Road Bike - Alloy Vs Carbon Frame

[bakerstreet]

Dixie said:

This x1000

I have both 105 and Sram Apex/Force/RED on my CX and road bikes respectively. Whilst i like SRAM i wouldn't not buy a bike due to it having Shimano over SRAM Theres not a lot in it. If anything the shifting is lighter and more precise on Shimano.

Both are Cannondale. The SuperSix is an amazing bike!

Down shifts are more precise on 105 compared to anything SRAM? Sorry, but I really think you are wrong there. The downshifts on SRAM is generally considered to be faster and more precise than Shimano's offering. Its a shorter throw on the lever too . Going up the cassette isn't as smooth and shifting from the big ring to the little ring isn't as good on SRAM IMO.

As others have said, its the OP's preference for SRAM that is the limiting factor. Buying a normal bike with 105 (Much more common) and upgrading to SRAM will be expensive and will certainly cost more than the £1k that Planet X are selling the Pro Carbon for.

The Pro Carbon is pretty old now (2010 I think?) and Planet X customer service is appalling (My own experience), but if you have £1k to spend and you want SRAM Force, then I don't think you can do much better. Buying the groupset is £550 on its own.

[Pot Odds]

matt-ITR said:

Dolan L'Etape is worth a look at - L'Etape Rival 22
I have one on test at the moment with a much more expensive groupset, but the frame is a peach.

I would recommend Eastway as well, but they don't have a SRAM build.

I really quite like the look of that Dolan ! hadn't heard of them before - how have you managed to get one on test ? Is it a manufacturers loan for review (i've had similar) or is there some sort of try before you buy as i'd be very interested in trying one out if it was possible.

Some really useful comments from all and some helpful steers at options I hadn't considered. I also quite like the Cannondale Supersix Evo 105 which seemed to receive +ve comments from a couple of you - shame they don't do a comparable SRAM build although I could always swap some bits over but that just seems a faff. Interestingly I couldn't see much difference between the 2014, 15 and 16 Super 6 and the 2015 was also down to 999 (& a better colour :big laugh ?

Are cannonades frames considered superior given that the 105 build is a couple of hundred pounds more expensive than the equivalent specced Planet X ?

I have a friend whose just got a Cannonade Synapse 105 so I might have to take that for a spin as well as another friends boardman pro carbon - given these bikes are both around my price points they should give me an idea how a carbon frame feels etc which may help me decide to stick or twist.

http://www.paulscycles.co.uk/m7b0s6p5762/CANNONDAL...

This also seemed like quite a nice deal to keep things on the SRAM track but might involve a little budget creep:

http://www.paulscycles.co.uk/m7b0s6p5475/CANNONDAL...

http://www.paulscycles.co.uk/m7b0s6p5776/CANNONDAL...

Seems to be a few people on other forums with storeys of cracked planet x frames but then there seems to be the same for other manufacturers too - any thoughts ?

Cheers

Pot Odds

[bakerstreet]

Pot Odds said:

I really quite like the look of that Dolan ! hadn't heard of them before - how have you managed to get one on test ? Is it a manufacturers loan for review (i've had similar) or is there some sort of try before you buy as i'd be very interested in trying one out if it was possible.

Some really useful comments from all and some helpful steers at options I hadn't considered. I also quite like the Cannondale Supersix Evo 105 which seemed to receive +ve comments from a couple of you - shame they don't do a comparable SRAM build although I could always swap some bits over but that just seems a faff. Interestingly I couldn't see much difference between the 2014, 15 and 16 Super 6 and the 2015 was also down to 999 (& a better colour :big laugh ?

Are cannonades frames considered superior given that the 105 build is a couple of hundred pounds more expensive than the equivalent specced Planet X ?

I have a friend whose just got a Cannonade Synapse 105 so I might have to take that for a spin as well as another friends boardman pro carbon - given these bikes are both around my price points they should give me an idea how a carbon frame feels etc which may help me decide to stick or twist.

http://www.paulscycles.co.uk/m7b0s6p5762/CANNONDAL...

This also seemed like quite a nice deal to keep things on the SRAM track but might involve a little budget creep:

http://www.paulscycles.co.uk/m7b0s6p5475/CANNONDAL...

http://www.paulscycles.co.uk/m7b0s6p5776/CANNONDAL...

Seems to be a few people on other forums with storeys of cracked planet x frames but then there seems to be the same for other manufacturers too - any thoughts ?

Cheers

Pot Odds

Its not really a faff to swap groupset items over. In theory you can keep the same chainset and cassette and simply swap bthe front mech, rear mech and shifters. I think 105 brakes work with SRAM shifters.

The Cannondale is a better bike than the Pro Carbon. You are right that there have been very few changes from 2014 for the SuperSix and the Synapse. Synapse is a very different geometry compared to the SuperSix. Synapse is much more upright.

What I don't like about the SuperSix and the Pro Carbon is the lack of internal cable routing. I'm hoping that Cannondakle will sort this for the 2017 model year bikes.

You are also getti0nng very close to the release of the 2017 model year bikes. Expect them to break cover in late July and shops usually start to discount the 2016MY slow sellers (Usually less popular colours)

Keep an eye on the Evans site. They had a SuperSix Evo 105 for £1100 for quite a while.

Have you ridden 105? Quite different to SRAM.

[Barchettaman]

Sure that you need a new bike?

Richard Bussell won the TT Nationals on a bike costing less than a grand, but his comments regarding road bikes are what I´d like to draw your attention to.

Bussell told Cycling Weekly that he was confident that he would not be hindered by not having a top end carbon time trial bike. “I have always been a believer that you don’t need to spend thousands of pounds on equipment in order to be competitive,” he said.

“I have performed well in road races using a second hand Boardman Team Alu frame that I found on eBay for £50.”

http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/product-news/h...

[idiotgap]

Barchettaman said:

Sure that you need a new bike?

Richard Bussell won the TT Nationals on a bike costing less than a grand, but his comments regarding road bikes are what I´d like to draw your attention to.

Bussell told Cycling Weekly that he was confident that he would not be hindered by not having a top end carbon time trial bike. “I have always been a believer that you don’t need to spend thousands of pounds on equipment in order to be competitive,” he said.

“I have performed well in road races using a second hand Boardman Team Alu frame that I found on eBay for £50.”

http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/product-news/h...

There have been a few threads over the years asking "how come my new swish bike isn't any faster than my old one?". My own experience this week is that moving from my £200 second-hand Allez to my new bike brought a useful turn of speed. However, it hasn't increased my speed by as big a margin as the last three weeks of increased mileage have.

I bought the Allez after a 20 year period off cycling just to see if I liked it. The bug bit and I'd been thinking about what to get as a development, I need an 'endurance' geo so was looking at domane/synapse/roubaix etc. I looked into a few different directions:-
- Big name 105 carbon on cycle to work + top-up domane/synapse/roubaix/defy
- planet-x/dolan/merlin/ribble/decathlon etc. also on cycle to work + smaller top-up
- Rose and Canyon (don't do cycletowork)
- build something up from a chinese (dengfu/hongfu) frame + gruppo/wheels/finishing kit from t'internet.

In the end I couldn't look past ebay and I'm now on a slightly used and badly described Colnago for little over half that 1k budget. OK, so it's 10sp 105 a couple of years old, but there's little evidence of use and it feels very special to ride (to me at least) and it isn't the same as every other mamil chap has.

I've only done 60 miles, but so far I'm really appreciating the smoothness of the carbon over the harsh alu feel on the less well made roads and that was one of the key things I was after.

One downside is the way I feel when I'm stopped at the lights. I'm always checking out what the other folk round me are riding and making snap judgements on their character based on their chosen ride, estimated weight, clothing choices and how well used their kit is. Not sure how I'm perceived now, feel I perhaps need to work harder to get the physique to justify the ponceyness of the bike - there are worse problems to have!

[Pot Odds]

bakerstreet said:

Its not really a faff to swap groupset items over. In theory you can keep the same chainset and cassette and simply swap bthe front mech, rear mech and shifters. I think 105 brakes work with SRAM shifters.

The Cannondale is a better bike than the Pro Carbon. You are right that there have been very few changes from 2014 for the SuperSix and the Synapse. Synapse is a very different geometry compared to the SuperSix. Synapse is much more upright.

What I don't like about the SuperSix and the Pro Carbon is the lack of internal cable routing. I'm hoping that Cannondakle will sort this for the 2017 model year bikes.

You are also getti0nng very close to the release of the 2017 model year bikes. Expect them to break cover in late July and shops usually start to discount the 2016MY slow sellers (Usually less popular colours)

Keep an eye on the Evans site. They had a SuperSix Evo 105 for £1100 for quite a while.

Have you ridden 105? Quite different to SRAM.

I tried out 105 on the Boardman Carbon when I 1st got my comp and just preferred SRAM - I'm sure id manage shimano and get used to them but would just prefer SRAM.

Can really relate to the other posters comment about whether a new bike is actually necessary - i'm currently quicker than my carbon biked riding buddies as I've been putting in the miles - no substitute for the engine. I would be hoping for a more comfortable ride on carbon though - really think the answers going to be riding my buddies bikes and seeing how i get along and whether I think its worth it.

Thanks all for your input

[Pot Odds]

Nothing purchased as yet, things got busy but i'm still thinking about scratching the itch. I did start another thread as I really liked this when I saw it in the flesh and campag shifters seem to be an option as i don't have to use the brake lever:

http://www.winstanleysbikes.co.uk/product/75116/Bi...

As an owner of 2 board mans already i also like this:

http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bikes/road-bikes/b...

Its pretty close to what i'd be looking for as its full sram force. Not sure on the colour till i see it in the flesh but i wouldn't not buy it just for that. Also the combination of british cycling discount and vouchers which i can get through work would bring it down to £1165 which seems a blistering deal for full sram force. I'm going to hopefully ride one later this week if they'll let me take one out as I want to see what my 40+ lightly bellied frame makes of race geometry !

Will also hopefully get a ride on the bianchi before the week is out but the value seems to be in the boardman. Both have the option for me to swap out to a medium cage and an 11/32 if i find i need to (Campag now have the potenza range which has an 11/32 option).