Do I need Carbon Fibre???

[Drago]

Pains me to do so but I.must agree with Ian. The Defy is a fantastic bike, one of the top 10 At any price. You.could spend double, triple, and still end up going no quicker. A pound off your waistline will have a greater effect than a pound off the bike.

 

[fossyant]

Work on a better engine first. Carbon isn't a wonder material.

 

[DolbyDan]

To be honest I do just as good as my mate and his full carbon Trek Madone vs my full alu Jamis Ventura, but I still ordered a Scott Solace small gains but hopefully better comfort and def looks awesome which counts the most :-D

 

[smokeysmoo]

I am thinking is there is any point in upgrading to carbon fibre.

Carbon is not an upgrade, just different that's all

 

[bpsmith]

I don't think that the comparison between carbon and a.n.other material is the right question. I think comparing bike 1 with bike 2 will get a better answer. People can compare everything that way.

 

[cashy293]

Is acquiring a carbon bike a vanity / status symbol rather than the benefits it brings then?

I suspect improved strava segments may be a a placebo in that you'd try a bit harder to justify the price tag?

 

[Andrew_P]

Frame stiffness I would imagine plays the bigger part, I went from £1200 CF to a much more expensive one, and I didn't speed up at all just got the bike in the colours, finish and groupset I wanted so was chuffed with it

 

[Globalti]

I believe strongly that carbon is currently the best material for an amateur rider; carbon frame technology is moving ahead fast compared with metal frame technology and manufacturers are learning new techniques every year. There is a remarkable difference even between my son's Roubaix SL3 and my own SL4 in the weight and the feel of the bike; SL4 is stiffer yet just as comfortable, lighter and more rewarding to ride. I just love the feel of the bike and decent stiff wheels and quality tyres enhance it even more.

Carbon frames, STI shifting, comfortable saddles and bars and compact gears have done more than anything to bring new riders into the sport. Oldies and traditionalists may scoff but the result is that cycling is a growing, thriving sport whereas some of the other high-outlay sports like golf are shrinking.

 

[cashy293]

Good points raised Globalti. Just what I needed to justify it to the wife

 

[outlash]

FWIW, my brother in law recently bought a Wilier Izoard XP bike with it's CF frame and it's noticeably heavier than my Cannondale CAAD8 with a couple of modest upgrades. I reckon you'd need to spend a fair bit more than £1500 (plus the usual upgrades) to notice a real difference to your Specialized.
Of course, what your bank balance won't notice is that smile when you sling your leg over a new steed. You wife might though .


Tony.

 

[Joshua Plumtree]

Retail value of my carbon 2012 Madone when new was about £2500-2600; retail value of my aluminium Bianchi about £800.

Difference in average speed between the two - less than 1mph!

So if it's just an increase in average speed you're looking for, then a wheel upgrade represents better value at perhaps a third of the price.

Don't let that put you off buying a nice shiny carbon machine, if you're heart's set on it!

 

[fossyant]

So long as your bike works properly, see it as an extra bike. Carbon for the money is usually a good deal lighter than other materials. All horses for courses.

I started out with a decent road bike, that was my everyday bike, including commutes. That was then added too with a top end race bike. A year or two later I got an MTB for mucky stuff (in the days when MTBs were coming out). Those bikes did for me for about 15 years when I needed a full time all year round commuter, and I got a fixed wheel road bike with guards and a rack. My other bikes got some little upgrades and replacements.

I have now a best road bike, an any weather road bike (guards)'my commuter fixed and an old Skool MTB which is my winter ice and snow bike. Yeh I'd love another bike but a slap from the missus might be coming.

You only have one, so you need another.

 

[nick.b]

carbon is comfy, if the vibration tires you out or makes old injuries hurt after long rides its worth considering.

 

[bpsmith]

FWIW, my brother in law recently bought a Wilier Izoard XP bike with it's CF frame and it's noticeably heavier than my Cannondale CAAD8 with a couple of modest upgrades. I reckon you'd need to spend a fair bit more than £1500 (plus the usual upgrades) to notice a real difference to your Specialized.
Of course, what your bank balance won't notice is that smile when you sling your leg over a new steed. You wife might though .


Tony.

The sale bikes out there now should see a £2,000 bike for as low as £1,399 presently. A £2,000 bike with 30% is not comparable to a £1,399 bike at full price.

 

[daysnways]

I'd be scary on a light carbon road bike,....all my road bikes are steel and heavy, but fairly comfy considering there unforgiving geometry.

I passed a guy on a carbon road bike today who had stopped, I'd completely forgot about him until about 5 miles later he passed me saying, blimey you took some catching up! I'd hazard a guess my bike cost about 2500 pounds less, weighs twice as much as his,.... mine also looks sexier and gets more admiring glances because it's retro and all these carbon ones look pretty much the same.... then again he'd probably done 100k and i'd just set out from work to come home!

My mtb is carbon though!

why not consider a nice custom steel bike, trick it out and you'll have something completely unique to you, it will be comfortable and if it breaks it can be fixed, it will never die.*

*don't quote me on that.