Hi,

Keen MTBer looking for his 1st roadbike. It’s fair to say I’m a Clydesdale – 6’3″ and 17.5 stone.

Work and family commitments mean time off road riding is becoming ever decreasing. I just want to keep getting any kind of bike miles in and a blast on the road bike looks like an alternative just to try and keep some semblance of fitness.

So I’ve been looking around. Set myself a budget of £800 and can get something very adequate. Standard Ally frame, compact chainring 10 speed etc etc.

BUT I have this nagging doubt I really want a steel frame. I have an On One Summer Season and really feel this frame takes the ‘ring’ out of the rough stuff compared to my previous Alloy hardtail. Does this really matter on a road bike?

There’s a few out there (Charge and Genesis to name a few) but I have to up the spec to around £1k and possibly compromise on component spec.

Does a steel frame really matter on the road? Any advice gratefully received. Apologies for the Dark side content.

Does this really matter on a road bike?

zing/compliance/shock absorbtion are important on a road bike, roads are rarely in good condition. a small pothole at 40mph can shatter your thumbs.

(or at least feel like it for a few seconds)

in my humble opinion; bigger tyres and ‘fit’ make more difference than frame material.

i DO have a Genesis, it’s lovely, and very comfortable, but i suspect it’s the 28mm tyres at (only) 60psi* that take the edge off the worst of the potholes.

my old specialized allez only had room for 26mm tyres.

and let me be the first to say, road bikes are ace.

(*23mm = skinny tyres, 28mm = massive tyres. 120psi = loads, 60psi = not a lot)

take the peak off your helmet, it’ll help you see when you’re in ‘the drops’.

use the ‘drops’.

I have a charge juicer and love it to bits, picked it up for around £500 off wiggle and have spent that again bringing it up to a “good” standard. It weighs in at 8kg and it feels really nice on the road. A good full carbon fork with a bit of rake on it will take the harshness out of the front end.

It depends on your tolerance of rough surfaces.

Some people swear by frames with more flex and give – the material is only one factor – geometry/design play a significant role. Suspect that most high quality steel frames will be more compliant than alu.

For more informed advice, I suggest you post on a road cycling forum. Better still, test ride a few bikes before buying.

ditto ahwiles.
also depends what riding you intend to do with the road bike.
Racing, touring, sportives, short road blasts etc.,
You *may* be better off with the likes of steel in a charge juicer, kona honky tonk, genesis equilibrium, jamis satellite or something similar and this kind of bike will often take full mudguards so will make a good year round choice.
The juicer won’t weigh 8kg though. More like 10kg. 🙂

Many thanks for the replies.

Interesting I went for a little blat on the road today on my old full rigid MTB. Interesting how I started noticing all the pot holes etc on the back lanes where I went. Never noticed them before but now I have my ‘might be riding these on a road bike’ mentality they all seemed rather large 🙂

One of the chaps I ride with is 6’6″ and about 18 stone..

he bought a Trek 1.5.. seems to work fine, last years version of this:
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/trek/15-c-h2-2012-road-bike-ec030302

I have a 62cm Caad8 cannondale, but whilst i’m 6’5″ i’m 12stone

The Trek is a nice option as it has room for proper mudgaurds if you want to use all year round

Partner has the Trek 1.5. Very comfy for an alloy frame.
I love steel road bikes though and would be tempted to try and find a Kona Honky Tonk, which looks like an excellent all round road bike – some silly discounts around earlier this year too.
Surly’s come in around a grand and every owner I’ve spoken too really rates them.
Road.cc have a reviews section, def worth having a read on there.

Have a look at a Dolan Hercules SE here . No point skimping on frame material, may as well have carbon. I have one of these (albeit in a slightly more expensive build) and it’s great. I’m 6ft 3in as well, size 56 is perfect.

Boardman CX Team at £899? SRAM Apex and IMHO more importantly disc braked. Alu frame and carbon fork. You could always upgrade to something like a Genesis Croix De Fer frame a few years down the line if you are adamant that you want steel.

If steel is your thing than stick with it but I wouldn’t completely rule out aluminium. If you don’t mind looking for a second hand one I’d consider a Cannondale Caad 9. Although aluminium, they are widely renowned for their comfort, some say that they are as comfy as quality carbon and obviously don’t carry the weight penalty of steel. Cannondale even make a Caad 10 (the CAAD 9s replacement), with Dura Ace components for those who consider the frame to be of equal quality to a carbon one.

Personally I like carbon for a road bike but I’ll throw my two cents in here and say it’s not worth buying cheap carbon at all, don’t be tempted by a full build carbon bike for a grand, you need to spend at least £1500 for a carbon bike with tiagra components to be getting a decent frame.

My local Decathlon (Bolton) have 2 59cm B’twin Facets – full carbon, full sram rival and mavic rims for £999 in red. Worth having a look at if you are local.

For just over £600 – this looks ace

http://www.merlincycles.com/bike-shop/bikes/road-bikes/felt-road-bikes/felt-z85-roadbike-2012.html

you need to spend at least £1500 £3000+ for frame and fork only to be getting a decent carbon frame.

FTFY

I’ve not ridden carbon frames, but on steel vs aluminium:

The frame material makes not one iota of difference to comfort, IME – it’s a triangulated structure; you’re simply not going to get any significant vertical flex without some fairly esoteric tube manipulation. I’ve done some very long days in the saddle on three steel Surlys and two aluminium Cannondales and have been happy with all of them in terms of comfort.

The fork *does* make a difference. IME a curved and tapered steel fork has significantly more flex than a carbon one (it will move by up to an inch at the axle – which I was sceptical of when I heard it, but some a quick back-of-the-envelope calculation bore it out).

That said, a decent aluminium frame with carbon fork will save you about 3lb over a steel setup, making it easier to float over rough tarmac anyway. And the lateral stiffness of the frame under power and of the fork under cornering will be a good thing when you’re big and heavy (I’m 6’5″, though only 14st).

I marginally prefer the ride of aluminium+carbon over steel, but one thing I *really* like about steel is never having a little bit of the back of my mind bricking itself about my steerer separating from the legs.

If I want to ride fast(ish) in the summer then my CAAD9 is a blast, but if I could only have one bike then my Pacer rides almost as nicely and is totally bombproof.

If you want comfort, use 25 or 28mm tyres at slightly lower pressure. In comparison to the difference that makes, any conversation about the frame is irrelevant.

you need to spend at least £1500 £3000+ for frame and fork only to be getting a decent carbon frame.

That would buy you custom steel and 1500+ for parts and give you a frame for life

it’s not worth buying cheap carbon at all, don’t be tempted by a full build carbon bike for a grand, you need to spend at least £1500 for a carbon bike with tiagra components to be getting a decent frame.

Bullshit. Really. Things have moved on, plenty of good carbon around at way less than £1500. I know plenty of roadies who regularly ride very comfortably, fast, on frames from Dolan, Boardman etc that come in under budget.

Bullshit. Really. Things have moved on, plenty of good carbon around at way less than £1500

No there really isn’t! You need to rethink what you think good carbon is

You need to rethink what you think good carbon is

Or perhaps you should!

TheDoctor – Member

Bullshit. Really. Things have moved on, plenty of good carbon around at way less than £1500

No there really isn’t! You need to rethink what good carbon is

Hmmn,

Care to tell us what ‘good’ carbon is?
I believe PedalForce have made the Ribble Sportive and On One SL carbon frames, along with carbon frames for several well respected ‘name’ Italian and American bicycle assemblers.

What defines ‘good’ carbon?
Exactly how does it differ from ‘bad’ carbon?

Raindog – As I said it is just my two cents worth, if you think it’s ‘bullshit’ and are happy with your cheap carbon good for you.

Loving scanning through this thread and seeing my original £800 budget rapidly going through the roof on STWers advice.

Sign of a great forum – one that is happy to spend other member’s hard earned 🙂

For a bit more comfort go for a frame that will take bigger tyres, so a CX “style” would work.

I am really happy with my PX Kaffenback (steel) as a commuter, mudguards/rack/panniers etc. Rides really nice.

And I have a PX SL Pro Carbon for triathlons and Sunday group rides. That was an absolute bargain at £1k.

Not particularly a PX/OnOne fanboi, but you can’t beat the value.

I was tempted with the Genesis steel bikes too, though.