Steel vs aluminium audax bike, advice please.

Afternoon all
In my quest to buy a frame and build a bike I’ve gone away from the Croix De Fer I was thinking about and am now leaning towards an audax bike.
I’ve been looking at the Spa steel ones, but now an lbs has some frames he’s selling off cheap.These are aluminium with carbon fork as opposed to Spas steel with carbon fork.
Its going to be my winter bike and the odd weekends touring through the summer. It won’t be carrying a massive load.
I’ve never ridden a steel bike, so my question is, steel or aluminium, will I notice any difference on an ordinary ride or if I was doing a weekend tour?
You read about people saying that steel is comfier, is it really something you can notice?
Truth be told, I’m getting a bit bogged down with too many options.

There’s no reason that an aluminium bike should be less comfy if it is properly designed and constructed.

FWIW, I’d go for Titanium 😉

I currently have 2 ‘audax bikes’ if thats actually what you mean, guards, dynamo lights etc. One is fixed and steel, the other aluminium/carbon with gears. I rode 300 mile over 3 days last summer on the alu one, it was nice and comfy compared to my previous alu ‘racer’. The fixed only gets used for rides 40-50 mile, its very comfy, more so than the alu one, but has at least 4lb on it and dosnt even have gears!

You can get lighter steel, stiffer steel, comfier alu. Really tho you wont know until you try 2 specific bikes which one is ‘better’ as weight/comfort are subjective to a point, expecially as you cant say anything about the Alu one your looking at.

On some steel frames, I think a carbon fork is a hinderance rather than a help. Certainly not as comfy as a steel fork. Just there to bring overall weight down…

I have a Spa cycles Audax Ti and I’m with scotroutes ^^.

Rode LEJOG on it a week after picking it up – awesome bike 🙂

If you go into Spa Cycles (rather than ordering over the net) they measure you up for stem height, bar width etc and build the bike to fit you. Great service, lovely friendly shop.

On some steel frames, I think a carbon fork is a hinderance rather than a help. Certainly not as comfy as a steel fork. Just there to bring overall weight down…

I tend to agree, nice to match the frame and fork. But steel frame and carbon fork can be a really good mix, I’m not too keen on quite-flexible forks.
I did some long audax-style rides (dark, bags on, but no cake stops) on an Al bike recently, after riding steel mainly for the winter. Being objective, tyres make the most difference on road, I was reminded. Go up a size or 2 and down 25psi and there’s your comfort.

Very true, my commuter (al with carbon fork) was so much more comfortable with bigger tyres soaking up small bumps. Soft bar tape also helps!

Tyres and geommetry make a difference as much as frame material. I lumbered round a 150k audax on a Pinnacle Arkrose with 32mm slicks in February and it was fine.

That said, when I look to get a proper audax bike it will be from Spa. Two mates have the Ti frame, and love it as a perfect all conditions bike. I’ve also met a couple of guys with the steel frame version, and given that the price difference pays for a good dynamo set up….?

Unfortunately titanium is out of budget. I think I’ll treat myself to a weekends riding up north and have a looksie and test ride the steel audax bike, I can’t test ride the lbs one cos they only have the frames, nothing built up. Thanks everyone.

Geometry first. A steel and a Ti frame with the same geometry will feel very similar because the tubing is of similar diameter. The Ti will of course be a pound lighter (poss more if cheap steel).

The Aluminium frame will be more rigid because the tubes are of larger diameter. With the same geometry, handling will still be unchanged, but rigidity will increase.

An Audax bike can be too rigid. I like my steel fixed road bike with carbon fork. It is ideal for a 100-200k jaunt. I’d buy a better steel over an aluminum frame, personally.

I wouldn’t buy a frame on material alone.

Definitley not one selling cheap at lbs unless you can work out what its like.

The Bike Factory in Whaley has some 635(?) own branded audax frames a year or so ago – might be worth a look – think they were calling the brand “Biaggi”

Wouldn’t restrict yourself on material…I have a carbon audax bike by Pearson that I love. Picked it up for £800 off here. Quite nicely specced out too