They are really nice! I had one and it stood up to so much abuse it was almost ridiculous. You might be able to find one for cheap on some of the various online sites.

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"Stay cool and try to survive" A. Klier to the other members of the Garmin classics squad the night before P-R.

Is there any clearcoat on that polished cannondale?

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I Will make the leap

Thanks for the replies! I guess I can add the "alu frames offer no comfort" to the list, a myth that frequently pops up when I talk to other riders. It obviously ignores the fact that comfort is the combination of frame, wheels, spoke tension, tire pressure, saddle, even stifness of the handlebar.

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And if I ever meet an aardvark, I'm going to step on its damn protruding nasal implement until it couldn't suck up an insect if its life depended on it.

They also say "lots of road buzz" and "harsh ride quality." This is something I never really understood.



Lets assume we have two identical bikes - components, wheels, etc., all the way up to the frame geometry. We will isolate just the frame for this argument - its material and the frame's design. One is carbon fiber, the other aluminum.

Good carbon fiber has a higher elastic modulus than aluminum, and therefore will flex less, be less compliant, and therefore be stiffer. A stiffer frame would translate to a harsher ride.

Then why is carbon fiber "more pleasant to ride"?

Two reasons: 1) the way the carbon is laid up, and 2) the design (shape) of the frame. These two go hand-in-hand in manufacturing a CF frame. Compliance is built into the frame via its design (curved seat/chain stays which "bend", various top/down tube shapes). However most of these forms do not hold stress well, and this is where the lay-up of the CF cloth is critical to give it structural rigidity. You get a strong stiff frame from the material; and a compliant one from the shape of the tubes and the design of the frame.

Early aluminum designs were done with straight tubing. These directed forces from the road along the lines of the tubing, resulting in a more "feel" for the road (i.e. road buzz). I think this is where aluminum got its bad reputation. An elegant solution was the "compact geometry" IMO. Yes it did make the frame a lot stiffer, but the extended seatpost allowed for more "flex" on the post, giving a reduced feeling of buzz on the saddle. Using a CF seatpost made it even better.

Today's hydroformed aluminum tubes allows manufacturers to the use tube shapes previously possible only in CF frames, giving aluminum frames similar ride characteristics to that of CF frames. Gone are the days of "harsh aluminum bikes."

I know there will be pundits and naysayers, and people with their own opinion against aluminum regardless of the facts that are presented. I can't win them all.

My made in the USA caad9. Its at 15.1 lbs. Love this bike. I see no need for carbon as I can hang up front without a problem. Been on many century rides and a couple 200k rides with no issues. I run veloflex with latex at around 100psi. Smooth comfortable ride. New build coming up so will swap rival bits for red. So just under 15lbs is the goal.
Sent from my A500 using Tapatalk 2

so what do we think is better
Colombus XLR8R or deda em2?

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http://weightweenies.starbike.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=111961

Also, what are peoples opinion about Gaulzetti Corsa? Some people always say, too expensive for just an aluminum frameset.
I feel for a semi-custom frame with ISP, Enve fork and headset using unique Deda tubing, ought to make for a great bike.

http://www.embrocationmagazine.com/stor ... etti-corsa

ecguevara, I've ridden bad frames made with all material.

Less to do with what it's made with, much more to do with who made it.

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Baum Ristretto, Baum Mondrian Corretto & the '89 Merckx! | "If you could eat it in one sitting, hold your line." | twitter.com/Tinea_Pedis

Yes, ride quality is not just about the material. How the frame was made by whom plays a large part as well. An improperly designed and improperly built frame will ride poorly no matter what material was used to make it. Companies that do not invest in product R&D will have less superior (or should I say inferior) products at the end of the day.

Blaming the material used is just a sorry excuse IMO.

I've heard nothing but good things about Gaulzettis. I don't think most people appreciate the work and attention to detail that goes into making a handmade frame like that. Like the saying goes: "You get what you pay for."

I sure hope Mickey shows up to this thread - this kind of stuff is right up his alley.

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Yeah I've been talking with those guys, pretty much have all the cost, geometry and color all ready to go, going to build it with my Campagnolo Record/Chorus 10v, Thomson components and probably do some handbuilt wheels (probably 303 tubulars with King R45s).

Their tubeset is custom from Deda, so I'd really like to know what the riding characteristics and what makes it unique?

But the frame is a present to myself for finishing graduate school, so I've got sometime before I get to pull the trigger.... But glad this topic came up, trying to get as much information as I can on these frames, this is going to be one of those "keep forever" bikes.

Stockie, From what I remember no there wasn't

I'll have my own contribution to this thread when I get the build completed, but for now I just want to say my aluminium Trek 1500 is the most comfy bike I've ever had. This I expect it almost totally down to component choices - so my personal belief is that the frame has very little to do with overall ride quality.

However, I think that the idea that 'aluminium frames are so much harsher', is just a baseless rumour that's spread around the web and amongst riders that have just heard it elsewhere or have been convinced by the placebo effect. Like has been said already, it's more down to how the frame is made - I'd bet there are loads of carbon frames out there harsher than some aluminium ones, and it's down to the way they're made, not the material used.

But anyway, anyone thinking that they'll stay clear of an aluminium frame because they think it'll be harsh - all I can say is my aluminium bike is the comfiest I've ever had so as far as I'm concerned that is total rubbish.

Here's mine after many carbon bikes it's good to be back home on Alum

Post of the month!