Upgrading from Alu to Carbon

[CharlV]

Let's here your comments on this ...............?

 

I started road racing this year and have completed 6 X 90 km + races

I did the first two races with a Giant TCR team bike (10 years old ) with a carbon fork and Shimano 600 components. Then my backside itched and I convinced myself I needed to have a Carbon Bike becuse "it makes you go faster and the ride is better" ...........Ye right!

I have done Carousel Classic ;Dome2Dome; Harties Sasko; Jakaranda Classic: all above 90 km and my times have been consistent around the 3h15 mark . Agreed races differ in difficulty but I have not seen R20 000 difference from the Giant Tcr Alu to the Merida 906 Ultegra .

 

Future "upgraders", think twice on going Carbon if your Alu will cost you 1/2 the price,also believe me the ride is not different and still K@K to get over the last 20km's. O and yes I can afford the R20 000 upgrade , but if I had to do it again ALu all the way ,with some spare money to spend on pimping the ride and some more to spare on taking the Misses out for a shopping spree!

 

SPEAK TO ME !

[Oltremo]

It is not only about the minutes shaved off, and whether that is Rx000 worth.

I enjoy my sport / my hobby, and I enjoy all the gadgets and technological advancements that go with it. I train hard, I ride hard, I spend a lot of money on my sport / hobby, and it provides me with a really lekker feeling.

The missus gets enough from me, my cycling is FOR ME !!!

[CharlV]

Touche!

[Bman]

cool post so even if the bikes 7 years old its still going to graph the same way at the end of the day if you dont have the 20 odd to spend

[gummibear]

There is nothing wrong with aluminium.

Look at the new 2011 CaaD10 from Cannondale

 

http://www.cannondale.com/usa/usaeng/CannondaleFiles/ProductImages//2000_1300_5515_sourceImage.jpg

[MTB_Roadie]

I use a Scott Speedster S5...got it for free, it even has an Alu fork...with my old Tiagra 9-Speed groupie I stayed with the carbon bikes over the climbs at the 100km Knysna route....even dropped a load of them at Hoekwil, the bike helps to a certain point, but in the end it is the guy riding it...I would love a R30k+ roadbike, but it is a luxury, not a necessity but if you can afford it then do it, you don't need a Ferrari as you can only go 120km/h, but it still looks super awesome!

[Starvin' Marvin]

I didn't need carbon I just wanted it so I bought it.

[CharlV]

I use a Scott Speedster S5...got it for free, it even has an Alu fork...with my old Tiagra 9-Speed groupie I stayed with the carbon bikes over the climbs at the 100km Knysna route....even dropped a load of them at Hoekwil, the bike helps to a certain point, but in the end it is the guy riding it...I would love a R30k+ roadbike, but it is a luxury, not a necessity but if you can afford it then do it, you don't need a Ferrari as you can only go 120km/h, but it still looks super awesome!

 

 

My point excacetly !

[CharlV]

There is nothing wrong with aluminium.

Look at the new 2011 CaaD10 from Cannondale

 

 

Flippit !

 

http://www.cannondale.com/usa/usaeng/CannondaleFiles/ProductImages//2000_1300_5515_sourceImage.jpg

[Cyclewizz]

It's all about looking good while cycling :thumbup:

 

Must say that I love my carbon bike compared to my Alu bike.

Doubt that I will ever go back to Alu.

 

Sunday I'll know what difference the carbon makes. ;)

[MariusL]

I'm with you MTB_Roadie... my CAAD9 looks the business (IMO better than a lot of full carbin bikes), weighs under 7kg's... at probably half the price of a carbon bike... who needs carbon???

Edited November 19, 2010 by MariusL

[Monark]

I agree, look at the Giant Anthem X1 it weighs in at 11kgs and is full alu!

 

You now get some fancy new Meridas that are full carbon and weigh in at 11.2kg!

 

Who needs carbon??

 

I love the look of the carbon bikes but would hate to drop one whilst riding down a rocky trail.

[sputnik-f1]

My two pence worth: A good quality Alu bike will be miles ahead of a bad quality carbon one.

The most important and noticeable upgrade one can make is a quality set of wheels.

[Tankman]

Just remember buying carbon is not going to make you fitter!

[Minion]

I was under no illusion that my carbon bike would make me go faster just because it was carbon. The fit was better, but I could have gotten that from another aluminium bike. However, I like cool stuff and no alumium bike ever appealed to me like my carbon bike does.

 

For me, the ultimate long term value-for-money cycling spends would have to be a power meter and coaching. I've spent less on these tow than the cost of a set of high-end wheels but they've provided a significantly greater improvement than any other bike or component purchase ever has (or likely could).

[Eugene]

That's your problem........you did not spend enough. You should have spent another R60 grand or so and got yourself a Dogma. The asymetrical frame, and aluminium inpregnated carbon nano fibres would have given you all the speed advantage that you needed.

 

Instead of finishing 453rd in the 90km race, you will have finished 449th. See, an extra R60 grand would have earned you another 4 places.