pros all ride the s5. It could be superiour all around, but I haven't ridden one enough to comment.

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iliedanila
Posts: 122
Joined: Mon Feb 15, 2016 7:30 pm
Location: Romania

by iliedanila

grilledcheese wrote:Cervelo r5 is stiff and absorbs bumps well. Climbs well and descends even better.
However, even in mountain stages, the pros all ride the s5. It could be superiour all around, but I haven't ridden one enough to comment.

Well, I guess nowdays it's not hard to have an S5 at 6.8 killos. For the R5 probably they have to add weight to the BB.
The S5 sure does look sexier than R5 in my opinion.
If it would be as forgiving as the new Madone...

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reippuert
Posts: 120
Joined: Sat Apr 23, 2011 9:18 am
Location: Copenhagen, Denmark

by reippuert

1) 1996 Moser Leader AX Evolution - silverfilet brazed Oria KK bubeset that were tapered and eliptical, tripple butted. Stiff, Accelerated like a rocket with its 390mm chainstays, and turned like on rails with its 74mm BB. Also the most beutifull crafted steelframe i have ever seen.

2) 2006 Merlin Works CR 3/2.5 - still ride it as my primary bike and love it. Just refinnished it myself with *** steelwool and new decals.

I only had the Moser for a year and half and its 20 years ago - my memory moght be flawed but it was a faboulus ride.
--
mvh. Morten Reippuert Knudsen @Merlin Works CR, Chorus 15, Reynolds 46/66

froze
Posts: 427
Joined: Thu Aug 05, 2010 3:47 am

by froze

I agree with the very first response to this post, there isn't any best frame, it's just what a individual rider likes the best, or in my case that best that I have ridden...but I haven't rode every single frame ever made.

In light of that stuff above, the best I have ridden is my Lynskey Peloton which is now called R150 but mine doesn't have the swayed stays. For me this bike is just very smooth to ride for a bike, when I hammer it, although admittedly I can't hammer like I use to, but there is no discernable frame flex. I test rode at least a dozen carbon frames and none had the feel that this one has, even my steel bikes, which feel better than aluminium or carbon, still fell behind in the comfort department and the frame flex department. I do have a couple of steel touring bikes, one I haven't rode loaded but the other I have, that one is a 85 Schwinn Le Tour Luxe, when that bike is loaded with about 45 pounds it seems to ride smoother than the Lynskey, but unloaded it rode rougher than the Lynskey. I have other steel frames and they all have a slightly different personality to them, my 2 Miyatas all have the triple butted splined tubing and those frames are the stiffest side to side than any steel bike I own, but the Fuji Club with quad butted tubing rides stiffer than the Miyatas but has a bit more side to side flex which it should have since it's the lightest steel bike I have at 20.8 pounds.

Again those are just my impressions, it doesn't mean that someone else won't have a different impression.

Allen254
Posts: 144
Joined: Sun Feb 07, 2016 3:05 am

by Allen254

iliedanila wrote:So, my extended list untill now looks like this:

- Cervelo R5
- Cervelo S3
- Cannondale SuperSix Evo
- Pinarello Gan RS
- Colnago V1-R
- Specialized Tarmac
- Storck Aernario Pro
- Canyon Aeroad CF SLX
- Canyon Ultimate CF SLX

Hey how is the stiffness on the CF SLX and the Aerod ? m planing on buying either one i just haven't decided ??

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iliedanila
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Location: Romania

by iliedanila

Allen254 wrote:Hey how is the stiffness on the CF SLX and the Aerod ? m planing on buying either one i just haven't decided ??

Hi Allen254,
I haven't ridden any of those two. All I have is reviews and some people's opinion.
At this point I tent to believe they are pretty stiff pedaling platforms (the aeroad more, it's more focused), the ultimate people say it accelerates faster than an F8, for example...
Regarding the F8, I just don't believe the marketing bullshit from pinarello anymore. So with the reviews...I remember reading reviews for Dogma 65.1 T2 saying "it's the greatest ever" and so on... When reviews came for F8, they usually start with something like "well, the 65.1 wasn't that great, but the F8 is the ultimate bike".
When the new race bike from Pinarello will be launched I expect to read "well, the F8 was kind of heavy for the money and not that stiff....but the new one is awesome" :)))
People will always believe that a bike is awesome because it has an awesome price tag. (especially if it's really expensive although it's made in Taiwan).
If I would have paid 4k for my Holdsworth frame, I would think it's like no other. :P

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iliedanila
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Location: Romania

by iliedanila

froze wrote:I agree with the very first response to this post, there isn't any best frame, it's just what a individual rider likes the best, or in my case that best that I have ridden...but I haven't rode every single frame ever made.

...

Again those are just my impressions, it doesn't mean that someone else won't have a different impression.

Hi froze,
This topic is here because I want subjectivity, I am looking for first hand honest reviews.
If you tell me that you liked a particular bike, and how it made you feel, I will care for your opinion more than I care and trust a review.
I will take interest in the bike the reviewer paid for with his own money, not necessarily the fact that he tells me a 4k frame is the shit...if you know what I mean :)

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kgt
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Location: Athens, Greece

by kgt

Among the frames I have or had I love my:
- Cipollini bond when sprinting or going fast downhill.
- Wilier 101 when climbing.
- Colnago master x-light on long flats or flat-hilly courses.

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iliedanila
Posts: 122
Joined: Mon Feb 15, 2016 7:30 pm
Location: Romania

by iliedanila

kgt wrote:Among the frames I have or had I love my:
- Cipollini bond when sprinting or going fast downhill.
- Wilier 101 when climbing.
- Colnago master x-light on long flats or flat-hilly courses.

thanks kgt, that willier sure does look sexy af... :D

froze
Posts: 427
Joined: Thu Aug 05, 2010 3:47 am

by froze

iliedanila wrote:
froze wrote:I agree with the very first response to this post, there isn't any best frame, it's just what a individual rider likes the best, or in my case that best that I have ridden...but I haven't rode every single frame ever made.

...

Again those are just my impressions, it doesn't mean that someone else won't have a different impression.

Hi froze,
This topic is here because I want subjectivity, I am looking for first hand honest reviews.
If you tell me that you liked a particular bike, and how it made you feel, I will care for your opinion more than I care and trust a review.
I will take interest in the bike the reviewer paid for with his own money, not necessarily the fact that he tells me a 4k frame is the shit...if you know what I mean :)


Yes I understood that and that's why I kept saying it's just my opinion and others will have different ones and neither of us is right or wrong.

Speaking of which I forgot to mention something, a friend of mine purchased the Bikes Direct Motobecane Titanium bike with Dura Ace components about 5 years ago, I have test rode this bike many times, and for the money that is the best deal on the market for a titanium bike. It was such a good deal that I almost bought one, why I didn't get one was simply because when I went to order there were none in stock for my size, I kept writing asking when they would come back and they kept saying next month, but after a year and half went by I thought they were no longer going to get those at all so I got the Lynskey. Bikes Direct did restock them about 6 months after I got my Lynskey. Since I got the Lynskey and made a direct comparison with the Motobecane I can say this, the Lynskey is better in the handling, feel of acceleration, and weight, but not by such a large margin that would make the Motobecane an inferior bike. I also have a friend who has a $8,000 TI Serotta he's had for at least 10 years that one was the most comfortable due to the swayed rear stays but not as surefooted in the handling as either the Moto or the Lynskey, and the weight was about the same as the Lynskey. If you're not racing, want long riding comfort, want a bike material that will last a lifetime without worrying about rust or corrosion or cracking fibers or smelling bad in hot weather, titanium is the best there is, and the cost of the Motobecane is a serious and the only contender for a low cost but fantastic titanium bike. The Lynskey would be the second choice for cost if you stay with their lower costing R150, but first in handling over the Moto. The newer version of my Peloton, the R150, now has swayed rear stays which probably means it's a bit more comfortable to ride than my Peloton but I haven't ridden one side by side to make that determination 100%, but the design of a swayed rear stay usually indicates that to be a fact. When I ordered my Peloton I got it from Adrenalin bikes, and I opted to swap the original Lynskey fork for a Enve 2.0 which only cost me $175 more due to the swap, it could be that that fork is a much better fork for handling because my friend with the Moto replaced his original fork in the spring with a Enve 2.0 and after I rode it and compared mine with his his now has improved handling to almost my bikes leve. So changes if done right can result in a better handling or riding bike but Bikes Direct will not do any swaps so adding a Enve 2.0 fork afterwards would increase the price of the bike to similar cost of the Lynskey. But for most people the standard fork on the Moto would go unnoticed in the handling or comfort of the bike without directly comparing with another TI bike at your disposal like I had the opportunity to do, thus for the most people the Moto would be a fine bike for the money.

audiojan
Posts: 795
Joined: Fri Jan 27, 2006 1:38 pm
Location: New Hampshire

by audiojan

Best frame I've ever ridden is my Pinarello F8, just does everything really well, climbs well, descends like it's on rails and can rip the sprint. Other frames over the years include a few Colnago's, Look, Parlee, Neil Pryde (very undervalued btw, amazing bikes), Orbea, plus a few more.
"Suddenly the thought struck me; my floor is someone elses ceiling" - Nils Ferlin

by Weenie


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Massim
Posts: 81
Joined: Thu Feb 01, 2007 6:11 am
Location: CT
Contact:

by Massim

In this order:

2016 Cannondale SuperSix EVO
2007 Cannondale System 6
2009 Cannondale CAAD 9
1994 Pinarello Treviso
Massim

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