What makes a frame good or bad (in similar priced bikes)

[Dave7]

Further to my quest for a new bike in the £600-£1000 range I was looking at 3 bikes-all in the £650 range and with a variety of forks & gears

One of the LBS's is recommending bike 'A' over bike '' or 'C' ' and tells me that 'A' has a far better frame than any other in that price range-that it will ensure all enegy is transered to where it should be and that I will spend less energy for the same result.

Now-to me they all look similar (geometry wise) so I am asking myself..........

• If all frames come from 1 of 3 factories and are the same material (6061)
• If all brands are well know with vast experience
• They will all have tested their competitors and could easily tweek theirs if required.

Can this advice be accurate?
BTW-The guy is an experience MTB rider of 20 years plus and can have his pick of bikes.....and seems a really decent dealer who is not just after my money.

 

[amaferanga]

Get the one you think looks best and fits you best, not the one the guy in the bike shop wants to sell you. This bollocks about all energy being transferred to where it should be - there will be no difference between the frames for normal cyclists (assuming the geometry is similar and they all fit you or can be made to fit with a change of stem, etc.).

 

[PpPete]

Some manufacturers have (alledgedly) put a lot more research into high-end aluminium frame design. I'm thinking of Canondale in particular. Others have put all their high end R&D into carbon. How much of that research & technology trickles down to bikes in the sub £1000 price bracket is another question.
At that level, as amaferanga says, it's a lot more about which bike suits you.

 

[Dave7]

Get the one you think looks best and fits you best, not the one the guy in the bike shop wants to sell you. This bollocks about all energy being transferred to where it should be - there will be no difference between the frames for normal cyclists (assuming the geometry is similar and they all fit you or can be made to fit with a change of stem, etc.).

Although I'm inclined to agree with you......is this just your opinion or do you have anything to back it up with (and that isn't meant to be flippant as I would like to know one way or the other).

 

[gbb]

The only way you'll ever know is to read reviews or test ride reports on particular bikes, they can be very informative.
For instance, my old pre C2C Bianchi did suffer quite badly from frame flex...my C2C doesnt. I don't doubt some frames are better than others, the only way is to do your own homework, read reports etc.
But then its about the package as well. You'll see a bike you know has a good frame, and its sold with budget wheels. I used to see a lot of good bikes with Tiagra wheelsets. Tiagra's fine, but it doesnt match the frame quality wise. I know you can't have everything, but putting a flexy set of wheels on a stiff frame, it seems so pointless.

 

[Cubist]

Further to my quest for a new bike in the £600-£1000 range I was looking at 3 bikes-all in the £650 range and with a variety of forks & gears

One of the LBS's is recommending bike 'A' over bike '' or 'C' ' and tells me that 'A' has a far better frame than any other in that price range-that it will ensure all enegy is transered to where it should be and that I will spend less energy for the same result.

Now-to me they all look similar (geometry wise) so I am asking myself..........

• If all frames come from 1 of 3 factories and are the same material (6061)
• If all brands are well know with vast experience
• They will all have tested their competitors and could easily tweek theirs if required.

Can this advice be accurate?

BTW-The guy is an experience MTB rider of 20 years plus and can have his pick of bikes.....and seems a really decent dealer who is not just after my money.

Was one of them a Specialized by any chance?

What 3 bikes are you choosing between?

 

[2Loose]

A 'perfect' frame will transfer max power while maintaining max comfort...and it doesn't exist!
Every frame is a compromise unfortunately. If you intend to upgrade parts eventually then spending on the frame is a good idea...else pay for the complete 'package'. You pays your money...

 

[PpPete]

I think most bikes in the sort of price bracket the OP is looking at would probably benefit from a wheel upgrade - so if your are looking at the "package" bear that in mind too.

 

[Cyclist33]

Were they Whyte, Felt and Marin by any chance, and he recommended the Marin frame? Certainly I do feel that my bobcat has excellent power transfer compared to the Felt hardtail I had a couple of years ago, but as has been said you're on a budget where it probably doesn't matter too much.

Let me know if/when you purchase, if you fancy a pootle along the TPT.

Stuart

 

[Moodyman]

As said above, for the average rider, the frame quality is not easily detectable.

But once you've been riding for a while and ride different bikes, then you can certainly detect difference in materials.

I can tell the difference between my Marin's 7005 aluminium and my Trek's 6061 alumnium. I can also tell the difference between those two and my steel bike. I can tell the difference between my steel bike and my aluminium/carbon combo road bike.

It's difficult to say which of these I prefer as they all get ridden in different circumstances, but they all have different characteristics.

For absolute comfort, my steel bike stands out, but that isn't saying that the others are uncomfortable.

The shop guy is right, but for you, I think what matters is that the bike fits you right.

 

[Red Light]

The only way you'll ever know is to read reviews or test ride reports on particular bikes, they can be very informative.
For instance, my old pre C2C Bianchi did suffer quite badly from frame flex...my C2C doesnt. I don't doubt some frames are better than others, the only way is to do your own homework, read reports etc.
But then its about the package as well. You'll see a bike you know has a good frame, and its sold with budget wheels. I used to see a lot of good bikes with Tiagra wheelsets. Tiagra's fine, but it doesnt match the frame quality wise. I know you can't have everything, but putting a flexy set of wheels on a stiff frame, it seems so pointless.

There is no reason why Tiagra wheelsets should be "flexy" as you call it. The hub may be a bit heavier and less refined but it won't make a wheel that is any more or less flexy than another. My advice would be to go for the best frame you can and then upgrade the budget bits as they wear out. The frame will last you a lifetime, most of the rest of the bike won't.

 

[gbb]

There is no reason why Tiagra wheelsets should be "flexy" as you call it. The hub may be a bit heavier and less refined but it won't make a wheel that is any more or less flexy than another. My advice would be to go for the best frame you can and then upgrade the budget bits as they wear out. The frame will last you a lifetime, most of the rest of the bike won't.

Experience shows me (and plenty of others in reviews, reports, discussions) that Tiagra wheelsets are flexy, seen it reported so many times. The irony is, they're good strong, well made wheels (i have some and for commuting, they're fantastic)...but they do flex noticeably.
Get out the saddle, give it some...and the wheel magnet will strike the sensor because of the flex.
It never used to do that before i fitted Tiagras.
Its all academic anyway, OPs discussion seemed to focus on the frame quality. Whatever wheels get fitted will make a huge difference.

 

[Dave7]

Was one of them a Specialized by any chance?

What 3 bikes are you choosing between?

The one he recommends is a Marin Bobcat Trail @ £650. One was a Felt (not sure which model but similar price)and the 3rd was a Bianchi at £600.
I was looking at the Specialised but they do seem expensive for the spec'.

 

[Dave7]

My advice would be to go for the best frame you can and then upgrade the budget bits as they wear out. The frame will last you a lifetime, most of the rest of the bike won't.

Now that is the problem......how does anyone know which is the best frame in any given price band??

 

[PpPete]

That's easy...
The one with "best" frame in any given price band will be the one with crappiest wheels and lowest spec componentry.