Talk to me about aluminum frames

[oldmill]

I was all set to pull the trigger on a ti light all-road bike. Now Smiley's gravel grinder and some of the stuff on Zanconato's site have me wondering: Why not aluminum? It's certainly cheaper. What am I giving up though?

[Gummee]

Your wallet will be lots heavier for a starter.

After that, it comes down to nuances.

Borrow a few people's bikes (if you can) and see what you prefer

M

[purpurite]

I have had 2 aluminum frames in my life, and I immensely disliked both of them. I felt they rode really harsh, and between my light weight and boney arse, I couldn't stand riding them. One was road, one was MTB, by the way.

Personally, I prefer the ride of steel or titanium, but I think everyone is different. I know there are aluminum bikes out there that don't ride harsh, I just don't have any interest in owning one again.

[Fatty]

Fit trumps frame material for comfort.

[BdaGhisallo]

Fit trumps frame material for comfort.

Truer words have never been spoken (in a cycling forum).

[purpurite]

Fit trumps frame material for comfort.

Of course it does, but all things being equal with fit, different frame materials ride very differently.

Ride all that you can afford to decide what suits you best.

[etu]

There are a lot of fans of aluminum here, although as with all materials there is a range and variability in the ride depending on design and construction. As Gummee suggests, best advice is to do some test riding.
But since you are asking for individual impressions, I think aluminum seems to talk a lot (high frequency road feedback), steel a little less, ti yet more reserved, carbon even more so. I like bikes that talk, but depending on my mood, sometimes it can get a bit annoying if it's too much. YMMV.

[oldmill]

Yes - I hear you on the ride quality. I had a Klein years ago, so I know of what you speak, and agree. The ride quality on aluminum frames these days though is said to better, and I'm wondering if the 30-32 tires I'm planning for this project would mitigate the harshness anyway. But it's quite possible that I'm rationalizing after being blinded by price comparisons.

[mattsbeers]

My favorite material! I would say if you are considering any material also consider the use of the bike. Is a Dodge Viper a good car?

For what? What are you doing with it?

Aluminum is great if you want a light, strong and stiff bike for going 10/10ths.
If most of your rides are zone 2/3 putts with the occasional old guy sprint than TI or steel is prob your bag. But if you want to go real fast for cheap(ish), aluminum is king.

I had a custom 7005 Primus Mootry that I did multiple 100mile training days on but they were hammerfests not stop for coffee in an hour and then for a panini and "oh look at that flicker tail."

Horses for courses. Try one, god knows no one here needs a better excuse for a new bike than for.....education.


PS........if you're worried about ride quality than you're missing the point.

[purpurite]

if you're worried about ride quality than you're missing the point.

So tell me, exactly what is the point, then?




If I'm not racing, why would I want an uncomfortable ride? And even if I am racing, comfort is (still) an issue. Most are not making a living with their bikes, I would think that comfort is likely paramount to most recreational riders.

[etu]

i reacquired one of my favorite bikes 2005/6 caad 8 last year and it felt great until descending at the end of a hard ride on some bad chipseal and it felt like hell. changed the tire from 23 to 28s which definitely made an improvement. i know rocklobsters are said to have a well tuned ride that quiets the bike a bit. haven't had personal experience, but i've been on the fence of ordering one for last several months.
i'd try to leave price out of the equation and just focus on what fits your needs and preferences the best. to your original question, i don't think you're giving up anything, just trading one set of characteristics for another.

[Fatty]

Yes - I hear you on the ride quality. I had a Klein years ago, so I know of what you speak, and agree. The ride quality on aluminum frames these days though is said to better, and I'm wondering if the 30-32 tires I'm planning for this project would mitigate the harshness anyway. But it's quite possible that I'm rationalizing after being blinded by price comparisons.

Those older Kleins had a reputation for a spine tingling ride.

[Dead Man]

PS........if you're worried about ride quality than you're missing the point.

If we're talking about criterium exclusively, sure... but the OP said nothing about racing.

So barring that - expound, please?

[etu]

My favorite material! I would say if you are considering any material also consider the use of the bike. Is a Dodge Viper a good car?

For what? What are you doing with it?

Aluminum is great if you want a light, strong and stiff bike for going 10/10ths.
If most of your rides are zone 2/3 putts with the occasional old guy sprint than TI or steel is prob your bag. But if you want to go real fast for cheap(ish), aluminum is king.

I had a custom 7005 Primus Mootry that I did multiple 100mile training days on but they were hammerfests not stop for coffee in an hour and then for a panini and "oh look at that flicker tail."

Horses for courses. Try one, god knows no one here needs a better excuse for a new bike than for.....education.


PS........if you're worried about ride quality than you're missing the point.

1+
Even for a non-racer, having a bike that kicks you in butt to go harder can be fun, and it does have it's own very enthusiatic type of ride quality.
My preliminary conversation with Paul Sadoff was "Yeah, I think I want something mainly for riding hard when my friends and we are trying to hurt ourselves and each other (not that we're riding fast).
Learning about what you like in a bike definitely can be a fun but expensive part of the hobby.

[nooneline]

I was all set to pull the trigger on a ti light all-road bike. Now Smiley's gravel grinder and some of the stuff on Zanconato's site have me wondering: Why not aluminum? It's certainly cheaper. What am I giving up though?

I ride aluminum frames (for my race bikes) exclusively because they are affordable, rugged, and a lot better than they used to be. Race what you can replace, and I feel better about throwing a $700 frame into the trunk of a car, or into my airplane travelbag and jamming the bag full of supplies, than I would one twice the price. Plus, right now, I'd say that there's a quiet renaissance of affordable, high-quality aluminum frames.

I've ridding very compliant carbon frames, pretty stiff and bouncy ones; I've ridden very comfortable aluminum bikes and I've ridden very stiff ones. There are a lot of generalizations out there about frame material but it really varies by bike. Variables include: frame material; tubing details; fit; geometry; wheels; tires and tire pressure; weight distribution; riding style. With that many variables it's hard to talk about just one of them as if rules of thumb are generalizeable across frames designed and built very differently.

In general, though, much aluminum is a little bit less comfortable than much carbon - and so I prefer wide rims with 25s for training (I did use a Spooky Skeletor with narrow rims and 22mm tires for a while and I'm not sure what I was thinking; when I switched to wide rims it was a real revelation). If you're talking about a gravel grinder or something that's going to use 30+mm tires than I'd say that some of the rules of thumb about aluminum being jarring can go right out the window - your tires are going to take care of that.

[LJohnny]

With Al it can be surprising: I have a commuting bike, a Flyte SRS-3, former Airborne company, that rides very, very smoothly, not harsh at all. Geometry, material, butted or not, etc and fit make a huge difference.

[fuzzalow]

Fit trumps frame material for comfort.

Truer words have never been spoken (in a cycling forum).

Yes as agreement to above but there is a void in the ambiguity of what is meant by "fit" and how that is approached, carried out and implemented. Which renders the phrase a cliche and perhaps not all that helpful in actually solving the problem.

Of course, no criticism of the posters here is intended. My point being in illustrating the syntax and semantics of the advice as being correct but in reality barely scratching the surface of getting to a solution.

Kinda like the oft given advice to find a good fitter in helping solve discomfort on the bike. That's great advice! Now tell me what makes for a "good" fitter and how does anybody find a person with such skills?

Aluminum bike ride as any good bike might. AL bikes feel different only in how they transmit road feel back through the rider contact points because the resonant frequency of a AL frame is different that the frequency and transmission of feedback from carbon, steel or Ti frames.

To the OP: Giving up in going AL from some other material? No not giving up, just different.

Easy to take a good bike and screw it up with a bad fit.

[mattsbeers]

So tell me, exactly what is the point, then?
If I'm not racing, why would I want an uncomfortable ride? And even if I am racing, comfort is (still) an issue. Most are not making a living with their bikes, I would think that comfort is likely paramount to most recreational riders.

My opinion is definitely more "across the hall" but there is more to comfort than the frame material. Tires, wheels..........FIT? I'm not saying the you should be uncomfortable. I'm saying that if comfort is your first worry than you may have already made up your mind.

But if the thread started as "I want to go fast!"........most amateurs (my self included) never race longer than and hour or two(ish). Never once have I said during a race....."oh this is comfortable."

Sounds like your predisposition has already made up your mind and really I hate that in every thread about aluminum some old guys chimes in and rehashes some anecdote about a Klien. :confused:

[shinomaster]

Aluminum = fast, my caad4 hurt my lover back however..

[scrubadub]

The bike is not the material, but at the end of the day, it's all about your perceptions. I have a Klein Attitude that I love love love. There is a real zip both on and off-road yet I find the ride really comfortable.

Since it sounds like you're looking at a custom, talk to the builders you are interested in, tell them what you want, and let them tune the bike for you.

[mattsbeers]

To the OP: Giving up in going AL from some other material? No not giving up, just different.

This! :hello:

[FlashUNC]

Spent the better part of the last year splitting time between a Rock Lobster and a Della Santa, so I'm pretty familiar with the alu/steel thing.

I'm increasingly of the mind the material matters less than the frame fit, tire pressure and fork material.

The Lobster has some beefy alu tubes -- it wasn't built with weight as the primary concern -- and rides every bit as nicely as my Della Santa. I don't notice it as any more harsh or buzzy. Its stiffer, and maybe a bit more lively to react when you stand on the pedals -- and the road feel is a bit different -- but I wouldn't consider it a negative. With 25mm tires the ride is plenty plush even on crap roads.

Its certainly not the gooch-puncher that CAAD 2s or CAAD 3s used to be. Alu, just like carbon or steel, has come a long way.

Find someone who builds good alu bikes, and you'll find a nice riding bike.

[doomridesout]

Keep in mind that if it's going to be a gravel ride and you think rocks are going to be whipping up at the downtube, Ti still has some advantages. Aluminum can be rugged, but the paint might chip and the kind of butting you'd want to have to make a more compliant ride might make the tubes thinner and easier to damage.

Comfort for me is most relevant when I'm just cruising easy-- think about the proportion of time you spend going hard on the rides you want to do.

[tv_vt]

I've had 3 aluminum frames over the decades. Trek 2000 bonded frame was comfy, but not stiff, especially in the chainstays. Rode that for at least 20,000 miles. A Serotta Colorado Al came along in the late 90's and it was far stiffer, no flex anywhere. But eventually it killed me. No comfort at all. Ten years ago, I had a Fondriest Top Level. That was a great frame. Worked every which way.

Bottom line, I guess, is that it's not just the material, but how it's made (geometry, tubing shape and diameters, etc) and how well it fits.

But as a postscript, my rides are ti and carbon these days. I really like titanium.

[Fatty]

My opinion is definitely more "across the hall" but there is more to comfort than the frame material. Tires, wheels..........FIT? I'm not saying the you should be uncomfortable. I'm saying that if comfort is your first worry than you may have already made up your mind.

But if the thread started as "I want to go fast!"........most amateurs (my self included) never race longer than and hour or two(ish). Never once have I said during a race....."oh this is comfortable."

Sounds like your predisposition has already made up your mind and really I hate that in every thread about aluminum some old guys chimes in and rehashes some anecdote about a Klien. :confused:

Some old guy?
Didn't the OP state he didn't like the ride of his Klein?

[OtayBW]

Aesthetically, welds in Al just don't do it for me, especially compared to welds in Ti by someone who knows what he's doing. But, granted - aesthetics is just one piece of the puzzle....

[oldmill]

To the extent that this actually does happen a lot, the Klein references may spring from the fact that the bike perfectly illustrates the issue at hand: there was an apparent tradeoff between an otherwise excellent bike in terms of handling, speed, etc on the one hand, and comfort on the other. This query was for an all-road bike, so the comparison isn't direct. But the question is whether that tradeoff need still apply, and the consensus seems to be that it doesn't. Or if it does it's less of a stark swap. Thanks much for replies. Most helpful.

[dcama5]

Mike Zanconato just finished an aluminum road frame for me. Here it is in British racing green. It was supposed to be delivered yesterday but UPS delayed it due to the storm. Mike is a great builder and an all-round great guy to deal with.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/zanconato/

[Ronsonic]

Fit trumps frame material for comfort.

This.

And..... It ain't the material, it's the execution. I had the experience of transferring nearly all the parts, including the wheels from a Klein Rascal to a GT. Both aluminum, and completely different in terms of road feel, especially tire buzz.

[Climb01742]

Asking how an aluminum bike rides is sorta like asking, what does beer taste like?

Well, it depends.:D

The one frame I have that I will never sell is my CCKMP from Dario. The best way I know to describe how it rides is...uniquely.

As with so many frames, how an alu frame will ride depends on the builder, the design, the tubes, the wheels/tires...yadda, yadda, yadda.

A great builder can build you a great alu frame. I'd pick the builder in conjunction with the material.

[nahtnoj]

This thread could use some input from someone who has ridden an aluminium frame manufactured after 2004. Please, tell me more about your early 1990s Cannondale or Klein...

[Davist]

I have a CAAD 10 and a super 6 cannondale, set up identically. Front end on the super 6 is a little twitchier due to minor geometry changes. Both are "race" bikes so not going to be super plush or whatever.

I use the CAAD 10 now in the winter mostly. I ride 100-200 miles a week on either, weather (snowmageddon!) permitting, longest on weekends about 50-75 miles each day. Probably like most everyone else, 16-18mph 50'-75' vertical/mile in our geography here.

I like both, on a longer ride, the carbon frame is a bit more comfortable (after 3 hours roughly) but I only notice after the end of the ride, a tiny bit less fatigue comes through. The CAAD 10 is a GREAT upgrade from my 3.0 or whatever the 90s version was, much lighter, no loose fillings, great ride. Don't be afraid of aluminum, I say.

I haven't tried any of the custom frames mentioned, but sure you would be well served by an aluminum bike. If you don't like it, you can always recycle it...

[thattallasiangu]

I think it is quite honestly all just personal preference. I mean, what may seem harsh to some, might not be to others. Would one prefer a stiffer, harsher ride, as opposed to a softer, less-harsh ride?

Personal Preference.

[dave thompson]

An aluminum bike can be made to suit what the rider desires. I had bikes made for me, as well as off the peg units, of near every material available. One of my least favorites was a Ti bike due to a communication error, my fault.One of my all time favorites is my current aluminum ride, a Tsunami. As someone else posted, fit (and appropriate construction) trump materials. I would love to have another alu made, Zank, Paul Sadoff, Frank the Welder and a few others all could make something eminently suitable.

[biker72]

I have a Seven Axiom titanium and two Specialized aluminum bikes.
I like all three of them for different reasons. I'm not comfortable taking my Seven down a gravel road nor trying to set the Hour Record with my Diverge...:p

The ride on both bikes is very nice.

[ultraman6970]

My problem with the old aluminum cannondales is that the sucker that designed them should be put down!! what surprise me the most is that people actually bought them, that ugly cramp stays and the ugly dropout killed the bikes big time, just ugly. Not saying were bad.. just fugly.

Then in my books you have the new generations of aluminum bikes, the ridley compact was/is fantastic... then you jump to high end aluminum with derosa merak, planet and team, all of those look like were made of carbon because they used another process to smooth the welds, the next one in my list is the colnago dream... never tried a caad but the problem finding one of those is that for sure will have a dent somewhere, and that kind'a dragged me off of buying one of those frames to try. Frames are super light and stiff but the tubes are stupidly thin... people buys light and stiff.

I ride aluminum and have or had the frames I mentioned, all of them ride differently tho. The compact and the derosas are racing frames, responsive and snappy fast in all situations, the colnago dream was interesting because is not like the others, is stiff but is not a snappy racing frame, this one needs to gain momentum little by little and when it goes it goes steady, even going up hill is like that (4 me), you cant just jump to an attack going uphill in a dream as you can do in a derosa... but when you have it moving it will climb just fine.

Aluminum as material is ok, the problem is that some manufacturers used some weird @$$ geometries (trek and spech, the kings of weird @$$ geometries) to please people in their market niches that you really question how bad the material is, and is not the material is the cr@p they made with it.

As a test, you have bunch of young and small manufacturers building killer bikes in aluminum...


This thread could use some input from someone who has ridden an aluminium frame manufactured after 2004. Please, tell me more about your early 1990s Cannondale or Klein...

[dcama5]

Aesthetically, welds in Al just don't do it for me, especially compared to welds in Ti by someone who knows what he's doing. But, granted - aesthetics is just one piece of the puzzle....

Yes, I used to hate the welds in aluminum. I thought they looked like someone had stuck bubble gum around the tube junction. Then I started seeing some aluminum frames by Zanconato, Gaulzetti, and Sadoff (Rock Lobster) and, for some reason, my opinion changed completely. We will see how this new Zank rides, but I am betting it will be sweet with Dura-Ace 7800 10 speed on it.

[Gummee]

My opinion is definitely more "across the hall" but there is more to comfort than the frame material. Tires, wheels..........FIT? I'm not saying the you should be uncomfortable. I'm saying that if comfort is your first worry than you may have already made up your mind.

But if the thread started as "I want to go fast!"........most amateurs (my self included) never race longer than and hour or two(ish). Never once have I said during a race....."oh this is comfortable."

Sounds like your predisposition has already made up your mind and really I hate that in every thread about aluminum some old guys chimes in and rehashes some anecdote about a Klien. :confused:
I'll be different and chime in about my 87 Cannondale Criterium frame then. Ugh. Can you say 'uber stiff?!'

so much so that even in my 20s I had sore backs and other issues after being on it longer'n about 90min.

Sold that bike to a friend of a friend who was 240 on a good day, went to an SLX Concorde and didn't ride another C-dale till a buddy's CAAD8.

Still stiff, but not as bone-jarring. He loved riding that C-dale!

In the meantime, I'd gone down the SpecialHuffy route with a series of S-Workses. From an M2 Road pro, to an 02 S-Works that I still own and ride, to an M4 S-Works that I didn't particularly care for.

My 02 S-Works is still one of my favorite-riding bikes. I still really enjoy riding it. ...and its AL.

The gist of all this: you can't judge a bike by the material its made out of. There's some seriously stiff, nasty-riding AL bikes and serisously stiff and nasty-riding carbon (5200), etc

M

[livingminimal]

With the glut of affordable, high quality frames on the (barely) used market place these days, I am not sure the purpose of ALU than just to have something different. Differences in weight, durability, etc in 2016 are negligible at best.

Carbon rockets for racing can be had with minimal miles, here or on other forums or eBay.

Fit does matter the most, as does builder knowledge+ quality, however if you can achieve your stack and reach on bikes of every material, with seat and head tube angles you find acceptable, you're going to feel differences in ride quality.

[shinomaster]

Mike Zanconato just finished an aluminum road frame for me. Here it is in British racing green. It was supposed to be delivered yesterday but UPS delayed it due to the storm. Mike is a great builder and an all-round great guy to deal with.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/zanconato/

Oh you lucky dog! Mike made me a tig frame last summer and I'm now coveting an aluminum frame too. Is that green paint or powder?

[rccardr]

I actually happen to LOVE late 80's Cannondale frames, both the ST and SR series. Understand that I own quite a few bikes, including a number of classic steel lugged ones, so I can ride pretty much whatever I want.

But today, for the Tour de Palm Springs century (yay, left DC just ahead of the snow!) I rode my '88 ST with modern Deore derailleurs, 10 speeds on Ultegra hubs with Open Pro rims, compact Sugino crankset and Tektro braking system. It's my travel bike, goes all over the country with me in an EVOC bag. Set a PB for the century, too, then had a hot shower and a cold beer, and feel pretty great. No buzz. So, there's that data point. Keep in mind that the 88's had Tange steel forks.

My 88 SR simply rocks on club rides and Thursday night Grands Prix. Set up with the original Shimano 105 6 speed double with 3TTT stem and bars, Dura Ace hubs on Open Pro's, and again a Tektro braking system. It's great for 50-ish mile rides, not twitchy, and again with a Tange steel fork. So, there's another data point.

Bottom line is, as Dave said earlier, the material is not as critical as the execution. I happen to think that by the late 80's Cannondale was doing a pretty good job with the filleting. At least three guys today took me aside at rest stops to tell me they thought the bike was stunning. So...there's that.

[Ronsonic]

This thread could use some input from someone who has ridden an aluminium frame manufactured after 2004. Please, tell me more about your early 1990s Cannondale or Klein...

Sure, I could go all day.

I think that gets mentioned a lot because the differences were stark. Since then knowledge of the material and its use in bikes has spread and there are plenty of good ones. Now it's just another material, pay your money, take your choice.

[dcama5]

Oh you lucky dog! Mike made me a tig frame last summer and I'm now coveting an aluminum frame too. Is that green paint or powder?

It's powder, which I like because of durability. It's British racing green and it will get Dura-Ace 10 speed 7800 which I have from another frame that I sold last year.

[firerescuefin]

I have had 2 aluminum frames in my life, and I immensely disliked both of them. I felt they rode really harsh, and between my light weight and boney arse, I couldn't stand riding them. One was road, one was MTB, by the way.

What bikes?

.....I've had a handful of aluminum bikes. If you have ridden something produced recently, you might be surprised. I echo your thoughts regarding some of the earlier offerings. Some of the more recent stuff is much better tuned and beyond "rideable"

[livingminimal]

What bikes?

.....I've had a handful of aluminum bikes. If you have ridden something produced recently, you might be surprised. I echo your thoughts regarding some of the earlier offerings. Some of the more recent stuff is much better tuned and beyond "rideable"


I dunno. I had a 2010 Cervelo S1. It was ok but really only had one appropriate application ATMO: crit trash bike. Taking it on a couple of longer rides was absolutely ass-splitting. Saddle I had on it was terrible too, but I could feel the alloy through the front half-of my body as much as anywhere. Full disclosure: the bike was slightly too big for me as well.

[sjbraun]

To judge modern Al bikes by those of the past is just foolish. Not unlike steel, Al tubesets have been improved in the last 5-10 years. Comparing 1990s Cannondales to the frames made today is not a fair comparison. Does anyone think builders like Zanconato would create in Al if it couldn't be made into a nice riding bike?
And if the OP is looking for an all-road bike, (which is what he stated,) then he'll want lots of tire clearance and big, fat, plump tires will take the buzz out of any material.

[ultraman6970]

Who knows what upon3 was riding, sometimes even getting the wrong size makes you have bad reviews of an specific frame.

But there is another problem too, some riders like to ride in magic carpets too, those are the ones that complain even about columbus max for example.

[FastforaSlowGuy]

Anyone who opines on aluminum's ride based on their experience 15+ years ago is talking out their arse. It's a totally different world now and has been for quite a while. Yes, you can still find plenty of harsh aluminum bikes, in large part because the few out there in mass production are too often used for low end models. But if you are talking about high end custom, that's a totally different universe. My CAAD9 was no more harsh than my Seven (exact same components), and easier on my body than two prior carbon bikes. And my back is especially sensitive after a herniated disc some years back. I have a Zanc on order now for CX and gravel riding.

Edit: I owned a CAAD way back, and yes it ride like a wooden wagon.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[11.4]

First off, there's a best bike for every rider, and it can be different for every one. Other people's opinions don't get you that far.

Second, age of the frame is critical. A lot of criticism of aluminum frames comes from early frames that sometimes rattled your teeth. Frame designs, construction, alloys, tubing designs, features, and everything else have changed. Now I never really disliked older CAAD frames, but mostly rode custom steel or ti, and then carbon. But let's be clear that carbon and aluminum have undergone evolutions in performance that steel and ti really haven't.

I have both a 2015 CAAD10 and a 2016 CAAD12, and I'm looking seriously at either a Gaulzetti or a Zanc. The late CAAD10's were a revolution in alloy frame design so if you hadn't ridden an alloy frame since perhaps 2012, I wouldn't criticize aluminum out of hand. The new CAAD12 is a noticeable step forward in comfort with even more lateral stiffness -- some comes by simple means like a thinner seat post, but mostly it's about customizing every tube and every joint to a degree never done before. I have a loaner 2016 Specialized Allez with all the new hydroforming, and have to say it's also leap forward -- a real race bike but with comfort like a really smooth titanium Serotta.

One issue, as pointed out above, has also had to do with fit. We all know that when we ride with a group, there are a lot -- perhaps a majority -- of people with fits that need adjustment. And a rider will never like the ride of a bike they aren't a fit for.

And last, let's remember that the last time alloy frames were popular, 21 mm was considered a wide tire, people ride higher pressures, and we didn't have the saddle choices and generally didn't have the sophistication of fit that we have today. It's hard to make any frame as comfortable or even as good a racing frame under such limitations.

[Lionel]

This bike rocks in every way. Talking about comfort from different material is missing the point. Play with tire pressure and tire width instead. It was my choice for Paris Roubaix last year and I did not finish more or less beaten up on it that I was on my steel Zanc 2 years earlier.

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5678/21240417725_56a3197dd7_h.jpg

[nooneline]

I have a loaner 2016 Specialized Allez with all the new hydroforming, and have to say it's also leap forward -- a real race bike but with comfort like a really smooth titanium Serotta.

I got rid of a very nice bike that I still think fondly of (a Bianchi 928 T-Cube - absolutely loved it) in order to ride and race a Specialized Allez. I think I'm about to start my 3rd season on it. I love it so much.

One would never confused it for a different material, but it certainly puts pain to outdated overgeneralizations of aluminum having a certain quality.

I also used to ride a CoMotion Ristretto that was without a doubt the nicest-riding and most comfortable frame I've ridden.

[sandyrs]

My Merckx Team SC (2001) didn't even fit me perfectly and it was the best-handling, most fun-to-ride road bike I've owned. I was rear-ended with it on my trunk rack or I would still be riding it today... and I'm using the insurance money on a Gaulzetti. So yeah, I'm in the "don't generalize about alu" camp. You can build a great bike out of any of the main four materials.

http://forums.thepaceline.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=1697903537&stc=1&d=1436718921

[merckx]

The Team SC was a remarkably nice machine. Sure-footed, damp enough, and fun to motor on.

[dcama5]

This bike rocks in every way. Talking about comfort from different material is missing the point. Play with tire pressure and tire width instead. It was my choice for Paris Roubaix last year and I did not finish more or less beaten up on it that I was on my steel Zanc 2 years earlier.

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5678/21240417725_56a3197dd7_h.jpg

There's a gorgeous Rock Lobster and that's why I am trying an aluminum frame - although mine will be a Zank.

[Lionel]

There's a gorgeous Rock Lobster and that's why I am trying an aluminum frame - although mine will be a Zank.

You should not be disappointed with an alum Zank! My RL is made with a super light Deda tubeset that I requested and I am quite happy I went that way. Frame is very light, snappy and stiff. Paul mentioned it was quite difficult to weld it, the tube set was shipped to him with a special welding rod from Deda.

[smead]

Love my '03 Allez Pro, trainer for the last 10 years, still rocks, I'm sure it's just as capable as the latest AL offerings ..., just less blingy.

[merckx]

You should not be disappointed with an alum Zank! My RL is made with a super light Deda tubeset that I requested and I am quite happy I went that way. Frame is very light, snappy and stiff. Paul mentioned it was quite difficult to weld it, the tube set was shipped to him with a special welding rod from Deda.

Lionel, did Paul give you a risk factor for cracking? How much do you weigh?

[Lionel]

Lionel, did Paul give you a risk factor for cracking? How much do you weigh?

He did not, I am 85kg

[merckx]

He did not, I am 85kg

Good stuff. I assume if it was risky, he would have mentioned it.

[Lionel]

Yeah, it was the first (and maybe the last) time he used that series.

[Walter]

I have ridden many different bikes through the years (steel, ti, carbon and alu). Had a Cannondale in the early 80's that shook my filings. Vowed never to place my fanny on an alu frame again.

More recently ran across a sweet deal on a used Spookey Skeletor. Great bike, a world removed from the early Cannondale, and a hoot to ride...

Try the newer alu and you will be surprised.

[54ny77]

I have a few alu bikes, a few custom and one CAAD 9. All of them are modern iterations on the material. They are great, don't listen to the naysayers, esp those who reference their alu experience on a CAAD 8 or even earlier CAADs. Totally irrelevant opinion to what modern CAADs are about. With nice wheels and 25s, they're great.

A custom done with modern tubing and a great fit will be a treat, and won't break the bank (relatively speaking).