Carbon Or Not...

[swiftylee]

had my first year of cycling last year on a cannondale caad 8 105 which was nice...

i sold it and got a winter bike and now looking for this years purchase.

my main prob with the cannondale was that it did not seem that quick espically down hill and freewheel

will a carbon bike be quicker for me...

if not i was thinking of a 2013 giant defy 0 and changing the wheels...

any recommendations for wheels

 

[derrick]

It's only as quick as you can peddle it.

 

[Adam4868]

Have a caad8 myself and it goes up and down hills like the wind !

 

[Hacienda71]

Imho carbon will not make you faster. The ride may be different, if the weight of the two bikes is different that may influence speed. Heavier better downhill, lighter better uphill and not a lot on the flat. That is assuming no aero difference and the same rider. The biggest factor is the engine not the frame.

 

[swiftylee]

so better wheels wont help ...

 

[Hacienda71]

Wheels will make a difference but it won't make a huge difference, what we're you running on the CAAD?

 

[Rob3rt]

had my first year of cycling last year on a cannondale caad 8 105 which was nice...

i sold it and got a winter bike and now looking for this years purchase.

my main prob with the cannondale was that it did not seem that quick espically down hill and freewheel

will a carbon bike be quicker for me...

if not i was thinking of a 2013 giant defy 0 and changing the wheels...

any recommendations for wheels

LMFAO

 

[400bhp]

will a carbon bike be quicker for me...

No

 

[400bhp]

Imho carbon will not make you faster. The ride may be different, if the weight of the two bikes is different that may influence speed. Heavier better downhill, lighter better uphill and not a lot on the flat. That is assuming no aero difference and the same rider. The biggest factor is the engine not the frame.

To be honest fella, the main thing is the geometry rather than weight. More racing geo means that you can chuck the bike around more.

 

[Cyclist33]

I, too, found it hard to offer constructive advice to one who bought a CAAD8 for a single summer before selling it, and who now wants to buy a less sporty bike on the grounds it might be faster

Think the answer is really to get training on that winter bike and limit oneself to upgrades only once they've been physically earned in some way...

 

[HorTs]

I, too, found it hard to offer constructive advice to one who bought a CAAD8 for a single summer before selling it, and who now wants to buy a less sporty bike on the grounds it might be faster

Think the answer is really to get training on that winter bike and limit oneself to upgrades only once they've been physically earned in some way...

Harsh but good advice.

 

[Hacienda71]

To be honest fella, the main thing is the geometry rather than weight. More racing geo means that you can chuck the bike around more.

I was talking about identical or very similar geometry frames hence the comment on no aero advantage.
More racing geo means you have your ass in the air and your stem down low giving you a better aero position. That is where the increased speed really comes into play. The ability to throw it around may help in a crit a little or on a technical descent, but nowhere near the amount the improved aero position gives you over the course of a ride.

 

[Adam4868]

I'm obviously biased towards the cannondale.I,but it's strange to call it 'slow'.I've yet to see a bad review of them and they've been around a while.

 

[vickster]

Maybe the OP's come from motorbikes?

 

[outlash]

Get fat, all the guys who are carrying a bit of 'timber' in my CC are the quickest on the descents. Not so quick uphill though...


Tony.