Bike Recommendations

[lukemg]

I've got a 10-yr old Marin East Peak dual sus mountain bike (about a grand at the time). Go on the odd country track but mostly country lanes and no mountains so not the best choice. BUT - With fat wheels and suspension it is the most comfortable bike I have ever ridden and since I mostly cycle for fitness, I think it's a good choice as surely this will be harder work than a 'proper' road bike meaning I can get fit doing half the mileage ? Or am I wrong ?

[northernladuk]

I'll be doing quite a bit of mileage on bumpy country lanes & apparently this style frame is perfect for soaking up the bumps, according to the salesman. My only reservation is with the lifespan of the graphite frame. I've heard that cracks can develop after a relatively short period of time.

Anyone got any recommendations? Don't want to spend more than £1.5k. TIA.

I know sod all about bikes but how does a solid frame soak up bumps? I thought the goal was the stiffist frame and lightest weight which does not indicate to me it will soak up a single bump?? If a salesman tried pulling that one on me I would seriously doubt a single word he said after that. Anyone enlighten me please?

[doodab]

I know sod all about bikes but how does a solid frame soak up bumps? I thought the goal was the stiffist frame and lightest weight which does not indicate to me it will soak up a single bump??

It flexes.

Like most engineering, frame design involves finding a compromise by balancing different desirable characteristics. Weight & stiffness are important but you can't easily have more of one without less of the other, and comfort and cost are just as or more important to most people as well. Different materials will provide a different balance but there are lots of other factors like the length of the chainstays, wheelbase, fork rake as well as the stiffness of individual tubes that can make a big difference as well. In the case of carbon fibre frames the lay up can be tweaked so that frames are laterally stiff to transmit power but vertically compliant to soak up bumps, obviously the more complex the layup the harder (and more expensive) it is to make.

[Notascooby]

The audax style frames have curved forks to absorb more vibration, also carbon is very stiff but great for absorbtion. Carbon is also brilliant as its light and doesn't rust. What it doesn't like is latteral impact, so crashes can right off a frame which would dent Aluminum. Titanum is a fantastic option, lasts for ever, great absorbtion doesn't rust, looks nice and takes a hammering.

[DaveB]

[QUOTE=Notascooby;1592435]The audax style frames have curved forks to absorb more vibration, also carbon is very stiff but great for absorbtion. Carbon is also brilliant as its light and doesn't rust. What it doesn't like is latteral impact, so crashes can right off a frame which would dent Aluminum. Titanum is a fantastic option, lasts for ever, great absorbtion doesn't rust, looks nice and takes a hammering.[/QUOTE]

And costs a bloody fortune, although not quite as much as a carbon frame, granted.

The most comfortable frames are still steel. Not as light as the others so the performance is not as good if speed is your thing, but much more comfortable. Absorbs "road buzz" much better than any of the others and can be repaired easily if the need arises ( you can't weld or reshape alu or titanium frames if you bend one).

They also last forever as long as you look after them little.

Steel -
Comfortable, Durable, Repairable, Strong, Cheap, Requires the smallest tubes for frame stiffness, Cool if retro is your thing.
Heavy, can suffer from fatigue, corrosion is a problem if not cared for, Uncool if not into retro.

Aluminium -
Lighter, won't corrode, easier to form into Aero shapes, good for larger lightweight frames. Neither cool nor uncool. Default choice for most riders.
Not as cheap, Less comfortable, can be brittle, can suffer from fatigue, not easly repairable, needs larger thinner tubes, frames can be written off by cracks or bends. Big thin tubes are more vulnerable in a crash.

Titanium -
Lighter than steel, heaver than aluminium. Won't corrode, needs larger diamiter tubes than steel but not as large as aluminium, resistant to metal fatigue. More comfortable than aluminium, less so than steel. Cool, but understated.
Most expensive, hard to impossible to repair if you do bend it.

Carbon -
Lightest, stiffist, strongest (if well built), no corrosion, great fatigue strength, highly customisable for exotic frame designs. Very Cool.
Expensive, reliant on build quality for durability (cheap or poorly designed frames can be subject to catastrophic failure), hard to repair, "notch sensitive" minor damage can lead to total failure. Excessive stiffness can lead to poor ride comfort.