The Bicycle Thread

[jewelknows]

My track bike is mostly aluminum and my road bike is mostly carbon and I will say, I totally prefer the carbon bike over the aluminum one. I know weight is mostly convenience if anything but man, it's just nice to hold and carry a carbon bike over anything else. The only thing is you have to pay significantly more for it.

Man im in a predicament right now in choosing my new gravel bike. Choice is between a Steel and Aluminum. I have never liked any of the aluminum bikes ive owned. Kept my Steel and Carbon.

The aluminum bike has some features that I really like, like internal cabling and probably lighter. But man, steel is so comfy.

 

[jewelknows]

I love that this thread is active btw. Reddit and all that is cool, but NT is home.

Anyone have good recs on gravel/mtb shoes? I have look road pedals on my road bike. On whatever gravel and single speed I get im going to get something gravel/mtb shoes since I will be using those bikes around town more.

 

[darthska]

What are the advantages of carbon wheels aside from weight?

Actually the weight isn't a HUGE advantage. On some models, the carbon version is actually just grams less than the aluminum version.

The biggest advantage is flex while remaining insanely strong. Say I had a gravel bike like the Giant Revolt 2, (carbon fork, but aluminum everything else... pedals, handlebar, handlebar stem, frame, crank, rims, spokes), and the Giant Revolt Advanced, which is carbon EVERYTHING. The all carbon Revolt Advanced would be a tad more comfortable on trails or crappy roads compared to the Revolt 2, because all those carbon pieces would have a little bit of flex, but the bike would maintain a really strong integrity.

Of course the negative to that is this: in the event of a crash that's big enough for you to walk away from but the bike took a huge hit, the aluminum Revolt could theoretically be manipulated back into form whereas the carbon Revolt would have shattered pieces, if not a shattered frame.

 

[jewelknows]

Actually the weight isn't a HUGE advantage. On some models, the carbon version is actually just grams less than the aluminum version.

The biggest advantage is flex while remaining insanely strong. Say I had a gravel bike like the Giant Revolt that was nearly all aluminum... pedals, handlebar, handlebar stem, frame, crank, rims, spokes... and the Giant Revolt Advanced, which is carbon EVERYTHING. The all carbon Revolt Advanced would be a tad more comfortable on trails or crappy roads, because all those carbon pieces would have a little bit of flex, but the bike would maintain a really strong integrity.

Of course the negative to that is this: in the event of a crash that's big enough for you to walk away from but the bike took a huge hit, the aluminum Revolt could theoretically be manipulated back into form whereas the carbon Revolt would have shattered pieces, if not a shattered frame.

Makes sense. I always knew that about carbon in general. Also the properties of aluminum as well. They dont seem to make it back from bad enough crashes either.

I have had a couple of spills on my current steel road bike. Only once did I need a welder to slightly fix a derailleur hanger. Otherwise the Frame has been aligned. I even spread the rear drops to 130 not to long ago to put newer components.

I will def be getting a carbon bike one day. Price just has to be right

 

[darthska]

I will def be getting a carbon bike one day. Price just has to be right

I felt that in my soul. I just can't do it, man. I have a MTB and a road bike made from really high grade aluminum, and I paid a pretty penny for those even at a reduced price for buying new, so I couldn't imagine paying what carbon goes for. Even used, you're lucky to get below like $800... USED.

Like you said, once the price is right for me, yeah... but I'm not sure that's ever gonna happen. And I'm happy with what I've got.

My son, though, I got him a REALLY nice gravel bike with a carbon form and I put a carbon handlebar on it for his bday last year, and really wanted to get him full carbon but couldn't swing it. Really tried, and I feel bad I couldn't, but he loves it.

 

[jewelknows]

I felt that in my soul. I just can't do it, man. I have a MTB and a road bike made from really high grade aluminum, and I paid a pretty penny for those even at a reduced price for buying new, so I couldn't imagine paying what carbon goes for. Even used, you're lucky to get below like $800... USED.

Like you said, once the price is right for me, yeah... but I'm not sure that's ever gonna happen. And I'm happy with what I've got.

My son, though, I got him a REALLY nice gravel bike with a carbon form and I put a carbon handlebar on it for his bday last year, and really wanted to get him full carbon but couldn't swing it. Really tried, and I feel bad I couldn't, but he loves it.

Haha no doubt. And if I were to go carbon I would have to buy new. Just because I have seen some horror stories. Truth is I'd probably go Ti before I get a carbon bike.

Needless to say, I will be continuing riding steel for a long time. I may give aluminum another try though. Gotta decide on this gravel bike if I go steel or aluminum.

What gravel bike you go with for your son? He ride it mostly road or mix?

 

[darthska]

Haha no doubt. And if I were to go carbon I would have to buy new. Just because I have seen some horror stories.

Needless to say, I will be continuing riding steel for a long time. I may give aluminum another try though. Gotta decide on this gravel bike if I go steel or aluminum.

What gravel bike you go with for your son? He ride it mostly road or mix?

Mixed. He's got a Giant Anyroad. Even though it's kinda pricey, it was an economical choice, because I have a MTB and a road bike, but he's still growing, and I just can't get him one of each of those for him to outgrow in a few years. So when we're going to go ride on the road, he's good and I'll grab my road bike, and when we do trails, he's good and I'll grab my MTB. And since he's a tall 12, he's a size M, which is my size for Giant bikes. When he does outgrow this, probably around junior year I'm thinking, I'll take it and get him one last bike.

But yeah, he rides mixed surfaces, and it's a Giant Anyroad. Giant's ALUXX aluminum frame, carbon fork, I put a carbon handlebar on it, Shimano Sora components (decent, not exceptional), and I grabbed some Giant CROSSCUT Gravel 2 tires.

 

[putting in work]

Nope, those aren't the tubes that came with the bike. Giant makes tubes and tires, so new Giant bikes definitely have Giant tubes in them.

As far as the sizing, you definitely want to stay in that range that you see on the tube. Your tire is 2.1, so you really shouldn't go smaller than 1.9, and I wouldn't go bigger than 2.25. I know the tube says 2.35 on the high end, but I wouldn't go higher than 2.25, and even that's a little high. You don't want your tubes too big, because it will get bunched up inside the tire and hard to fully inflate. Smaller than the regular tire size, like a 1.9 tube in your 2.10 tire, at least the tube can stretch out a little to fit in the tire. Not ideal, but fine. But too big? Wouldn't recommend.

darthska you confused more than I was before lol.

Found a tire and might go with this. Not sure what size my presta valve stem is though.

https://www.rei.com/product/115118/...dwf-WVIT22uEiTVxTukAQaAF6tVi-xVBoCU60QAvD_BwE

 

[darthska]

^ Perfect. Solid tubes.

 

[Thierry Henry]

Went riding into the most dangerous place in the county, the drivers out there are ranked the worst by far. Almost got t-boned in my car by a van running a red light, and this was on my way to meet up with my boy who i was gonna ride with.

 

[datkidfiasco]

Anyone ever drive a 2010 kuota kebel? Found a mint one for super cheap and I'm picking it up Friday

 

[kdawg]

On a gravel bike the material makes much less of a difference. You’ll have wider tires and they do more for ride comfort than anything. On a road bike with narrow tires it makes a difference to the comfort though.

I disagree with Ska a little - you're right that carbon will crack on impact but aluminum can’t be repaired easily - once it’s bent/dented you can’t get it back into shape and you can’t weld it without having to redo the heat treatment - and there’s no way to do that cost effectively.

Steel though can have individual tubes replaced and a dent doesn’t matter as much.

Modern steel can be light too.

 

[jewelknows]

On a gravel bike the material makes much less of a difference. You’ll have wider tires and they do more for ride comfort than anything. On a road bike with narrow tires it makes a difference to the comfort though.

I disagree with Ska a little - you're right that carbon will crack on impact but aluminum can’t be repaired easily - once it’s bent/dented you can’t get it back into shape and you can’t weld it without having to redo the heat treatment - and there’s no way to do that cost effectively.

Steel though can have individual tubes replaced and a dent doesn’t matter as much.

Modern steel can be light too.

Good to know on that tire comfort info. I figured thicker and wider essentially nullifies frame material.

And yes, aluminum once bent, essentially cannot be put back to its original state of shape and strength. At least not cost effectively like you said. Im not a professional, but I work in the steel industry (inspect steel tanks), so we cross paths with aluminum every now and then.

The Redwood

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Two bikes I am looking at. Poseidon is Alu and State cromo.

State Pros: Steel, more known brand, $100 cheaper. Cons: heavier, less bottle mount options, lesser brakes, external cable routing

Poseidon Pro: internal cable, dual piston brakes, few more mounting options, Cons: Alu (for me), $100 more, less known Direct to consumer brand.

 

[darthska]

aluminum can’t be repaired easily

I didn't say easily, my friend. I said 'could theoretically be manipulated back into form.' I didn't think anyone would read that and think it would be easy.

 

[jewelknows]

Yea aluminum sucks in that aspect. But you have to of suffered a pretty bad crash, or very unlucky landing to do damage to make a bike unsafe to ride.

Simple non scientific example is to dent or squeeze a soda can. It will never get back to what it was.

 

[Thierry Henry]

Went riding into the most dangerous place in the county, the drivers out there are ranked the worst by far. Almost got t-boned in my car by a van running a red light, and this was on my way to meet up with my boy who i was gonna ride with.

Speaking of accidents, does anybody have insurance on their bikes? I'm paranoid about getting a rack on my trunk cause i don't want it to get damaged. I'm getting annoyed of having to remove the front wheel in order to throw it in my trunk tho.

 

[iheartboost]

Ebike >

I'm bias though, lol.

 

[kdawg]

Just a quick ride after work today then cleaned and waxed the chains on 3 bikes. Nice to have them all done.

Only one really needed it after a wet ride But once you’ve got all the stuff out and the wax melted it’s easy to do them all.

 

[SC kid]

Didn't even know about that ^^^

Riding faster after getting the helmet.

 

[Thierry Henry]

52 mph on a bike? What type of mountains you descending breh?

 

[whywesteppin]

Strava (and most GPS trackers) can glitch and give unrealistic max mph.

The speed graph under analysis is a more reliable indication of how fast you were going throughout your ride.

 

[SC kid]

yea i was wondering about that lol

there was one stretch where i went really fast but it wasnt for long.
def wasnt 52 mph lol

 

[MakeNTGreatAgain]

man my max speed is 42mph down this huge hill and i havent grown the cajones yet to go down the hill all the way

but i wanna feel 50mph

 

[jewelknows]

Just a quick ride after work today then cleaned and waxed the chains on 3 bikes. Nice to have them all done.

Only one really needed it after a wet ride But once you’ve got all the stuff out and the wax melted it’s easy to do them all.

show me your ways fam...

never waxed my chains before. you prefer it?

what's your preferred degreaser?

 

[kdawg]

I like it - stays super clean and you don’t get any build up of gritty paste which accelerates wear.
I’m not sure about it for wet weather yet - a wet lube probably gives better rust protection. I’m going to see how it goes over the winter. Didn’t do my winter commuter for that reason. My wet weather road bike has some orange rust but it actually wiped off during the clean so it was really superficial - that was 50 miles on a terrible day to get that.

The chain has to be completely clean - I do a 3 step clean.

1. Soak in gasoline. 2. Soak in degreaser (using a citrus thing at the moment). 3. Soak in alcohol to get rid of any residue.

At that point you can tell that the chain is really clean as it’s really floppy.

Then in the wax for 15 minutes. I’m using a mix of paraffin wax and PTFE powder which works well - I tried plain wax before and it wasn’t as good.

You only have to clean the chain like that once - because there’s no oil on it now last night I just cleaned with boiling water and that melts the dirty (although not very dirty) wax out.

Basically I use Ozcycles method - lots of videos on YouTube.

Works well so far. Really quiet and my drivetrains are all sparkling.