Thoughts on ride of carbon v that of titanium

[Fletch456]

Hi,

I maybe riding carbon (Scott CR1) and titanium bikes (actually a Ti, Carbon mix) for the first time this weekend and am interested in if you've ridden both and how you would describe the difference. I don't know if I'll be on 'em long enough to appreciate all the differences. Current bike is entry level Terry Dolan alu with carbon front fork and sora and may be able to afford a better bike sooner than I thought. The ti bike I may buy is a Lynskey Sportive with 105.

Rides - though ridden some before been riding on a weekly basis for a year; have mostly done club rides and a few sportives - plan is more sportives and a trip to french mountain or two in next couple of years. Me - 6'4", about 15st - so no climber really but not overweight for my height; really enjoying cycling and long term think I plan to continue.

Ti - it caught my attention when I read more than once that the ride is better for sportives and all day rides (though I may get bored and not do many that length) - I've been told - carbon accelerates better, ti helps you hold a speed better once there, lasts potentially forever, easily repaired (if at a heavy cost in some cases), painted carbon can be scratched of course. The thought of help with riding comfort I like as I am a little long in my back for my height, hold tension in my shoulders and can feel it after a ride sometimes.

Or is different in ride not that huge and bigger thing is in longevity of material? So I'd be better off spending less - and putting more in my (boring if not very full) pension?!

thanks

Craig

 

[TheDoctor]

TBH, it's nowhere near as simples as that.
It's much more about whether a bike is comfortable and correctly fitted, size and inflation of tyres, that sort of thing.
I'd be astounded if anyone could identify the frame material from the ride of the bike.
And yes, I have carbon, aluminium, Ti and steel bikes.

 

[Fletch456]

TBH, it's nowhere near as simples as that.
It's much more about whether a bike is comfortable and correctly fitted, size and inflation of tyres, that sort of thing.
I'd be astounded if anyone could identify the frame material from the ride of the bike.
And yes, I have carbon, aluminium, Ti and steel bikes.

Really? I know set up makes a significant difference but you reckon that if set up was exactly the same, same wheels tyres and groupset it would be ni-on impossible to tell the difference?

 

[TheDoctor]

Yup. Mike Burrows reckons you can't even tell the difference with micrometers.
He's probably forgotten more about bike design and engineering than I'll ever know.

 

[avsd]

TBH, it's nowhere near as simples as that.
It's much more about whether a bike is comfortable and correctly fitted, size and inflation of tyres, that sort of thing.
I'd be astounded if anyone could identify the frame material from the ride of the bike.
And yes, I have carbon, aluminium, Ti and steel bikes.

+1 for this. I have Carbon, steel nad just got a To bike. Ti bike arrived last week for the winter/light tourng duties. Like all three but still adjusting the Ti bike to get it setup right.

 

[e-rider]

I've ridden steel, alu and full carbon over the years and I can't tell little difference between them. Build quality probably makes more difference than materials.

As other people have said, it's all about fit and fine tuning.

If a bike fits me well, I can't stop riding it whereas if it doesn't feel comfortable I'm always quick to get off, makes no difference how much the bike cost or what it's made from!

 

[Flying Dodo]

I cycled over the same little route on my Planet X Ti and a carbon Specialized Roubaix Elite a day apart. Although the Roubaix felt a bit more responsive due to being lighter, it felt as though there was more flex when accelerating hard, and over a rough surface I could definitely feel the road more compared with the Ti.

I wouldn't say there was a lot in it, but in any event I'd already bought the Ti mainly due to it looking different.

 

[Fletch456]

Hi,

First - thanks for the replies..very interesting information. And @ The Doctor - Beaune everytime (well ...when it's not Central Otago or one of the whites I like).

Second - the fitting guy took measurements and set me up on the first of the bikes - adjusting seat height and changing head stem. He made them fit as best as possible though they wouldn't be perfect as for example the Scott was a 56cm and I need at least a 58cm. The wheels were almost identical Mavics and tyres I didn't check but may email about.


I rode the bikes yesterday - so thought I'd give you an update. A Scott CR1 Pro and a Titus C/Ti mix which is fairly near to standard Ti in feel - and I was astounded at the difference. As a relative novice I didn't expect to feel the difference anything like I did. The Ti certainly smoothed the bumps; it literally glided over them and I hardly felt them at all. The acceleration I could create on the carbon I really didn't expect to feel as much as I did and of course it was really noticeable on a hill. So since I'm no climber it's thrown an unexpected spanner in the works but then I was testing bikes for the first time. This difference would be bigger of course on the Ti in my potential price range as it would be around 2lbs heavier. My alu / carbon feels like a car without suspension at times by comparison to both of them so I am really wanting to change now; that's one thing for sure. I will possibly go back and ride them again - it was all so new and a bit nervous (ti/c was fitting man's bike he lent me for the purpose owing to my size worth £4.5k that I was taking through traffic). I now totally appreciate why people have 2..3..4.. or more bikes on occasion; they can be so very different to each other.

I also got to try campag for the first time so may switch as I was more knowledgable about Shimano before. So carbon is very much in the frame am going to look around at others since I hadn't really looked into them. So am now researching carbon bikes in the £1300 - £2k area that have a sportive focus (not narrowed budget but feeling I may decide on the lower end).

Interested in any thoughts and will keep you posted.

Craig

 

[snomaes]

So am now researching carbon bikes in the £1300 - £2k area that have a sportive focus (not narrowed budget but feeling I may decide on the lower end).

Interested in any thoughts and will keep you posted.

Craig

I purchased a Planet X nanolight carbon with Sram Red running gear in the summer and it is a delight to ride. Definitely one to consider, especially taking price into consideration.