Been riding a Ribble 7005 Tiagra for 9 yesrs now - its' starting to show it's age and I've started riding road more so fancy something new.
Been looking at Cube bikes as they seem good value for money. At around the £1200 mark there's the Agree GTC (Carbon fram and forks with 105 group set and Easton finishing kit) or for about £100 less there's the Peloton SL (Alu fram, carbon forks, Ultegra shifters and rear mech and cranks - same finishing kit)
What are the relative merits of a alu versus carbon frame at this price point,given the same finishing kit.
Or should I go for a Giant Defy 1 and buy a set of Hope Road Hoops with it?
I'm not after a sportive bike (whatever that means) in particular, but something that will do club runs, sprint tri's etc - a bit fo a do it all!
Cheers
There is the saying that goes something like cheap carbon is no better than top-end aluminium. Having bought cheap carbon (Ribble) - I can say - I am actually very happy with it. It's not uber-lightweight for carbon but it's comfortable and accelerates well.
Specwise, I'd aim for 105 as the minimum component groupset and a decent set of wheels.
Depends...what are you after? What is "better"?
You can't just typify a frame by its material, though I'd expect cheap carbon to be stiff, and better alu to be more comfy.
You can't just typify a frame by its material, though I'd expect cheap carbon to be stiff, and better alu to be more comfy.
You're not giving much away there - are you?
Cycling plus did a good Alu Vs Steel Vs Carbon grouptest a few months back looking at £1600 bikes. Think the Rose carbon won, followed by a cannondale CAAD10.
The steel bikes were a Tokyo-Fixed and a Condor, which nicely proved the point that you can buid a very stiff steel frame or a very comfortable one, the condor was rated as being good for a heavy/powerfull rider looking for durability in Crit races where the tokyo-fixed made a nice alternative to the carbon/aluminium mainstream sunday club run bikes. Can't remember what the other alu frame was, but the other carbon bike was slated so don't let material choice dictate what bike you get.
cheap carbon is no better than top-end aluminium
Depends how you define 'cheep' and 'top-end'. A lot of aluminium frames will now be low end models with better spec to fit a price point. Whereas the carbon frame might be off a bike costing considerably more, but with 105 kit to meet the same price point.
My own personal experience is limited to a 10yr old CAAD4 frame (which I think is great) and I arrived at the oposite conclusion to you, it's loking tired so it's getting resprayed and I'm spaffing the money saved not buying new on upgrades like wheels and finishing kit as I'd already fitted some s/h dura ace and FSA SL-K kit a few years ago. And a 531 steel frame, which is nice in a compeltely different way, just aquired a 10yr old steel frame for renovating which is still lugged, but built from oversized tubing so it'll make for an interesting comparison.
[edit] just looked it up on google the others in the review were a Be-One carbon and a cannyon aluminium and the reviews are on bikeradar.
The Carbon frame doesn't seem to appear higher up in the range - weirdly it's different to the Agree GTC Race, which makes me think it's a lesser carbon frame.
Given my budget and the fact that it's likely to be another 9 years before I buy another road bike - is there any issues with material longegevity (carbon) any more?
I don't particularly won't a carbon frame over a alu, just the best for my cash!
My brothers CAAD8 is gorgeous for a alu frame, but the Cube's seem better vfm. Just the range is very confusing!
Sounds like the best thing you could do is test ride and form your own opinion.
IMO I would always buy the 'best' frame I could afford. Components will wear out much quicker than the frame will and I would want something which could be upgraded as and when.
Now, which is 'better'? No idea, try both and see which you like the feel of.
I have a Cube Agree Pro in aluminium,2011.Its mostly Ultegra with Mavic wheels and got it for less than a grand which i thought was pretty good value.
The sizings a bit strange as i normally have a 54 but Cubes equivalent came out at 58.
I 've no experience of a carbon frame but went for the high end triple butted alu with a better spec.
Coming from a flat barred road bike the Cube flies along,and i haven't weighed it but Cube claim 8.1 kg.Theres nothing really to spend money on immediately in the way of upgrades and overall i'm really happy with it.
Bought it over the internet because of the price but get a ride if you can.
is there any issues with material longegevity (carbon) any more?
Was there ever? The forks on my bike are 10 years old now and I've every confidence in them.
Ohhh and not entirely off topic (i.e. they're in your budget),
Planet-X.
Whats the difference between the RT_57 and the Nanolight (or the N2a which the RT-57 page refers to, but isn't on the site). Its implies the RT-57 is a slacker, less stretched out frame (so a sportive or club run bike rather than a race bike)? But the RT-57 geometry is steeper, longer and has shorter headtubes?
Yours,
Confused of Teesside.
thisinotaspoon - that's fine, just my unjustified prejudices being daft!
joegg - this is the point I suppose. Would I be better off with a higher specced triple butted alu frame than a cheap carbon one? Also looking at the Agree Pro as I can prob stretch to this.
Like you say, best go ride.
Anything else I should consider at this price?
thisisnotaspoon - Member
is there any issues with material longegevity (carbon) any more?
Was there ever?
Ask early Specialized Allez owners (I mean late 80s): many are now sans head tube...
Anyone got a link to the review on bikeradar? A canyon road bike is currently at the top of my wants list and I've been debating the extra 300 euros to chose the carbon frame over the alloy version.
Dolan Duel (or Hewitt carbon audax or Pearson carbon audax).
Carbon frames with enough room for 25c tyres and full guards.
If I was in the market for a new bike to do club runs and some racy stuff, I'd have one of them with a 105 or poss Ultegra and two sets of wheels.
Which is better Aluminium frames or carbon fibre frames, it all depends who has made the frame and that is rarely the bike brand themselves. De Rosa 838 is not a cheap bike but is made in the far east and a friend has starting importing them to brand them him self. So cheap carbon can mean rebranded carbon, that's what Ribble and planet X do.
Although for club run and a bit of racing a featherweight carbon bike is not always needed. I ride a steel framed bike on Sunday club runs and it capable enough for me I use Campag Veloce and ride up 60-100 miles a week on it for the last 6 months and I am very happy with it.
I could race it but I won't as I XC race instead. The majority of club riders that I ride with use Tiagra, 105 or Veloce. I rarely see a better speced bike on a club run. You should be able to build up a decent Aluminim framed bike for club runs and some racing for £700-£1000 depending on spec. I sell them.
Also you could try the Tifosi CK2 which is a carbon bike wih full mudguards and can take 25c tyres. It come with Veloce. Should be about £1500 (I can supply those too).
Try before you buy is best advise I can offer and talk to some club riders. However what ever bike you go for look at the tyres. Most in the West Suffolk Wheelers use Coninental Gator skins or the GP series tyres in the summer wih very good reason because we have tried the others and we didn't like them.
a featherweight carbon bike is not always needed
Who ever said anything about need? On a very basic level I don't need to go out on a Sunday club run. I want to go out on a Sunday Club run. So there's nothing wrong with riding the bike I want either.
CyclingPlus reviewed a bundle of bikes around the £1000 mark a few issues ago and the aluminium Giant Defy was a clear leader. I bought the Composite one and so far love it
That's why I'm considering the Defy and getting some better wheels.
But your right, thisisnotaspoon, it's not always about need. Sometimes it's not about the best either - just the one that looks nicest!!
cycling plus bikeof the year reviw this month, £1400 to £1999 bikes.
Suprisingly (or not) the aluminium bikes seem to average 2lb lighter than the carbon ones (~7.5kg Vs 8.5kg), shows how much more budget there is for wheels and finishing kit, a few even had really good wheels and ultegra Di2 for under £2k.
