It's only gay in the lycra.
You'll have to swap tyres on all bikes. It's a massive pain, especially in this kind of weather. "OH WAIT, I'M GONNA SNOW ALL UP IN YA AGAIN."
(Himjim died a little more inside on, Thu 4 Apr 2013, 10:12, 1 reply, 12 years ago)

cheap-ish road bike for commuting with road tyres
Explosif for off-road fun with all purpose tyres. Why would I change tyres beyond that? I don't give enough of a shit to change tyres for conditions, even when racing mountain bikes. 95% of mountain bikers don't even have close to the ability to explore the limits of a half-decent set of all-weather tyres ;)
( the mighty badger Aphrodite, on a bar stool, by your side, Thu 4 Apr 2013, 10:16, Reply)

Get the Triban 3.
It's a whole lotta bike for not very much money. www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/tech/bikes/129441/2/bike-test-do-you-get-what-you-pay-for.html
(Himjim died a little more inside on, Thu 4 Apr 2013, 10:21, Reply)

yeah, that's the Decathlon one.
It's looking favourite.

Aluminium though *shakes head sadly*
( the mighty badger Aphrodite, on a bar stool, by your side, Thu 4 Apr 2013, 10:22, Reply)

See above, aluminium road bike + carbon fork = good.

(Bazongaloid, Thu 4 Apr 2013, 10:23, Reply)

Aluminium gives fucking awful ride buzz.
I know it's stiff, yada yada, but it's uncomfortable.
( the mighty badger Aphrodite, on a bar stool, by your side, Thu 4 Apr 2013, 10:26, Reply)

No it's not.
You're verging on the "I can tell the difference between different types of whiskey" territory here.
(Bazongaloid, Thu 4 Apr 2013, 10:29, Reply)

I've never ridden this bike. Or many road bikes, so I can't comment on this one
But I have ridden and raced a fuckload of mountain bikes over the last 20+ years and trust me on this, Aluminum frames do not absorb trail buzz because the specific difference in a couple of key modulus of elasticity properties of aluminium alloys means they cannot absorb fast paced, small surface inperfections. It's their major flaw, and it is why aluminium never caught on except in a niche sector of the market until front suspension became "standard"

It's therefore reasonable to suspect that exactly the same will be true of road bikes. However, in the road bike market, people value stiffness over comfort, hence why aluminium and carbon dominate.
( the mighty badger Aphrodite, on a bar stool, by your side, Thu 4 Apr 2013, 10:34, Reply)

NO BIKE CHAT.

( the mighty badger Aphrodite, on a bar stool, by your side, Thu 4 Apr 2013, 10:35, Reply)

See this
b3ta.com/questions/offtopic/post1922386
(Himjim died a little more inside on, Thu 4 Apr 2013, 10:36, Reply)

yeah, I know, but £600 for the frame alone.
I wanted to spend about half that on the whole bike.

Guess I'm going to have to man up and go aluminium.
( the mighty badger Aphrodite, on a bar stool, by your side, Thu 4 Apr 2013, 10:41, Reply)

It's not a problem for road bikes, because, here's the thing, you're riding it on smooth roads
not bumpy trails, so the vibration issue isn't an issue.
(Bazongaloid, Thu 4 Apr 2013, 10:50, Reply)

have you seen the bloody roads in Edinburgh?

( the mighty badger Aphrodite, on a bar stool, by your side, Thu 4 Apr 2013, 10:54, Reply)

^^ Precisely this.

(Reverend Fister "a disciplined fuckwit", Thu 4 Apr 2013, 11:03, Reply)