# Carbon Or 7005 Triple Butted Aluminum?



## Atyl1972 (6 Jul 2011)

well guys, please have your say here...... as a beginner will i really notice that much of a difference by riding a full carbon against the 7005 triple butted aluminum bikes?


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## Banjo (7 Jul 2011)

I asked a similar question and had a variety of answers. Personally I would rather have a good quality ally bike than spend the same money on an entry level Carbon with lower quality groupset.

If money was no object then it would be a different question maybe comparing Top end carbon with top end Titanium.


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## fossyant (7 Jul 2011)

Carbon will generally be a little more comfortable, but like above, a cheap carbon won't be as stiff as a quality alloy frame.

Look at the stuff Cannondale does with the CAAD frames.

There should be very little weight difference anyway.


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## Atyl1972 (8 Jul 2011)

fossy, what would you get out of these 2? as there is a £375 difference.. please let me know asap....

http://www.cube.eu/en/road/pro-series/agree-sl/ 

http://www.cube.eu/en/road/pro-composite-series/agree-gtc-race/


fossyant said:


> Carbon will generally be a little more comfortable, but like above, a cheap carbon won't be as stiff as a quality alloy frame.
> 
> Look at the stuff Cannondale does with the CAAD frames.
> 
> There should be very little weight difference anyway.


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## sabian92 (8 Jul 2011)

If you're a starter then I'd avoid carbon completely. Way too expensive and you might not even get the use out of it.


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## Atyl1972 (8 Jul 2011)

what makes you think i may not get the use out of it, just because you assume I'm a beginner?


sabian92 said:


> If you're a starter then I'd avoid carbon completely. Way too expensive and you might not even get the use out of it.


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## abo (8 Jul 2011)

Atyl1972 said:


> what makes you think i may not get the use out of it, just because you assume I'm a beginner?



Well, in your OP you said 'as a beginner' so I guess what's why he assumed you were a beginner...


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## vickster (8 Jul 2011)

I have ordered a carbon bike, never had a road bike but am riding a reasonable light aluminium hybrid. I was initially going to go alu, with mixed forks, but for a similar difference in price I get the carbon, bespoke build starting with the frame - being a taller woman getting a man's frame, I was always going to need to spend money on changes, such as saddle, bars, stem etc. 

I think to do the upgrade, may as well do it properly - all depends if you can afford the difference and indeed can justify it. Personally, I think I will be more inclined to use the carbon bike as much as possible simply because it will feel much more different to the hybrid it terms of ride (and I will force myself to due to the cost)!

OP - I thought you had already made a decision and ordered the bike?


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## sabian92 (8 Jul 2011)

Atyl1972 said:


> what makes you think i may not get the use out of it, just because you assume I'm a beginner?



Because you don't really know if you will use it until you actually get it. Kids do it just as much as adults do - they want something then 5 minutes later they don't. I did it with countless mobile phones when I was younger as well, and to be honest now at a week short of 19 I do it still. All I'm saying is, going with alu instead of carbon is cheaper, but if you don't take it up properly, you haven't lost as much money but you've still got a decent bike if you do. I'm not saying get a crap hybrid from tesco, but don't just spend a fortune on a carbon bike because you can.

Having said that, if you want to spend an arm and a leg on a carbon bike, then feel free.


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## Globalti (8 Jul 2011)

My first road bike was Columubus SLX steel, nice, but stiff and punishing.

I rode an alloy bike 45 miles and felt beaten up.

I wondered how I was ever going to build up my miles if road bikes were so punishing.

Then I got a carbon bike and it was a revelation. Now I ride 50-60 miles at weekends and don't feel beaten up, just tired legs.


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## Atyl1972 (8 Jul 2011)

yeah i was the same at that age too but as you get older you learn to appreciate things a lot more, your opinion leans more towards a ALU bike Rather than a carbon, not sure why that is but hey ho as some people have stated on other forums about the weight, IMO its not about the weight its about the stiffness of the ride and if I'm going to be doing some serious miles all i wanted to know, ( not having had a carbon b4 ) is there such a huge difference, from what I've seen so far cannondale make the best ALU bikes with their CAAD series however, i do not like the ride on them..


sabian92 said:


> Because you don't really know if you will use it until you actually get it. Kids do it just as much as adults do - they want something then 5 minutes later they don't. I did it with countless mobile phones when I was younger as well, and to be honest now at a week short of 19 I do it still. All I'm saying is, going with alu instead of carbon is cheaper, but if you don't take it up properly, you haven't lost as much money but you've still got a decent bike if you do. I'm not saying get a crap hybrid from tesco, but don't just spend a fortune on a carbon bike because you can.
> 
> Having said that, if you want to spend an arm and a leg on a carbon bike, then feel free.


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## Atyl1972 (8 Jul 2011)

I've reserved the placement for me to ride first with no commitment and having rode today the carbon for sure feels quite a bit better even on smooth road surfaces, took 2 bikes out, one ALU and the other carbon and within 5 minutes i noticed a considerable difference, people had warned me off of cube bikes as they said that cube pay more attention to detail in the groupset rather than their frames but what i can tell is that they build very very good quality bikes IMHO, doesn't appear to be many cube users on these forums but certainly a few on other sites, and the ALU was only 2lbs in weight difference i personally couldn't tell...


vickster said:


> I have ordered a carbon bike, never had a road bike but am riding a reasonable light aluminium hybrid. I was initially going to go alu, with mixed forks, but for a similar difference in price I get the carbon, bespoke build starting with the frame - being a taller woman getting a man's frame, I was always going to need to spend money on changes, such as saddle, bars, stem etc.
> 
> I think to do the upgrade, may as well do it properly - all depends if you can afford the difference and indeed can justify it. Personally, I think I will be more inclined to use the carbon bike as much as possible simply because it will feel much more different to the hybrid it terms of ride (and I will force myself to due to the cost)!
> 
> OP - I thought you had already made a decision and ordered the bike?


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## sabian92 (8 Jul 2011)

Atyl1972 said:


> yeah i was the same at that age too but as you get older you learn to appreciate things a lot more, your opinion leans more towards a ALU bike Rather than a carbon, not sure why that is but hey ho as some people have stated on other forums about the weight, IMO its not about the weight its about the stiffness of the ride and if I'm going to be doing some serious miles all i wanted to know, ( not having had a carbon b4 ) is there such a huge difference, from what I've seen so far cannondale make the best ALU bikes with their CAAD series however, i do not like the ride on them..



I'm not biased toward either - I've never ridden a carbon bike and I'm not likely to for a very long time as I can't afford one.

If I was you (and to be honest, I am from what I gather) I'd get a reasonably decent road bike but not a carbon one, which is what I did. Less expensive and still a decent bike, and you can get a stiff bike without going carbon.


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## Rob3rt (8 Jul 2011)

A higher end alloy frame like CAAD frame is likely lighter and stiffer than any low end carbon frame.


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## vickster (8 Jul 2011)

I am getting a Pearson carbon bike and was told that they use the same type of carbon (went into lots of techy detail that was straight over my girly head) through the range while some of the larger manufactuers use a lower grade at the bottom end versus the top end (e.g. Specialized)

Get the bike that you most like the look & feel of and of which that you can justify the price. I know what I am like - if I had gone for the cheaper aluminium bike, I would have been itching to upgrade next year, so decided just to make the big jump now while I know I can afford it (and then don't take the depreciation hit)!


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## zexel (8 Jul 2011)

Globalti said:


> My first road bike was Columubus SLX steel, nice, but stiff and punishing.
> 
> *I rode an alloy bike 45 miles and felt beaten up.*
> 
> ...



You probably had too much pressure in your tyres! 

It's such a shame that blind tests can't be carried out on bicycles, As regards 'stiffness, compliance and material' bollards, most normal cyclists wouldn't be able to tell the difference if they didn't know. It's all subjective.

To OP, ain't you got a bike yet!


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## albion (8 Jul 2011)

I still think of carbon frames as being a compromise on quality in order to save a few grams weight.


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## GrumpyGregry (8 Jul 2011)

a decent ali frame and carbon fork, forming the heart of a correctly set up and sized bike, won't beat you up over 200km let alone 45 miles


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## postman (8 Jul 2011)

We are all different ages,shapes,sizes,weights.Great advice comes from these Chatters on here.I know i have benefited from it.But a bike and importantly a saddle is a very personal choice.I began cycling twenty four years ago.I have worked through two Raleigh bikes,a Dawes Galaxy .As time has gone on bikes and bits have got better.My Spesh Secteur Elite £999.Is the best ever.It might not touch or tick the boxes of better cyclists than me.But last week 104 miles it was ride riding a cloud.What more could i need.At the moment.

+1 Cube Agree SL 64CM. Drool.Thats the next one.Not this year and maybe not next but i have my heart set on it.Get the one that feels right for you.By all means listen and read.But you will know which is the right one.It's a kind of feeling.


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## Atyl1972 (8 Jul 2011)

i have to ask, what makes you think that you are me,lol. i didn't realize i was being psycho-analyzed.....


sabian92 said:


> I'm not biased toward either - I've never ridden a carbon bike and I'm not likely to for a very long time as I can't afford one.
> 
> If I was you (and to be honest, I am from what I gather) I'd get a reasonably decent road bike but not a carbon one, which is what I did. Less expensive and still a decent bike, and you can get a stiff bike without going carbon.


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## Atyl1972 (8 Jul 2011)

yes i already have a ALU hybrid but have placed an order of the cube agree GTC race to be brought into the shop for me to try which i have done so, and IMHO this blitzes my ALU hybrid which is already a decent bike, i want a roadie for fitness and the occasional commute and the GTC is fast and very comfy and apparently excellent quality on the carbon front, if anyone has any experience with any kind of "shoddiness" regarding any cube carbon bike please let me know personally 


zexel said:


> You probably had too much pressure in your tyres!
> 
> It's such a shame that blind tests can't be carried out on bicycles, As regards 'stiffness, compliance and material' bollards, most normal cyclists wouldn't be able to tell the difference if they didn't know. It's all subjective.
> 
> To OP, ain't you got a bike yet!


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## TheDoctor (8 Jul 2011)

I'd say ride them both. Then you'll know.
It's impossible to define what it is about a bike that's 'right' but it's more than just the material.


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## Atyl1972 (9 Jul 2011)

i agree with that, but with the ultegra group set to boot its as smooth as anything I've ever ridden, only rode it for around 20 minutes but made sure i hit some rough surfaces a small pot hole and a few road cracks and i never felt any of it to be honest it just felt 'right' as you say...


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## zexel (9 Jul 2011)

Atyl1972 said:


> yes i already have a ALU hybrid but have placed an order of the cube agree GTC race to be brought into the shop for me to try which i have done so, and IMHO this blitzes my ALU hybrid which is already a decent bike, i want a roadie for fitness and the occasional commute and the GTC is fast and very comfy and apparently excellent quality on the carbon front, if anyone has any experience with any kind of "shoddiness" regarding any cube carbon bike please let me know personally



Nice. Must admit, tis a cracking looking bike. (Edit: Not literally of course )


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## sabian92 (9 Jul 2011)

Atyl1972 said:


> i have to ask, what makes you think that you are me,lol. i didn't realize i was being psycho-analyzed.....



We're both beginners, and you're not being psycho-analysed...

I was trying to present an argument to save you a fair wedge of cash but it seems I'm wasting my time...


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## Atyl1972 (9 Jul 2011)

well I've bought the bike having ridden it for a few miles and thoroughly pleased so far, light strong and very fast, and TBH its my cash and not yours OK and your opinion was taken on board but it is....your opinion and my decision, at the end of the day people will say no get a good ALU, then others say get a titanium but if i listened to everyone id be a schizo....


sabian92 said:


> We're both beginners, and you're not being psycho-analysed...
> 
> I was trying to present an argument to save you a fair wedge of cash but it seems I'm wasting my time...


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## Mikeyd (25 Jun 2019)

Atyl1972 said:


> well guys, please have your say here...... as a beginner will i really notice that much of a difference by riding a full carbon against the 7005 triple butted aluminum bikes?


Cannondale caad are light but they are not called "crack and fail " for nothing. Carbon can be repaired if it cracks. If you have the cash buy carbon over aluminum for comfort. Steel frame w carbon fork combo is pretty comfortable too. Always consider ti if you're looking at the carbon price range


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## vickster (26 Jun 2019)

Mikeyd said:


> Cannondale caad are light but they are not called "crack and fail " for nothing. Carbon can be repaired if it cracks. If you have the cash buy carbon over aluminum for comfort. Steel frame w carbon fork combo is pretty comfortable too. Always consider ti if you're looking at the carbon price range


Holy thread resurrection


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## Slow But Determined (27 Jun 2019)

abo said:


> Well, in your OP you said 'as a beginner' so I guess what's why he assumed you were a beginner...



Plus the post is in the beginners section.

The clues are all there.


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## vickster (27 Jun 2019)

Slow But Determined said:


> Plus the post is in the beginners section.
> 
> The clues are all there.


Maybe not such a beginner now 8 years on from the OP


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## ColinJ (27 Jun 2019)

And my then already 10 year old CAAD5 '_crack and fail_' is now 8 years older but still going strong despite my repeated attempts to force it to fail by flinging (at one time) up to 17+ stone of me down rough Yorkshire descents on it at speeds in excess of 80 km/hr!


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## Drago (27 Jun 2019)

Triple butted tuning is liable to be of very decent quality. I'd want to ride both and base my decision on the only criteria that ultimately matters - how do they ride?


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