Aluminium, Carbon, Steel, Titanium: Does Bicycle Frame Material Matter?

While I know that most of us who will come upon this post are in no way experts on the subject, I am hoping to have a bit of a discussion about frame material and its affect or lack thereof on ride quality when it comes to bicycles. Because most of us are not experts (myself included), I don't know that we can put too much stock in the information, but I am interested to know what others have experienced and it's nice to be able to have a chat in a manner that is understandable to more than a few. Often I find myself overwhelmed when I get deep into this topic, but let's give it a try and hope for the best.

I have read up and spoke to a variety of individuals on this topic over the years and I thought I had a clear grasp on the subject, but after reading some forum posts recently (which I do realize can only be taken with a grain of salt) and having some personal experiences of my own, I am a bit perplexed. So, I am hoping that if this subject is of importance or interest to someone else or if there is a person who does have experience with one or more of the frame materials you will chime in and offer up your thoughts or potentially your expertise on the matter.

To begin, I will offer what has become my understanding of the basic qualities of a few frame materials - but again, I am no expert and only have information that has been shared with me (or that I've experienced myself), so if something seems off, please provide your input below.

Aluminium:
- Provides a stiff ride
- Can be made fairly lightweight
- It is strong
- Cost: it is less expensive to produce an aluminium frame making it a more monetarily palatable option
- Moldable material
- Can last longer than some other materials, but can also get stress fractures if over-built or not built properly
- Doesn't rust over time
- Is repairable, but it is more difficult and therefore more expensive than some materials
- Less expensive than steel, carbon, or titanium
- Can be harsher on rough roads

Carbon Fiber:
- Stiffer ride than some other materials
- Lightweight material
- It is strong
- Strength and stiffness can vary from one manufacturer to another and depends on the design
- Cost: it is more expensive to produce making it a more expensive alternative (especially for a custom build)
- Highly moldable material - can be made into just about any shape desired
- Doesn't rust as steel will over time
- It is potentially repairable, but it is highly expensive and may end up looking as though it has been repaired
- More expensive option than aluminium or steel
- Offers dampening qualities that aluminium may not provide
- Material quality can vary significantly, creating very different results, and potentially fractures/cracks over time
- May not last as long as steel, aluminium or titanium

Steel:
- Provides a softer ride due to flex in material (comfortable), but has a "livelier" feel
- Can be heavier or lighter weight, but has been traditionally considered a "heavier" material (this has changed as lighter weight steel has become available)
- It is strong
- Cost: it is a less expensive material
- More durable material over time
- Can rust if not properly cared for
- Is highly repairable, making it one of the easier frames to fix if there is a crack or fracture
- May have too much flex for some riders
- Probably the most economical choice of material overall (because it is less expensive and easier to repair)
- Could potentially last a lifetime

Titanium:
- Stiff, but shock absorbing
- Can be made lighter in weight
- It is strong
- Cost: it is a more expensive material (one of the two most expensive described here)
- Durable material, but it is not unbreakable
- Can corrode
- Is repairable, but like carbon can be extremely expensive
- More expensive option than aluminium or steel - an potentially than carbon, depending on the manufacturer
- Quality of ride can depend on how it was made, weight of rider vs tubing, etc
- Can potentially be smooth, stable, and responsive
- Longevity is probably somewhere between aluminium and steel

Recently, I have come upon some ideas that conclude perhaps frame material has little or nothing to do with the overall ride quality one experiences on a bicycle. That in fact the items that really matter are:
- Tire choice
- Geometry of frame
- Saddle selection
This information was shared by a former frame builder (and a few other places as well) who believes that potentially any of the frame materials mentioned above can feel just the way a rider wants them to feel. That more of the actual ride quality is based on these three components rather than frame material itself.

Of the four materials listed above, I have never ridden titanium, so my experience with it is non-existent. However, I can say that based on my experiences with the other three materials, there may be something to the idea that frame material is of far less consequence than frame geometry, tires and saddle.

I was once under the strong belief that I would never in a million years be able to ride an aluminium bicycle for any kind of distance. I believed that the "rattle-factor" would be too much for my ailments and always chose to skip over this as an option for a road bike. When I obtained an aluminium road bike and was able to ride it on a 100-mile ride, I began to question everything I'd believed to be true in the past. I had owned other aluminium bikes prior to that one and they'd just been far too much for me to deal with. I'd always return home shaken and in pain. Then, when this "miracle" happened, I couldn't quite wrap my head around what exactly had taken place.

A similar, although a bit opposite, experience has happened with steel too. I had always believed that steel would be the smoothest, most comfortable ride possible. Every steel bicycle I have owned, whether heavier or lighter in weight, was the easiest for me to ride without pain. Then, a steel bicycle happened along that left me with some of the most debilitating pain I've experienced from riding a bike. The bike was seemingly the proper size and geometry like all of the others, but somehow, no matter what was done to it, I was left with lingering effects for days. Much like my surprise findings of comfort with the aluminium bicycle, I was perplexed by the harshness of this steel bicycle.

In my experience, I have ridden comfortable, fast, and easy to ride bicycles in aluminium, carbon fiber, and steel, just as I have had the opposite experiences. It causes me a bit of pause when I really stop to think about it, and thus my query to you. I know that there are lovers of all the different materials available, and I'm not trying to convince anyone that material makes absolutely no difference in the feel of a bicycle, but I am curious to know what you think about this idea. What have your experiences been and how have they affected your decisions to date? Have you had any rides that were opposite of your knowledge base?

Edited to add note: If you're looking for a different perspective on a related topic, check out Velovoice's thoughts on geometry, fit and ride quality.

Aluminum vs Steel: A Test with the Trek Lexa SLX

Last summer, I wrote up some thoughts on my personal preferences and experience while testing out a carbon road bike. I admitted up front that I am a lover of steel, but I wanted to see and feel the differences for myself and what I could be missing out on. More recently, I've been frustrated with what I'm able to find in a steel road bike - more specifically, that I cannot find something that fits well and is lighter/faster (and, of course, somewhat affordable). We've tried building up our own versions a few times, but it just hasn't gone well at all. Ultimately, I don't want to spend all the "good weather" months hunting down a bike. I want to spend the time riding my bike.

The idea was to go and try out a bunch of road bikes in shops. I was going to leave all my pre-conceived notions about what a road bike should be, what I like and don't like, and what material the bike should be made of at home. That was a little tough for me, but I was willing to play along to see what sort of bike could be best for me.  We found a really great sales guy (actually the assistant manager) at a bike shop and after a quick chat about what I'm currently riding, what I like and don't like, he suggested a bike for me to try: a Trek Lexa SLX. It was not a Trek-specific shop, so I didn't feel as though there would be any pre-determined idea on the part of the shop-boys (and girls) as to what I should try. My immediate issue with this pick was the fact that it's an aluminum frame. As with my test ride of carbon, I have nothing specifically against aluminum, but I've had aluminum bikes in the past and they have caused incredible pain - so much so that I had sworn off aluminum bikes for any future potential bike purchase.

*Image from Trek

I reminded myself, however, that I was keeping an open mind. The assistant manager told me he has severe hand/wrist issues and he can ride the aluminum just fine because of the carbon fork. He explained how the aluminum tubes Trek now makes have changed and off I went on a test ride. Sam's first comment was, "Woah! You just got on and went... crazy!" He was referring to the reality that typically when I get on a new-to-me bike the first time, I'm always a little hesitant. It didn't happen with this bike. Score 1 for aluminum. After riding in a circle to test out positioning, Sam joined me on a ride to see what I could do on this bike.

Immediately, I was impressed with the positioning. I didn't feel overly leaned forward, nor did I feel too upright. The handlebars seemed unbelievable perfect, and I loved the gearing on the bike too. The only complaint I had was the saddle (but that's to be expected on a short test ride). Sam claimed he was having to push to keep up with me (I don't know how true that was, but I felt fast enough, so I was satisfied). We switched bikes at one point so Sam could get a feel of it, and then rode back to the shop.  All had gone well, but I had the nagging of my past experiences with aluminum poking me - though just a bit.

We walked away from the shop to take a look at some other things, but ultimately came back. We were assured that we had 30 days to test out the bike on my own and if it didn't work, we could bring it back. I liked the fast feeling, I liked the positioning, so it was hard to not take him up on the offer. After some idle chatter, we decided to take it home. After bringing the bike home with us, I took it on a few rides: one with Sam along so that we could make adjustments as needed "on the fly," and two others on my own.

I was on a buyer's-high, for sure. I couldn't believe how fast I felt on this bike, and was excited to get out on the road. We tried out one of my already-owned saddles on the first half of the ride and then switched to another. It was a great way to feel immediately which one was working better. After the saddle change on ride one, all was going well. My hand and wrist were giving me a bit of a problem, but I assumed it was due to over working them over the prior several days. Not a big deal, I thought. I would carry on.

The second ride, I went on alone. My hands were still bothering me, but because the days were back to back and I was already experiencing the pain, I assumed that it was just something that needed to heal over a period of time. The ride was fairly short (under 15 miles), but my hands weren't doing great and I was tired, so I decided to head home early.

The last of the three rides, I set out with the intention of going on at least a 35-40 mile ride. I'd purposefully given myself a couple of days to recover from the over-use of my hands the prior week, so I thought this would be a better indicator of how the bike was working for me. This bike wasn't purchased for purposes of longer distance riding, but I wanted to know that it would make it through a solid ride, and I didn't think that 35 miles was an unreasonable distance to expect out of a faster, lighter bicycle. At about 4 miles into the ride, my "bad" hand was in extreme pain and going numb. My other hand was also having some buzzing sensations through it, but I could tolerate the uncomfortable feelings on that side. I stopped early on to shake out my hands, thinking that I might just need a quick break, however, the pain and numbness continued to increase the longer I rode. By mile 12, I had pain shooting up through my entire arm, to the base of my shoulder on the bad side. The oddest feeling to me on this ride is that I was entirely comfortable with the positioning, the set-up, the saddle - everything was great, except for the pain in my hand/arm. The problem was (and is), I can't be in that much pain every time I want to ride.

By mile 18, I didn't think I would make it home without a rescue phone call, but because my body was comfortable, I figured I would do my best to keep my hand off the bars and make it home. At just under 30 miles for the ride, I was in severe hand and arm pain when I returned the bike to its spot in the corral. I was so upset that I sent an e-mail to Sam telling him that I really didn't think I could keep this bike. I told him I was enjoying it, but my hand just couldn't stand all the pain. That pain continued on for several days, during which I elected not to ride this bike again.

During that same few days, Sam was doing research, attempting to understand why this bike was causing me so much pain - and in just one specific area. I had my own ideas of what was going on - more specifically, that the aluminum frame was causing this mystery pain. Sam's conclusion was a bit different. From the research he had completed, he believed it was the tires on the bike. Lucky for him, I'd already ordered a set of tires (God help me with my white/cream tire obsession!). He postulated that it was both the tire itself and the tire pressure. During the next ride, I would try taking the tires down to around 90 PSI (I'd been riding at 110-115 PSI) to see if that would help.

Trek Lexa SLX with Schwalbe Durano tires

Goodness knows I wasn't exactly looking forward to testing out this theory. After spending several days in pain, I really didn't want the experiment to fail. The first reason being that I really like the bike. While it's not the "look" I would naturally be drawn to, it is comfortable and easy for me to ride. Never in my life have I had such ease when getting on a road bike. I wasn't willing to give up without a fight, so I tried to patiently wait for the arrival of my new tires. Patience is not a virtue of mine, but because it coincided with illness, I was able to wait out the new Schwalbe tires.

The day I set out, I was still recovering from being ill. I felt okay, but was still hacking like I smoke 2-packs a day. In addition, the wind was not my friend. We had a storm rolling in and that always makes for a challenging westward ride here at the base of the Rockies. My intention was to do the exact same ride I had done the week prior, but unfortunately, the wind was making it overly challenging. Instead I opted to do a loop that was close to home so I could come back as/if needed. Unfortunately, even with the new tires, things still weren't going well. Again, early on (just shy of mile 5), the bad hand was going numb and I was starting to experience pain again. The left hand that had experienced a small amount of buzzing during the prior rides seemed to be doing better, however.

I ended up finishing the ride at just under 15 miles because the wind was making everything more brutal than it should have been. By the time I was done, I was experiencing the same pain I had been on the prior rides. Angered by this reality, Sam was determined to figure out why a bike that fits so well was continuing to cause so much pain in just this one area of the body. He contacted the bike shop to see if there was something we should try before we gave up entirely on the bike.

Their recommendation was to lower the handlebars. This always seems a bit odd to me as one would think this would put more pressure on an already bad spot, but I was willing to give it a try because I just didn't want to give up. Sam lowered the bars and I took it on a 3 mile ride just to be sure I could handle it. Things seemed fine, so the following day, I set out on a slightly longer, short-ride to see if my hand experienced the same pain. Just before mile 5, I was expecting to experience the start of the numbness, but it didn't happen. I thought it was odd, but carried on.

Around mile 8, I started to feel some numbness sneaking in, but over 10 miles (a short ride, certainly), there wasn't the extreme pain that had taken place on the prior rides, though I was still getting similar sensations. Could that have actually worked? The only way to know for sure would be to take it out on a longer 20-30 mile ride - which I wasn't exactly excited about, knowing the history of what had happened on the bike.

A couple of days later, Sam and I set out together to do a longer ride. We planned to take our time, stop and make little adjustments to see if it would change anything as we went along. While it was a bit of a nuisance to stop every couple of miles, it seemed like the only reasonable thing to do. We'd stop and adjust one thing at a time and then carry on. We lowered the bars, and lowered them more - then raised them back up. We shifted the saddle back and forth, and tilted it up and down. We moved the brake levers in a bit, and tilted the entire handlebar up and down. By the time we'd finished the 25 mile ride, things felt about the same as when we'd started bike-wise, but my hand was feeling the effects of all of the changes for sure.

(left) Rivendell A. Homer Hilsen, (right) Trek Lexa SLX

Undeterred, Sam suggested pulling out the Rivendell and having me ride each bike up and down the street to take a photo to see if there was a significant difference in positioning. When lining the bikes up next to each other, everything seemed to be at similar heights and angles, and even though the geometry of each bike is different, the handlebars were set at almost the same spot, as were the saddles. The photos are blurry and hard to really see, but it is visible that there is more pressure being placed on my hands on the Trek, and I have a bit more of an elbow bend on the Rivendell.

Really, this just confused me more because I am entirely comfortable on the Trek, except for the one hand/arm that refuses to cooperate. At this point, the plan is to try yet again by raising the handlebars back up to their highest point, and tilting the saddle up to see if it will force me to put more weight on my back side, rather than on my hands. If that doesn't work, I'm at a loss as far as what to make of all of this. I've read enough to know that many people believe the frame material in this day doesn't really matter. Many believe it's simply more important to find a geometry and set up that works for the rider. I don't know if the damage to my hand and wrist is just so much worse on one side that there is no fix on the bike. Yet, I still think about the reality that I can ride my steel bike without issue. Is it the weight of the bike? Perhaps it's simply too light and forcing my body to absorb too much of the road, and the frame material wouldn't change any of it. The bike isn't that light, but it's significantly lighter than the Rivendell, and definitely zippier.

Although we are still taking a few days to fiddle with things to see if we can get it to work, I don't have the highest expectations of getting the Trek to work for me - which is a shame because I've actually grown fond of it - or at least the speed - despite the pain. I'm frustrated because I would like to be able to ride a bit faster on some rides, but I just can't quite figure out what to do to get this bike to work with me instead of against me. There's a part of me that thinks I just wasn't meant to have a faster bike, and a part of me that wants to fight to the very end, attempting to find a solution. Ultimately, as stated from the get-go, I just want to ride, and spending the summer worrying about pain on any bike isn't exactly what I had in mind. Hopefully, the solution is just around the corner, but until then, I carry on with the heavier steel bikes. If nothing else, at least I'm comfortable.

*Edit:  After this post, I completed a century ride on the Trek, so we have definitely been able to resolve the issues I was having. In the end, it was just minor tweaks that helped fix the pains in my hand/arm, but patience was definitely needed to get to that point.

Torelli Express - A Few Early Thoughts/Opinions

The newest addition to the bike fold is the Torelli Express mentioned here a few weeks ago. In my excitement about new-to-me bicycles, I tend to be a bit hasty in my assessment or opinions, but I also think having a more immediate reaction can be helpful over the long term. So, while I haven't had the bike very long, I have been able to take it on several longer rides, and I feel ready to at least talk a bit more about the bike.

"The bicycle that wins"

I've wrote here in the past about my want for a yellow bicycle, so it didn't hurt when I happened upon this one that it was in fact the color I've been pining over for some time. Perhaps a bit more mustard than I would prefer, it's still easy to spot, bright (but not overly so), and fun to ride. Of course, when one is used to pedaling around on a 45 pound bicycle on a regular basis, anything that's lighter tends to feel sporty and fast (not knocking the Hillborne in any way, because he is my true love - and only that meaty because I have him fairly weighed down). I haven't weighed the bicycle, but it is certainly under 20 pounds, probably closer to about 18 (or so).

Side-by-side view of both sides of the current Torelli pedals

My first ride (other than down the street to test it out) was a fairly short distance (about a 5 mile round trip). I just wanted to make sure that the saddle was in a somewhat decent position, that the handlebars would work and that the pedals weren't going to create a problem. As can be seen in the photo above, there is a "clip" side, and a platform side, making it possible to wear a variety of shoes. It's also easy to see that the pedals haven't exactly been well-cared for, particularly for a bicycle that was ridden only twice. I suspect it may have spent some time getting shuffled around a garage or shed, or perhaps even spent an evening outside due to the grime that has formed.

The inside of the Campagnolo crank isn't looking horribly fabulous either

When I returned from this first ride, my initial thought was, "Holy moly, this thing is quick!" I felt like I was sprinting everywhere and caught myself quickly out of breath, even on this short ride. I guess there is a reason it is called "the bicycle that wins." Made of what Torelli calls Columbus' "top end" tubing, it really is made to race.

Had to stop for a quick pic on my way up Nelson Road

Obviously, I wanted to take the bike out for longer than a five mile ride to truly get a feel for it, and that opportunity presented itself quickly. The first longer ride on this bike took me up one of my least favorite climbs in the area - not because of its steepness, but because of the length of the constant uphill pedaling. I wanted to see how much of a difference the weight of this bike would make on such a climb. There is definitely a difference in average climbing speed. In areas that I'd typically be going about 8mph, I was traveling about 12mph, in typical 3-4mph areas, I was around 5-6mph, and on flatter areas I'd typically be pedaling about 14-15mph, I was able to get closer to 17-18mph. The one area that this bike does not exceed my heavier bikes in is during downhill descents. While it may very well go 30+ mph downhill, I was not comfortable exceeding 25mph for very long. In part, this could be due to my inexperience on this sort of bike, or it could well be that it just doesn't have the weight of the more stout bikes in my herd.

Terry Butterfly saddle

At this point, I was (and still am) trying to get a good feel for the Terry Butterfly Ti saddle that came with the bike. I will freely admit I am not a fan of narrow saddles, and while for many this is actually considered a "wide" saddle, that is not the term I would use to describe it. It has been adequate as long as I use padded shorts/pants to ride, but I definitely feel it the following day(s). I am trying to give it the benefit of the doubt for now and see how it goes over a longer term. I've been on some truly uncomfortable saddles, and I wouldn't say this falls into that sort of category, but it's not easy finding comfort when used to a saddle that is about 55mm wider (that's a little over 2 inches difference, so I understand why it feels so strange). Although I don't want to be in discomfort while riding, it's not yet to a point that I feel the need to change the saddle out for another option.

Campagnolo Daytona shifters

The groupset from Campagnolo on this bike is a dated version. It's actually older than the frame is, I believe. It's my understanding that Daytona was no longer made after 2002(3?) - or was at minimum renamed due to copyright infringements, and I believe the frame was built in 2004 (or 2005). I'm enjoying the shifting on this bike; though I do need to adjust my thinking just a bit from the bar end shifters I've grown used to using. I had a bit of a leg breaking session on a recent ride when I couldn't seem to get it to shift into a lower gear. I believe this is user error, and not the fault of the parts, but I will continue to keep an eye on things as I get to know the Torelli.

Something rather different, or at least that seems to have been done for a brief period during the early 2000's, is the carbon seat stays. I've seen newer bikes that have carbon chain stays, but not the seat stays. From what little research I've done, it seems to have been an experimental thing that kind of died out (though feel free to correct me if this is not valid). I suppose the purpose was meant to keep the ride more comfortable (but again, feel free to add your thoughts if this isn't correct).

What do you think? This picture is slightly angled, but I'm pretty sure the top tube slants down toward the front.

I think one of the more challenging things for me to get used to is the downward (toward the handlebars) slant of the top tube. At first I thought I was crazy and that the top tube was level, but the more I look at it, I'm fairly certain it does drop forward. I couldn't figure out why my shoulders were sore after 20-30 mile rides. At first I thought it was just adjusting to a new-to-me bicycle, but as I looked at it more, I have a feeling it's simply that I'm not used to riding in this sort of position. I'm hoping that in time, and as I ride more, my body will learn to adjust to this position. it's also possible that the top tube is slightly long for me. I can just barely stand over this bike flat-footed, and although the woman who owned it was only slightly taller than me, she may have been proportioned a bit different (or, perhaps this is why she didn't ride it?).

On one of the last jaunts with the Torelli, I went on a group ride with some locals. It was interesting to be able to keep up with them (which is not usually the case), and even though I'd worked out several hours that day (including an earlier bike ride) and was absolutely exhausted, I think I did a fair job of keeping pace. True, we're not a particularly speedy bunch (by comparison to some other groups), but when looking at what and how I'd normally ride, there seemed to be a noticeable difference.

This bike has a feeling of immediate gratification when pedaling. There's no loss of power in the pedal stroke and even though I'm still not going to win any races, there are times when it feels as though the bike wants to go faster than my legs are ready to go...which gives me hope for my future cycling adventures - at least when it comes to picking up speed. It is honestly a nice feeling to realize that I am capable of more when on a lighter bike. While I'm not ready to trade in the comfort of my Rivendell's for long rides, this will definitely be the go-to bike for quicker-paced rides in the foreseeable future.  As for the present, I'm looking forward to seeing what I'm capable of achieving on this bike, and how my opinions may alter as time passes.

If you have interest in the Torelli brand itself, there's an interesting article here about the Mondonico family (makers of many of the Torelli-branded bikes). I am always interested to read or hear about the history of a particular line, so I thought it was worth the read. And, as always, if you have additional information that you'd like to share, please feel free to leave thoughts/comments.

Happy riding!

Carbon vs Steel Bikes: Test Ride of a Self-Professed Steel Lover

Through my adult bicycling years, I've often spoke about how much I love steel bikes. I love the feel, the ride, the comfort. However, every now and again I find myself eyeing a carbon bike, and can't help but wonder if it would be something that ultimately I would want to purchase. When I find myself riding more (and struggling up lengthy hills with those on carbon bikes whizzing past me), I find myself daydreaming about a lighter weight frame.  Over the last couple of months, I have found myself inching closer to the carbon bikes in shops to eye them closer. Recently, while wandering through a shop, I announced, "One day, I'm going to test ride one... just to see and feel for myself any differences." On one of our stops into a shop, Sam reminded me that we know someone who owns a carbon road bike who might also be so kind to let me borrow hers for a day or two to test it out. Ah, my brilliant Sam!

My somewhat timid (but hopeful) request was sent via e-mail to my friend, Joey. I'm always a bit hesitant to ask to borrow someone's bike because I know what mine mean to me, and how uncomfortable it can be when people start touching them, let alone wanting to ride them or take them home for a few days. She was more than gracious though, and said I was welcome to take her Specialized Ruby home for the weekend to test it out.  I was ecstatic. Finally, an opportunity for a test ride that extends longer than a few minutes around the block.

Specialized Ruby Elite

The first small road block is that Joey is a couple of inches taller than me, and has longer legs. I knew riding her frame would probably be a bit of a stretch, but I believed I could do my best to block out any sizing differences and just try to feel the actual variances in the frame itself.  In actuality, because my Hillborne has such a long top tube for its stand over, the stretch wasn't nearly what I anticipated. I promised not to disturb her set up other than lowering the seat post to allow proper pedaling, and I set out to do a few test rides to see what all the fuss is about carbon.

The first ride was just a quick couple of loops around the block. I wanted to be sure I could ride the bike without toppling over, and test out all the shifting, braking and so on. The "testing" went well, and it was time to take the Specialized out for a ride.

The initial "real" ride consisted of a comparison test. I wanted to physically feel the differences back to back between my A. Homer Hilsen (the steel road bike) and this carbon Specialized. I mentally mapped out a quick route that included hills and flats and took the Homer out on the road. After completing the ride, I immediately switched out and pedaled the same route on the Specialized. I intentionally rode the Specialized in second place to not give any favoritism to this bike. I didn't want a higher level of energy on the first ride to possibly increase the favorability of this bike. I realize that riding it after the steel bike could well have put it at a disadvantage, but this seemed to make the most sense for someone who is considering the pros/cons of something I don't currently own. I also threw in a third bicycle to the test: Sam's Bianchi Brava. He suggested that feeling the difference between my mid-20 lb steel bike, the carbon bike, and a lighter weight steel option might be an interesting juxtaposition as well. I agreed. So, after the Specialized was taken out on the road, the Bianchi followed in the third spot.

Several notes and observations were made while riding these bicycles back to back, but I definitely believed that the Specialized needed its own ride to truly test it out.  Keeping in mind that it wasn't set up for me, I didn't want to go too long a distance, but also wanted to give it more than a couple of miles to get a better feel for the material.

I should point out that my intention with these rides was never to specifically note the qualities or positioning of the Specialized Ruby, but rather to feel the differences of steel versus carbon, and I think this was a successful experiment. After each of the rides were completed, I was able to make several observations.

The rides taken allowed me to experience that there is definitely a difference in the feel of these bikes. While on flat land, each bike is capable (even under my unskilled pedal power) to get up to approximately the same speed; however, with the carbon bike there is an immediate sensation of "going fast." The effort being put into the pedals gets the bike up to speed much quicker as none of the energy is lost in the flex of the frame material (as seems to be the case on a steel bike). A similar reality became evident while climbing.  The effort to pedal uphill resulted in a slightly quicker speed (approximate 1.5-2 miles per hour), and beyond velocity itself it was as though the energy expended produced immediate results, rather than losing some of the effort in the climb.  It helped me understand in a more physical manner how and why the carbon roadies are able to speed past me, particularly when traveling up hills.

An old shot of the Bianchi Brava - it's seen several upgrades (including the wheels) since the time of this photo

One aspect I found rather interesting was feeling the physical differences among the carbon bike, my steel road bike, and Sam's Bianchi. I will note that there is little on his Brava that is from the original bike as he has upgraded 95% of this bike to make it a sub-20 lb steel road bike (I believe it currently comes in at about 18 lbs). I was amazed at how light his Bianchi feels even by comparison to my own steel ride. His lighter weight bike was seeing approximately the same speed increases on mild hills (about 1.5-2 mph) as the carbon bike.  So, is the speed difference based on the weight of the bike, or the material of the frame? Is it the sum of the parts, or is it the rider?  Did I simply expect that one would be quicker than the other and already have some kind of pre-conceived idea of the outcome?  I don't think there is any denying that the effort put into a carbon frame is more immediately evident, but I can also see that the weight of a bike must be playing a role in the overall speed as well.

All of this, in many ways, brought more questions than it resolved, but it also provided some personal answers I had been seeking. Even with my somewhat limited time riding the carbon, I can see that there is a time and a place for it, and I "get" why people choose this as an option for a road bike. Clearly, it has its benefits. However, even with that said, this experiment allowed me to re-affirm that my personal preference is still steel. I am a bit unsure if my fondness for this material has to do with what I am currently used to, or if there truly is better comfort for me on steel, but I found that I simply prefer the ride quality on the steel bikes. There are other reasons to love steel over carbon - such as recycling qualities and length of life - but, my preference has more to do with comfort over long distances than anything else.

I am not a racer, and even should I decide in the future that I'd like to achieve quicker speeds (which I can see happening), I think I would opt for a lighter weight steel choice... it is the material I personally like.  Could this change? Of course. Anything is possible, and I'm not willing to say that I would never own a carbon frame because I've already experienced changes in my style of riding over the last few years. However, if at this moment someone gave me the option to choose between the two, I would opt for steel. While I don't think this takes anything away from a carbon frame, and I better understand why there are folks who make this their material of choice, I have learned that I'm happy with what works for me. As has been said before, it doesn't matter what your preference... just get out there and ride.

*A very special thank you to Joey for allowing me to use her beloved Ruby. I appreciated having the opportunity to experience first hand why you love your bike so much! :O)

Post Script: We had another chat a couple years later that can be found here during which people chimed in about their thoughts on ride quality on various bicycle materials.