Is this good?

[Kathy]

Well thanks again for all the advice and other stuff!!
I went to see the bike, looked it over and tried it for size.
The frame had a few surface scratches but otherwise is very sound. The drive train, marathon tyres and panniers are all in nearly new condition - shame about the mudguards!
I reckon I got a great buy for the money and couldn't have done better.
Now, where is that bottle of single malt...................

 

[Chuffy]

Well thanks again for all the advice and other stuff!!
I went to see the bike, looked it over and tried it for size.
The frame had a few surface scratches but otherwise is very sound. The drive train, marathon tyres and panniers are all in nearly new condition - shame about the mudguards!
I reckon I got a great buy for the money and couldn't have done better.
Now, where is that bottle of single malt...................

Excellent! You just need a name for her now.
Stick around, we all want to know how you're getting on.

 

[User482]

..but YOU don't seem to know what they are.
Can you explain in simple terms exactly WHY steel bikes are "more comfortable" as you would have us believe?
If a certain type of car was made exactly the same in any other way but had an aluminium chassis, would it be any comfier?

Steel is stronger than aluminium, and can be flexed more without weakening it (higher modulus of elasticity). This means that frames are built with thinner tubes, and have more compliance than alu.
I have no idea why you're going on about cars in a discussion on bike frames.

"An" equivalent alu frame. Which one though? One you've chosen based on its weight, no doubt.

Feel free to look it up - there will be little difference on like for like steel vs alu frames.

only a mtb, not a road bike, and before you ask, yes it was aluminium, no it wasn't hard enough to break anything on it (apart from the brake lever master cylinder, which i don't think frame material would have affected).

I bent an alu gear hanger once (this was before replaceable hangers) and it was irreversibly weakened after that. Unlike my steel bike which was realigned by my local shop in 10 minutes.

well that's where I beg to differ, so I will continue to give it. If you want to carry on giving contradicting advice about steel frames and arse-mud then feel free.

I'm not trying to stop you giving poor advice. You carry on.

 

[User482]

Well thanks again for all the advice and other stuff!!
I went to see the bike, looked it over and tried it for size.
The frame had a few surface scratches but otherwise is very sound. The drive train, marathon tyres and panniers are all in nearly new condition - shame about the mudguards!
I reckon I got a great buy for the money and couldn't have done better.
Now, where is that bottle of single malt...................

I kept a list of all the single malts I tried, and gave them a score out of 10. I'll dig it out...

Touring bikes are often great value second hand - I picked up a virtually unmarked Thorn Audax frame & fork for £75 - they cost £1k new!

 

[Crackle]

Well thanks again for all the advice and other stuff!!
I went to see the bike, looked it over and tried it for size.
The frame had a few surface scratches but otherwise is very sound. The drive train, marathon tyres and panniers are all in nearly new condition - shame about the mudguards!
I reckon I got a great buy for the money and couldn't have done better.
Now, where is that bottle of single malt...................

Good stuff. I thought it looked a good buy so I was hoping you'd like it in the flesh and buy it. I think it will serve you well.

Now if you have any more questions I suggest you start a new thread, otherwise you'll have to keep ducking on this one to avoid the buns!

 

[Tony]

Hmmmm. Dear Bonj et al, on my recent Aussie trip, as a fat old man who will be 50 at the IoW Randonnee, I did 1500km in 21 days. Work out my average mileage.
User482 has given the scientific answer. I'm just off to evolve a new frame.

Kathy, now is the time to sort out all the other bits like luggage, clothing, etc. A new thread is called for indeed!

 

[Fab Foodie]

Kathy, glad it's worked-out, she looked a nice piece of kit.

As Chuffy said, you'll need a name...I know...Bonj...

Bonj the bike!

 

[Crackle]

only trouble is you'll have to cycle with the wind behind you all the time!

 

[bonj2]

Steel is stronger than aluminium, and can be flexed more without weakening it (higher modulus of elasticity). This means that frames are built with thinner tubes, and have more compliance than alu.
I have no idea why you're going on about cars in a discussion on bike frames.

I've no idea why you've made a response to this post without answering the question, which was "Can you explain in simple terms exactly WHY steel bikes are `more comfortable` as you would have us believe?"
Presumably because you don't know an answer. Because there isn't an answer. Because steel bikes aren't 'more comfortable'.

Feel free to look it up - there will be little difference on like for like steel vs alu frames.

there ISN'T an "equivalent" aluminium frame, so therefore there can be no 'like for like' comparison. Bike makers sometimes make the same bike with either a double or triple chainset, they even sometimes make the same bike with either drop or flat handlebars. But they don't make the same bike with either an aluminium or steel frame, so there can not be this concept of comparing your bike wtih its 'aluminium counterpart' because there IS no counterpart. The heaviest aluminium frame will be heavier than the lightest steel frame, and the heaviest steel frame will be heavier than the lightest aluminium frame, in other words there's an overlap.
So basically, not only have you dreamt up the conclusion to your premise, but you have also dreamt up the concept on which the premise is based.

I bent an alu gear hanger once (this was before replaceable hangers) and it was irreversibly weakened after that. Unlike my steel bike which was realigned by my local shop in 10 minutes.

So presumably it goes without saying that you were prudent enough a cyclist to go about executing exactly the same incident that caused it to bend under exactly the same conditions but having replaced the bent aluminium gear hanger with an otherwise identical steel one, which didn't bend?

 

[bonj2]

Well thanks again for all the advice and other stuff!!
I went to see the bike, looked it over and tried it for size.
The frame had a few surface scratches but otherwise is very sound. The drive train, marathon tyres and panniers are all in nearly new condition - shame about the mudguards!
I reckon I got a great buy for the money and couldn't have done better.
Now, where is that bottle of single malt...................

Well that's excellent Kathy, I'm glad you have done well for yourself, seriously I am.
However, in the interests of settling the debate as to whether steel framed bikes or aluminium framed bikes are better, do you want a race? Me on my aluminium bike, versus you on your new recently purchased steel one. This will settle the dispute as to whether steel framed or aluminium framed bikes are lighter. Obviously, if I win, then it must be because aluminium bikes are lighter than steel ones, and therefore better. It's a scientific enough test for User482 .

 

[Fab Foodie]

Well that's excellent Kathy, I'm glad you have done well for yourself, seriously I am.
However, in the interests of settling the debate as to whether steel framed bikes or aluminium framed bikes are better, do you want a race? Me on my aluminium bike, versus you on your new recently purchased steel one. This will settle the dispute as to whether steel framed or aluminium framed bikes are lighter. Obviously, if I win, then it must be because aluminium bikes are lighter than steel ones, and therefore better. It's a scientific enough test for User482 .

Can I join the race on my 1950 ish steel Holdsworth with fixed wheel...then if I win hopefully you'll shut-up on 2 counts...

 

[bonj2]

Can I join the race on my 1950 ish steel Holdsworth with fixed wheel...then if I win hopefully you'll shut-up on 2 counts...

You sure? I haven't told you where the race is from and to yet.

 

[User482]

I've no idea why you've made a response to this post without answering the question, which was "Can you explain in simple terms exactly WHY steel bikes are `more comfortable` as you would have us believe?"
Presumably because you don't know an answer. Because there isn't an answer. Because steel bikes aren't 'more comfortable'.

I just told you. Go and re-read my post. If you don't understand any of the words look them up. I thought you were a physicist? You don't seem to have much of a grasp of the properties of metals.

there ISN'T an "equivalent" aluminium frame, so therefore there can be no 'like for like' comparison. Bike makers sometimes make the same bike with either a double or triple chainset, they even sometimes make the same bike with either drop or flat handlebars. But they don't make the same bike with either an aluminium or steel frame, so there can not be this concept of comparing your bike wtih its 'aluminium counterpart' because there IS no counterpart. The heaviest aluminium frame will be heavier than the lightest steel frame, and the heaviest steel frame will be heavier than the lightest aluminium frame, in other words there's an overlap.
So basically, not only have you dreamt up the conclusion to your premise, but you have also dreamt up the concept on which the premise is based.

Aluminium framed touring bikes are built for the same purpose as steel touring bikes, and have a similar component spec. Hence a comparison is perfectly valid.

So presumably it goes without saying that you were prudent enough a cyclist to go about executing exactly the same incident that caused it to bend under exactly the same conditions but having replaced the bent aluminium gear hanger with an otherwise identical steel one, which didn't bend?

Yet again you have failed to ackowledge the fundamental properties of the two metals in question. Steel can be bent back without weakening it, aluminium can't.

 

[User482]

Well that's excellent Kathy, I'm glad you have done well for yourself, seriously I am.
However, in the interests of settling the debate as to whether steel framed bikes or aluminium framed bikes are better, do you want a race? Me on my aluminium bike, versus you on your new recently purchased steel one. This will settle the dispute as to whether steel framed or aluminium framed bikes are lighter. Obviously, if I win, then it must be because aluminium bikes are lighter than steel ones, and therefore better. It's a scientific enough test for User482 .

You're just embarassing yourself now.

 

[bonj2]

I just told you. Go and re-read my post. If you don't understand any of the words look them up. I thought you were a physicist? You don't seem to have much of a grasp of the properties of metals.

Ah, the old "I've already told you" argument. Getting desparate if we have to start wheeling that old one out.

Aluminium framed touring bikes are built for the same purpose as steel touring bikes, and have a similar component spec. Hence a comparison is perfectly valid.

So tell me what make, model and year is your bike, then tell me what make, model and year you deem to be the 'equivalent' aluminium bike. Then tell me HOW and on what basis you have come to the conclusion that it is the 'equivalent' bike.

Yet again you have failed to ackowledge the fundamental properties of the two metals in question. Steel can be bent back without weakening it, aluminium can't.

Steel does weaken if you bend it back. Possibly not as much, but not that different an amount. What do you think paper clips are made of? Yep, steel. So why when you keep bending one back and forth, back and forth does it eventually break?