Alum race frame comparison - then and now

[smead]

The early 2000s seemed to be a pinnacle for high-end alum race frames before everything became plastic. Since the alum race frame renaissance within the last 5-10 years, I've been curious if the new stuff is that much improved. In terms of weight, this AM I was rather surprised to learn that after stripping down my '03 Allez Pro E5 SLX for a possible yard art project, it tipped the scales at just under 1200 grams. I expected a few hundred more. It rides nice, I don't think I can get $100 for it, so I spent the rest of the day building it back up! I know steel has made great strides, but are the alum tubesets today really any better than days of yore?

[FlashUNC]

The days of bone rattling CAAD 3s are long gone.

[CMiller]

Glad you aren't turning that into a planter! I always liked specialized aluminum frames, for example the Chisel looks like an ideal XC hardtail. But I'd say there's more to a bike than weight, and those allezs and similar race bikes handle too fast for my slow legs.

[smead]

Yeah I know early CAADs were harsh, but does that say all of that era were the same? This one rides pretty nice. I've always wanted to try an early 2000 alum nago or merckx.

[rallizes]

Originally Posted by smead

Yeah I know early CAADs were harsh, but does that say all of that era were the same? This one rides pretty nice. I've always wanted to try an early 2000 alum nago or merckx.

Loved a few Merckx Team SCs for sure

[robt57]

Originally Posted by smead

Yeah I know early CAADs were harsh, but does that say all of that era were the same? This one rides pretty nice. I've always wanted to try an early 2000 alum nago or merckx.

The bigger size frame not nearly as much so. 60+ will surprise. A lot had trouble with fitting bigger than a 23mm tire though...


I had a 2000 Fuji Team Issue Scandium with an HSC3 Look fork in the day. The last year/design before they started doing the carbon seat stay, so welded Alloy throughout. And welded down under by Teschner no less. To this day one of the best frames, including ride quality that I have owned. Eye of the stick holder I say...

[Hilltopperny]

I have only owned a couple of Zanconato modern aluminum bikes. They were designed for different purposes and I found the road version to be a bit stiff while the cx was as smooth as any bike I have ridden. Of course the cx had 35mm tires and different geometry. Neither ride like my early Caad Cannondales or the early aluminum Treks.

I think the newer bikes have been tuned for more comfort than the old crit and race bikes of the 90’s and early 2000’s that I have ridden.


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[merckx]

Loved, LOVED my Team SC.

[junkfood]

I don't have any experience on older aluminum bikes but I do have an Allez Sprint and a Tarmac SL6 disc. The Sprint is nearly as comfortable in my opinion as the Tarmac. I am running 26c turbos that measure right around 27mm on the wheels. I may feel a bit more fatigued on it than the tarmac after 3.5hrs but nothing crazy. It's not uncomfortable by any means. It is definitely an all out race bike, but it isn't beating me up or anything.

Jake

[flying]

I have been riding a Fuji Roubaix Elite Frame for near two years now & their Roubaix 1.1 before that

Really a great Alum frame

A 54cm frame tips the scale at 1150gr with derailleur hanger,seat clamp, & internal cable liners etc

Has Internal cables & headset
It is also anodized so never really gets scratched at all.

Built with Campy Potenza & Zonda wheels... Rides excellent no complaints at all.

Pity they seem to have stopped making this frame although when I asked them they say they do have a alum road frame planned

[Peter P.]

I'm gonna stir the pot and say it's not the frame that makes the comfort. You're looking at two triangles, and incredibly stiff structure in a vertical plane.

I think the big improvements in aluminum frame ride would be carbon seat posts (flex, if you choose the right one), forks, and tire width. Perhaps older aluminum frames lacked clearance for larger tires? And of course, what's the use of larger tires if you're not dropping air pressure?

[.RJ]

Originally Posted by Peter P.

I'm gonna stir the pot and say it's not the frame that makes the comfort. You're looking at two triangles, and incredibly stiff structure in a vertical plane.

Dont forget that older steel bikes dont ride nearly as nice as modern steel bikes, either. The smoothest riding aluminum bike I've owned was an older scandium chili con crosso and my 2013-ish, I think, Specialized E5 Allez (pre 'DSW') also rode very nice. I just got my wife a Trek Emonda ALR disc, no rides yet but it looked very nice.

I've had 2 carbon frames crack just from normal riding, I'm over plastic frames at the moment. I still have one of them, but its replacement will be metal down the road.

[jamesdak]

I don't get all this talk from some about older bikes don't ride nice. Be it aluminum or steel. Not buying that argument at all.

This old Schwinn aluminum bike is really, really smooth on rough chipseal while still be really fast. It's so good that my one son is using it versus a modern bike.





And nothing in my fleet of 25+ bikes is as smooth out on the roads as this 80's steel beauty.




I honestly don't find any appreciable difference between old and new bikes compatibly set up. Like is always said, it's the "engine" that matters, not the bike.

When I'm in shape I routinely take this old 6 speed steel beast out to mess with the local weekenders up here on the $6000 C.F. bikes. The ones that can keep up with me are the same ones that could keep up with me on a Huffy.



I've got 10 years worth of daily ride logs to support that there is hardly any difference made by the bike for the average rider.

[bigbill]

I had a Cannondale 2.8 that was my favorite Crit bike. I had it set up with a bar-end for the rear derailleur and a downtube for the front. It had a carbon fork that was deceptively stiff. Later, I put STI levers on it and used it for a commuter in the PNW. Corrosion eventually got it after 17 years.

[nooneline]

Originally Posted by .RJ

Dont forget that older steel bikes dont ride nearly as nice as modern steel bikes, either. The smoothest riding aluminum bike I've owned was an older scandium chili con crosso and my 2013-ish, I think, Specialized E5 Allez (pre 'DSW') also rode very nice. I just got my wife a Trek Emonda ALR disc, no rides yet but it looked very nice.

I've had 2 carbon frames crack just from normal riding, I'm over plastic frames at the moment. I still have one of them, but its replacement will be metal down the road.

best alu frame I've ever had - and I've ridden a lot of them - was a Co-Motion. Every now and then I get sad that I don't have it anymore, and then I remember that I gave it to my brother. but the one I rode for the longest was an Allez E5 Smartweld. Notable improvements on contemporary alu frames come from the forks being a lot better than they used to be, and the front-end handling being improved from oversided lower headset bearings. There may be some more compliance in the rear end coming from thin stays that are getting to be conventional, but it's also hard to separate that effect from the fact that we're all on wide rims and bigger tires nowadays.