What's the difference?

[IanJ]

Good point Mampara, fit is important. It has never really been an issue for me so I tend to overlook it seeing as the first (proper) road bike I got was the correct frame size and it has always been comfortable.

 

 

 

[Tumbleweed]

I will go with fit.  The best bike I've ever had was my 1994 Sancini. Looking past the fact that it was steel' date=' the fit was perfect. I could ride days on this thing never feel any discomfort. I know you can tweek todays frames with stem lenghts and layback seatpost but with the staight off-the-floor parts that hing was perfect for me. I've got longer legs then torso. So I need a 57 frame with a 56 top tube. You do not get those except in Bianchi (and the Sancinis were build using their geometry).

[/quote']

 

if you measure someone up in the shop, they may (scuse the pun) straddle the divide between different frame sizes. the advent of the compact road frames also threw conventional sizing a curveball.

[Christie]

There could be much more difference between 2 carbon frames of different brands than 2 metal frames.

 

1. type of fibers used: This can be standard grade carbon like T300, a high modulus (stiffer) like M40, or high strength fiber like aramid (yellow stuff).

2. Laminate: the amount of layers in different areas will differ, and layers can be made up of any combination of different fiber types.

3. layup angle: All the layers can have different angles, from 0 to 90 degrees, depending on the design. Unidirectional (all fibres same angle)lay-up can also be used.

4. weave of material: cloth can be made from bundles of fiber that have 3000 strands (3k, small squares) or 12000 strands (12k, large squares). Different types of fiber can also be woven into the same cloth to form a hybrid weave.

5. Construction technique: tubes can be joined by lugs, wrapped joints, or the whole frame can be made in one mould (monocock)

 

Engineering expertise is needed to combine all of the above to make a good carbon frame. The Tour magazine frame shootout gives a good indication of who are the best and who are just throwing stuff into a mould and hoping the end result is ok. Based on measured mechanical performance, Cervelo, Stork, Scott, Cannondale, Specialized are on top. Look, Colnago, Wilier, Giant, Merida, Pinarello Prince make up the middle, and the Ridley Noah and Pinarello Paris rate te worst of the frames tested.  

[Velouria]

A new bike is always better than an old bike (but not necessarily faster )

[NotSoBigBen]

A new bike is always better than an old bike (but not necessarily faster )

 

Don't you dare make such a blasphemous statement near my wife!

[Sammajoor]

 

Sorry guys I know it is late but I really just want to know why people say things such as a Cannondale is better than a Look and so on.

 

I need some justification to those sorts of statements. Dura Ace on a Look is the same as Dura Ace on a Cannondale so that can't be it. Fit exacty the same components to different frames and what makes one better than the other?

 

Or is it maybe just Amstel vs Castle and a matter of taste rather than technicality?

 

crux luvs cannondale.  enough said.

I luv what I cannot afford.

 

Two things

 

Firstly Castle's fermenting process is chemically quickened ie they add chemicals to haste up the fermenting whereby Amstel is brewed in the age old yeast fermentation process.  And the taste of Amstel is so much better

 

Secondly does Konafan have the hots for Megan Fox