Frame Fabric - What's What Exactly?

[PpPete]

This is one of most comprehensive articles I know which deals with frame material choice.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

This is one of most comprehensive articles I know which deals with frame material choice.

You don't want to listen to Paul Smith. He knows what he's talking about. Taking his advice is almost like cheating.

 

[Mice]

This has been a very enlightening experience! Whilst thinking about possibly riding to the French/Swiss Alps at some stage, I was under the incorrect illusion that a carbon frame would be the least forgiving/hardest frame fabric, so possibly a titanium touring frame would be better as it would have move give in it.

However, apparently the different types of bicycle designs - Racing, Sportif, Touring etc all have different categories of strength/stiffness in the fabric used and therefore my carbon sportif bicycle is not nearly as hard as a racing bicycle and in fact pretty close to a titanium touring bicycle (not quite as giving but not far off it). So asGregColllins said and others have reiterated it really is all about what kind of cycling I want to do on it.

Hmmmm ..... I have reread the above paragraph and I think it says what I want it to say - but mainly thank you for all your comments and responses! - And (unless I am going to the Alps often) I have the right bike providing I have minimum luggage! Hoorayy!

This is one of most comprehensive articles I know which deals with frame material choice.

M

You don't want to listen to Paul Smith. He knows what he's talking about. Taking his advice is almost like cheating.

How hilarious!! The information I obtained as detailed in my paragraph above was the result of a very helpful conversation with.....Paul Smith at Corridori Cycles!!! (Highly recommend him and Guy at Corridori for anyone near Epsom Downs, Surrey).

Thank you Greg and PpPete!

M

 

[Andrew Br]

Miranda, do you want a new "fast" road bike or do you want something with a Rohloff ?
If the former, what's wrong with your Boardman (I'd say nothing ).
If you want a Rohloff then you have several decisions to make:-

• Will you like riding a Rohloff over long distances ?
• Do you want drops or straight bars ?
• What will you use it for ?

FWIW, I've got 2 Ti Enigmas (don't ask). One of them has a Rohloff, the other Campag. They're both drop barred.
The Rohloff bike is heavier and much slower but it's great for use on muddy tracks or where there are bike barriers cunningly placed to remove chain tensioners.
If you want to go Rohloff, then Ti makes a lot of sense because of its durability although I wouldn't rule out high spec steel especially stainless.
If I understood correctly how much Vernon's bike cost, then I think that you could get custom Ti for a similar or even lower price.
Enigma will do it although I had several issues with them including very long waits for the bikes to arrive. The bikes, however, are fantastic.
My GF is currently waiting for a Justin Burls Ti bike. Dealing with him so far has been delightful and I have no doubts that the bike will turn up on time and it'll be great. MacB of this parish is also a Burls fan.
Alternatively, I think that Van Nicholas do an off-the-shelf Ti Rohloff bike.

If you are considering a Rohloff, I would advise you to think long and hard and try to get a lot of miles on one.
I don't make this offer lightly but, if you like, you could borrow my Rohloff bike for Manchester-Morecambe. I'll be on the derailleur bike; we'll wait for you at the top of the hills
There are pictures of the bikes in the "Show us your Titanium" thread in the Picture Gallery.


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[Mice]

Miranda, do you want a new "fast" road bike or do you want something with a Rohloff ?
If the former, what's wrong with your Boardman (I'd say nothing ).
If you want a Rohloff then you have several decisions to make:-

• Will you like riding a Rohloff over long distances ?
• Do you want drops or straight bars ?
• What will you use it for ?

FWIW, I've got 2 Ti Enigmas (don't ask). One of them has a Rohloff, the other Campag. They're both drop barred.

The Rohloff bike is heavier and much slower but it's great for use on muddy tracks or where there are bike barriers cunningly placed to remove chain tensioners.
If you want to go Rohloff, then Ti makes a lot of sense because of its durability although I wouldn't rule out high spec steel especially stainless.
If I understood correctly how much Vernon's bike cost, then I think that you could get custom Ti for a similar or even lower price.
Enigma will do it although I had several issues with them including very long waits for the bikes to arrive. The bikes, however, are fantastic.
My GF is currently waiting for a Justin Burls Ti bike. Dealing with him so far has been delightful and I have no doubts that the bike will turn up on time and it'll be great. MacB of this parish is also a Burls fan.
Alternatively, I think that Van Nicholas do an off-the-shelf Ti Rohloff bike.

If you are considering a Rohloff, I would advise you to think long and hard and try to get a lot of miles on one.
I don't make this offer lightly but, if you like, you could borrow my Rohloff bike for Manchester-Morecambe. I'll be on the derailleur bike; we'll wait for you at the top of the hills
There are pictures of the bikes in the "Show us your Titanium" thread in the Picture Gallery.


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Woweeeee! That is a phenomenally generous offer. Unbelievable in fact. <prepares to scoot off to pics gallery!> The reality is however that this thread and its really helpful comments including yours - along with a conversation with Paul Smith at Corridori Cycles in Surrey - have confirmed 100% that I have the perfect bicycle for the cycling that I do.

I still blame it on Vernon though. If he hadn't shown me his Woodrup with the Gates system - and indeed let me take it for a spin in Hull I would never have begun this process. It made me start looking at n+1 which could have been a fixed/single speed (I soon realised this was not for me), then I started worrying about Carbon being too "hard and unforgiving" on tours and therefore a steel or titanium frame would be more comfortable over distances but which was better? This last thought was a complete myth as it happens because it depends on the frame design not just the fabric. It seems the Van Nick Yukon and my Boardman are so close that it wouldn't be worth it unless I was going on a series of unsupported rides where luggage was an issue. So you are absolutely right - there is nothing wrong with my Boardman. In fact it's more than the perfect bicycle for me.

Thank you enormously for your really fabulous offer but I shall (can hardly believe I'm looking a gift horse in the mouth) decline as I am no longer looking for an n+1. I trust your offer to wait for me at the top of the hills still remains...

Look forward to seeing you in Manchester

Mice

 

[Andrew Br]

...........I trust your offer to wait for me at the top of the hills still remains...


Mice

If you're on the Boardman, I won't have to wait.


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[Mice]

If you're on the Boardman, I won't have to wait.


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Lets not think about the amount of waiting you did last year...

 

[Andrew Br]

Lets not think about the amount of waiting you did last year...

It won't happen again. It couldn't.
See you in Albert Square.


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