What's the best frame material for a century ride?

[jischr]

All y'all gave good comments about what better hubs are on the market. So lets talk frame materials for a sec. What's your favorite frame material for riding a 100-150 miles at a time; carbon, titanium, aluminium, steel, bamboo? Does frame weight really matter for 20-25 mph rides on rolling terrain? Since I've had the same double butted steel frame for the last 26 years, I'd be interested in hearing your experience with the newer materials for this application.

John

[CaptStash]

For what it's worth I have a steel (IF Crown Jewel) and a light harsh stiff scandium bike. I can't comfortably stay on the scandium for more than 70 miles or so. But then again, some of that may be the fit. I did a double century last summer on the IF and was comfy the whole way (tired, Verrrry tired, but comfy). I had quite a few friends on the ride, and all of them were on carbon and were plenty comfy too. So my answer is...no answer. Seems to me it depends on fit and what you like. A lot of folks swear by their Cannondale aluminum bikes.

End of babble.

Captstash....

[Jack Brunk]

This should be interesting to say the least. Design and fit triumph materials any day of the week.

[Louis]

http://www.sowaar.com/wallpapers/Motorcycle/honda/Honda_Goldwing%20(2).jpg

[retrogrouchy]

I would say three materials fit the bill: Steel, steel, and steel.

No wait, that's only one material. Never mind. :cool:

[happycampyer]

I have ridden centuries comfortably on bikes made of (each of) carbon, steel, and ti, so I would agree that fit trumps material. I would also add that finding the right saddle is critical.

[jlwdm]

It is not about the materials. It is how the bike is designed. It also needs to fit.



I have done comfortable double centuries on steel and carbon/ti.

jeff

[Ken Robb]

Any bike with relaxed steering and long chainstays like 44+cm to be sure I'm sitting between the axles and not over the rear one. A B-17 would be a good saddle for me.

The only bikes I've ever had with chainstays this long have all been steel. An alternative would be my Hampsten Strada Bianca in ti by MOOTS with YBB rear end to make up for the chainstays which are a bit shorter.

[rdparadise]

http://www.sowaar.com/wallpapers/Motorcycle/honda/Honda_Goldwing%20(2).jpg

Louis:
:no: That's not fair buddy! :butt:

Anyway, I agree with others regarding fit and bike design/geometry. Additionally, as one other said, the saddle is really important. Bike set up is important too, which goes back to the fit. Personally, I like a more upright position while riding, seems more comfortable to me.

Lastly, tires, wheels and inflation are uber important. These can substantially change the ride quality of just about any bike frame material.

Finally, all said and done, my preference to your question, is my Legend Ti/ST. A nice combination of mostly Ti with a carbon fork and seat stays. Really comfortable for an 100 or more.

Your mileage may vary.

Bob

[false_Aest]

WRONG!


New stuff is better than old stuff except when it's not.
----

You can glean a metric fcuk-tonne (those that are easily offended can make believe that I'm saying a metric tonne of French Connection UK clothing) off of this (and other) board about materials, how they feel, what they weigh, etc.

In the end a good bike made out of _______ is a good bike. A bad bike made out of the same material is a bad bike.

Whether or not it fits you and your riding style is a different question.
----

FWIW I'll choose my CAAD9 ass-hatcheted whip over my steel Serotta any day (Yeah even on a 150 mile ride). And I can definitely feel the 2lb difference on rollers.

[PBWrench]

Ken - When oh when will you reach the obvious conclusion that its time to pass on the Strada to me? I'm getting impatient . . . :crap:

[eddief]

roads are sh*t around here with lots of chip seal being subbed for the smooth of the old days. my guess is your saddle and your tires would be in there for more concern than what it's made out of. i have too many bikes all of which are steel. I have a hard time choosing between a lighter one with carbon fork or a medium one with the full spring of full steel. But 700x25 in a Michelin might be nice.

[Ken Robb]

Ken - When oh when will you reach the obvious conclusion that its time to pass on the Strada to me? I'm getting impatient . . . :crap:

You are NUMBER ONE in line and I am getting on in years. :)

[Elefantino]

I'm betting that a 26-year-old double-butted steel frame rides a hell of a lot better than some of the crap (I mean that in a good way) out there now.

All things (saddles, wheels, etc.) being equal, the most comfortable centuries I ever rode were on 20+-year-old Italian steel.

A close runner-up: My (former) Atlanta.

[Ray]

It don't matter! If the bike fits right and handles right and you have the right parts at the contact points, the material is not material. I've done plenty of centuries on steel and plenty on ti and can't say there was a difference except for the difference in feel between steel and ti which I can feel but I can't say one is better for anything in particular beyond rust resistance. I imagine I'd have been ok on carbon or alu also if all of the particulars had been right - I've just never owned a road bike from either material.

If its designed by someone who knows their stuff and built competently, any material will work.

-Ray

[Lifelover]

For a century you need a frame that has steel head tube, seat lug and BB. The chain stays and seat stays need to be Carbon Fiber and the TT and Seat tube should be Bamboo. Throw in an Aluminum seat post and you have the best century bike ever.

[michael white]

get the seat height and air pressure right and you're good to go.

[oldpotatoe]

All y'all gave good comments about what better hubs are on the market. So lets talk frame materials for a sec. What's your favorite frame material for riding a 100-150 miles at a time; carbon, titanium, aluminium, steel, bamboo? Does frame weight really matter for 20-25 mph rides on rolling terrain? Since I've had the same double butted steel frame for the last 26 years, I'd be interested in hearing your experience with the newer materials for this application.

John

My favorite is Steel or titanium but any material can be subjectively good or bad or ?? to any given rider. There is no 'best' material. All have goods and 'others'.

Proper fit is key, fitness, lack of fat on you, riding smart...most have to do with you, not the bike. Way to much emphasis on bike 'stuff', way too much emphasis on equipment weight. Like Eddy says-'ride lots'.

[veloduffer]

All y'all gave good comments about what better hubs are on the market. So lets talk frame materials for a sec. What's your favorite frame material for riding a 100-150 miles at a time; carbon, titanium, aluminium, steel, bamboo? Does frame weight really matter for 20-25 mph rides on rolling terrain? Since I've had the same double butted steel frame for the last 26 years, I'd be interested in hearing your experience with the newer materials for this application.

John

One word...rubber. That is, good tires and preferably on the larger size -- 700x25 or bigger (700x27-28 is ideal). Won't slow you down (lots of debate that wider may increase your speed with lower rolling resistance) and increased comfort for bad roads. Plus, less likelihood of pinch flats. So what's not to like. :banana:

As long as your bike fits, frame material is irrelevant. Tires will matter more to the ride after fit. Maybe good bar tape too.

I have and currently owned all the frame materials out there and it really doesn't make a difference. My current stable consists of titanium (road & cross) and steel (road, fixie) and I only notice a difference if I change tires. I have moved to the wider 23mm rims but size of the tire is really what matters.

[SPOKE]

This should be interesting to say the least. Design and fit triumph materials any day of the week.


What Jack said!!

[bobswire]

I try not to think that way,If I want to ride in comfort I'll take a car.
Bikes make it a challenge and that's why we ride centuries.
Any material will do as long as it's set up right mechanically and you're
prepared physically and mentally.

Having said that my frame material of choice is steel.

[Dan Le foot]

A properly sized steel framset. Ti a very close second.
Dan

[palincss]

roads are sh*t around here with lots of chip seal being subbed for the smooth of the old days. my guess is your saddle and your tires would be in there for more concern than what it's made out of. i have too many bikes all of which are steel. I have a hard time choosing between a lighter one with carbon fork or a medium one with the full spring of full steel. But 700x25 in a Michelin might be nice.

If you really spend a lot of time on chipseal you might be happier with something a good bit wider than 25mm -- say something like a Pari Moto at 584x38, or a Hetre 42x584 at around 50 psi. You'll laugh at chipseal with those combinations, because you'll have your own velvet smooth road with you wherever you go.

[znfdl]

This should be interesting to say the least. Design and fit triumph materials any day of the week.

Jack speaks the truth.

[haimtoeg]

Whatever you are comfortable on, fits you well and is in good mechanical shape. I rode centuries on Ti, Al, Carbon, Steel and Magnesium.

[Jack Brunk]

Whatever you are comfortable on, fits you well and is in good mechanical shape. I rode centuries on Ti, Al, Carbon, Steel and Magnesium.
Just did a 12 endurance race on a titus exogrid ti hartail 29er. Bike was completely dialed in and not once did I look at the bike and say hey what material is the bike made of. I kicked ass on it because it was set up for me and fits like a glove. Material is totally secondary maybe third. Got a carbon 29er coming on next week that should be fun.

You'll notice bike issues much more on a mountain bike race than a road race.

[1centaur]

I can't resist saying that Jack's comment that material is secondary or even third is more accurate than saying material does not matter. CF transmits vibrations differently from metal, and to my mind more comfortably IF the maker is so inclined. When CF gets too light it can have too little material to absorb the vibrations well. Part of going 20-25 for 100 miles over rolling terrain is having enough stiffness and lightness to make your efforts more efficient. Enough is a term that relates to the rider, not the universe. Powerful riders may not care about an extra pound or two or a little less effective power transmission; lighter, weaker riders may very well. Talking about doing a century in that terrain at that speed says the OP is powerful, in which case a steel or Ti bike is fine (I'm guessing particularly light metal frames are not as comfortable as average steel frames and particularly stiff steel frames are relatively heavy). If it were me, most of my CF frames would be my choice because they are more comfortable than my metal frames, and lighter. Ultimately, comfort is a personal perception issue, as proven by the frequent contention that steel is smooth, a conclusion with which I have never concurred.

[tch]

...and if anyone is in a position to know simply about the differences material and design nuance make, it's Jack, who by conservative estimate, must have owned and ridden at least 20 different bikes since I've been hanging around this forum.

But....as 1Centaur points out, what is comfortable for one might not be comfortable for others. So, if Jack says it's design, not material, I'm there. And so I need to find out for myself what I consider "comfortable" for the application in mind.

Done/finished, end of discussion.

[jlwdm]

I missed the announcement that your are the Final Authority of the Serotta Forum.

Jeff

[djg]

"Does frame weight really matter for 20-25 mph rides on rolling terrain?"

Dude, depends what you mean by rolling terrain, but I'd say that a 25 mph average can be some serious work on rollers. With that said, the weight thing is something where I'd say both yes and no. If you're jumping time after time on rollers that throw a bit of pitch at you, you might really notice a light, responsive feeling bike and the feel of it might matter as much as anything you get from the work reduction. OTOH . . . well, this is an all-things-equal type of thing, and it's hard for me to think that saving a pound off the frame would justify giving up something else you like -- I mean, if what you really want to ride is a particular steel or ti frame, then I would get that rather than worry about saving a pound or 1.5 with carbon or aluminum. For one thing, you might win some of the weight back by parts choice. For another, that's an amount of weight that will make only a marginal difference in certain situations -- and one that you just won't notice in many circumstances and that might be swamped by other factors in any case. I'd say the same thing for rec riding, training, or racing -- the right handling of the material, and a bike that works for you, should be much more important than the material choice.

[tch]

I missed the announcement that your are the Final Authority of the Serotta Forum.

Jeff
:)

[dd74]

I'm using Ti on my next Century (really a double metric). A Paramount/Serotta with a Brooks Ti saddle and Helium wheels. I'm using this frame because it's my designated "hillier" bike (compact crank), not because of its material.

[abqhudson]

Serotta Ti - nothing else is close. JMHO

[retrogrouchy]

...and if anyone is in a position to know simply about the differences material and design nuance make, it's Jack, who by conservative estimate, must have owned and ridden at least 20 different bikes since I've been hanging around this forum.

But....as 1Centaur points out, what is comfortable for one might not be comfortable for others. So, if Jack says it's design, not material, I'm there. And so I need to find out for myself what I consider "comfortable" for the application in mind.

Done/finished, end of discussion.

Um, I've owned and ridden at least 50 different bikes.... :banana:

[Louis]

Um, I've owned and ridden at least 50 different bikes.... :banana:

So is this another way of telling us that either 1) you keep buying frames that fail after a few hundred miles, or 2) you have no ability to figure out what the right bike for you is? ;)

[gasman]

This should be interesting to say the least. Design and fit triumph materials any day of the week.

BINGO !!!

[palincss]

All y'all gave good comments about what better hubs are on the market. So lets talk frame materials for a sec. What's your favorite frame material for riding a 100-150 miles at a time; carbon, titanium, aluminium, steel, bamboo? Does frame weight really matter for 20-25 mph rides on rolling terrain?



I should think a person who can ride a four hour century should ride any damn thing he pleases.

[rustychain]

To the OP, if your asking the question you should stay on the bike you own until such time you no longer need to ask the question becouse by that time you will know. Then you can share with us and we will tell you your wrong ;)

[djg]

I should think a person who can ride a four hour century should ride any damn thing he pleases.

Yeah.

Even a recumbent. (Did I type that?)

Heck, I'm so let's-all-getalong that I think it's ok for a person who rides 6 hour metric centuries to ride any darn thing he or she pleases. An old Alan alloy frame. A shetland pony. S'all good.

[jlwdm]

...

Heck, I'm so let's-all-getalong that I think it's ok for a person who rides 6 hour metric centuries to ride any darn thing he or she pleases. An old Alan alloy frame. A shetland pony. S'all good.

Is there a weight limit (or a stallion build option) on the Shetland pony?

Edit: just did a quick search and a Shetland pony rider should only weigh about 20% of the pony. They can carry more weight but performance will suffer - not good for a century ride.

Jeff

[michael white]

Is there a weight limit (or a stallion build option) on the Shetland pony?

Edit: just did a quick search and a Shetland pony rider should only weigh about 20% of the pony. They can carry more weight but performance will suffer - not good for a century ride.

Jeff

proper horseshoes make more difference than pony type

[54ny77]

the frame that gets the job done is the only frame that matters.

to wit:

http://ichallengemyself.org/2009CenturyRide.asp

;)

[palincss]

Heck, I'm so let's-all-getalong that I think it's ok for a person who rides 6 hour metric centuries to ride any darn thing he or she pleases. An old Alan alloy frame. A shetland pony. S'all good.

I think a person who rides 6 hour metric centuries will get more benefit from optimal technology choices than a 4 hour century rider.

[BengeBoy]

proper horseshoes make more difference than pony type

In limited experience with horses, it's more about nutrition.

Supplements vs. none. Hay vs. grass vs. grain. And don't get me started on doping.

Just one tip: "Fibre, also sometimes referred to as, cellulose or lignin is the integral part of plants and is found to a greater or lesser degree in almost all common feeds fed to horses. Fibre should form a bulk of the ration. It functions as a stimulant of the gut movements and keeps the muscles of the digestive tract "toned up". The fibre also traps water in the large bowel which can act as a "back up" source during the long distance exercise.

If the fibre is not supplied in adequate quantities, the horse is much more likely suffer from digestive upsets and vices such as wood chewing. An example of a good source of fibre is hay or pasture."

I've been known to chew a little wood myself on long rides.

[Pete Serotta]

Just finished ride the Rockies. The past three years i have used a legend TI and two others have also used an Ottrott. fit by Steve Fitwerx and mike CYCLESPORT, as well as Paul from Signature. in design and fit does it wonderfully,

This past year was a death march for 500 miles and muliple paasses. Worst one was 90 miles and three major passes in one day,


Peteuuu

[retrogrouchy]

So is this another way of telling us that either 1) you keep buying frames that fail after a few hundred miles, or 2) you have no ability to figure out what the right bike for you is? ;)

It's 1).

They are all carbon fiber. :p

[retrogrouchy]

So is this another way of telling us that either 1) you keep buying frames that fail after a few hundred miles, or 2) you have no ability to figure out what the right bike for you is? ;)

Actually, it's more like the Roach Motel.

Bikes check in, but they don't check out. :rolleyes: