Is carbon lugged dead? Have modern monocoque frames usurped carbon lugged frames outside of just weight?

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MikeD
Posts: 995
Joined: Thu Dec 11, 2014 9:55 pm

by MikeD

Calfee frames might be great, but those gusseted external lugs are not pretty, IMO.

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Look595
Posts: 31
Joined: Mon Jan 23, 2017 3:55 am

by Look595

MJB wrote:Purely subjectively speaking, for my requirements, lugged carbon is the zenith of frame construction for me. I've owned, borrowed and tested several nice, top shelf monocoque frames which were indeed lighter and felt faster than the C40,C50 EP and EPS Colnago frames I've ridden and adore. However, at the cost of some extra weight I much prefer the ride qualities of these lugged carbon frames and will only be interested in such until alternate manufacturing methods come up with an affordable light weight frame that eats high freq. road buzz and looks suitably stately like lugged carbon frames do.


I too have tried the newer modern aero frames which are monocoque but i think i personally still prefer my Look595 as it just have the ability to absorb road bumps and also feel like a carpet on uneven roads. Is there really differences in ride quality in general when we talk about lugged vs monocoque or is it that just the heavier lugged frame just does the job as compared to the lighter weight monocoque frame. I am curious about this.

spartacus
Posts: 1048
Joined: Mon Apr 04, 2011 6:53 pm

by spartacus

MikeD wrote:Calfee frames might be great, but those gusseted external lugs are not pretty, IMO.


The tetra pro is dated looking. That said, my frame is going on 20 years old and it seems to be basically as good as new. Better than new with a Columbus minimal fork. I also have a look which is lugged carbon as well. Anyway IMO an old school lugged carbon frame is a different class of frame than the new stuff that weighs half as much and is stiffer + more aero.

There does seem to be something to the ride quality of lugged carbon frames. I've had quite a few bikes of various materials and the calfee is hands down the most comfortable road bike I've ever ridden. There are two bad sections I ride on frequently, one is a mile or two stretch of rough chip seal, and the other is a series of cracks that run perpendicular to this road, a crack every 20 feet or so for about a mile. When I had my caad10 I would get pounded by these cracks and usually have to stand up. On the calfee or even the look, I can just plow over them. Same with the chip seal, I can see other riders visibly slowing down and becoming irritated, while I just feel a muted vibration and speed hardly drops at all.

I would imagine a good new carbon bike is the same way, but I haven't ridden any new top of the line carbon frames.

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