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Heresy I know, but is carbon dull?

by JulesC
Mon, Oct 17, 2016 18:31
38

Well in my pursuit for my next bike I've gained full support from "the Keeper of the purse strings" in fact we together went to see the first consideration.  I'm looking in the £1500 range in all probability carbon, 105 and caliper brakes.

I threw my leg over an Italian lovely Carbon a year or two old so it was Ultegra 11sp and Gran Fondo/Spotive geometry but Italian so a bit racy too.

Good, responsive acceleration, handled well etc and here it comes, but it was dull! I expected to walk back in the shop, rip out my kidney/credit card and walk out 10 minutes later because I couldn't bear to part with it. Sadly it wasn't to be the case.  I've been a MTB'er and own a Ti frame and that did it; it was a lot of money and second hand, but WOW! The carbon lovely didn't do it, just didn't have that spark, that WOW let alone even a little wow.

Steel? The Light Blue Wolfson??? Ti (out of budget I suspect? Back to drawing board a little crestfallen. The only advantage is I've now got to throw my leg over many more to really understand if it was a one off (the manufacturer has changed their frame since this model) or is carbon just not for me.

And how do you really, REALLY tell in a 20 minute pootle around a town/industrial estate etc?

Thanks for reading/listening to my ramble/brain dump 1

 

If you're new please join in and if you have questions pop them below and the forum regulars will answer as best we can.

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38 comments

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JulesC replied to Batchy | 8 years ago
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Batchy wrote:

All my previous bikes have either been steel or aluminium. I thought that the aluminium with carbon forks that I had ridden over 80,000 miles on was the best for both comfort and liveliness. However 2 years ago I went for a full carbon "sportive"  jobby and it totally blew all previous notions out of the water. Carbon - once you have ridden it two or three times -is far superior both for handling and comfort. I bought a second  cheaper carbon frame (£500 Inc. post/clamp, b/b, headset and full carbon forks) this summer, with the intention of using it as a winter hack , and it is has turned out to be the best bike I've ever ridden.

So name and praise, you little tease, what was this vision of carbon loveliness? Perhaps a second ride on yesterday's model would be worth as it, on paper, ticks all the boxes, geometry, size, design philosophy, reviews, equipment etc it's just I expected more so it's my issues not the bike. The bike apparently (a number of reviews) compared very favourably to similar models when it was new and over £2k.

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Batchy replied to JulesC | 8 years ago
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JulesC wrote:
Batchy wrote:

All my previous bikes have either been steel or aluminium. I thought that the aluminium with carbon forks that I had ridden over 80,000 miles on was the best for both comfort and liveliness. However 2 years ago I went for a full carbon "sportive"  jobby and it totally blew all previous notions out of the water. Carbon - once you have ridden it two or three times -is far superior both for handling and comfort. I bought a second  cheaper carbon frame (£500 Inc. post/clamp, b/b, headset and full carbon forks) this summer, with the intention of using it as a winter hack , and it is has turned out to be the best bike I've ever ridden.

So name and praise, you little tease, what was this vision of carbon loveliness? Perhaps a second ride on yesterday's model would be worth as it, on paper, ticks all the boxes, geometry, size, design philosophy, reviews, equipment etc it's just I expected more so it's my issues not the bike. The bike apparently (a number of reviews) compared very favourably to similar models when it was new and over £2k.

Of course everyone has an opinion and so what floats my boat may not float yours. However I can say with some certainty that there is just one Brevatto 53cm frame left (Gloss White with black decals) in stock at Brucie's Bikes in Kendal. I paid £500 for it as I got a discount from £599( it is my LBS and I have spent loads of down there over the years). The frameset was probably hand built by craftsmen in a small workshop somewhere in Taiwano, but hey, it still goes faster than my legs can spin and boy it is really is comfy.

Brevatto is Brucie's own brand so they are as rare as hen's teeth outside of Kendal. The frame is fairly straightforward in design with a big fat down tube and 86mm bb shell. Straight bladed full carbon forks and carbon seat post and race geometry with internal cables, I must take a photo. 

I run it with 105 5700 as it was supposed to be my winter bike however this groupset is well up there in function and reliability. My Mavic Kysium Elites are brilliant on any frame.

I have lived to long now to bother about fancy bling. It's actually all about legs not logos !

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Nick T | 8 years ago
1 like

It had Ultegra on it, that's why. 

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JulesC | 8 years ago
0 likes

Interesting views and I'm pleasantly surprised that I've not been excommunicated and burned at the stake. Even more interested that some of you feel the same. I don't think I'm after harshness or overly direct just the spring and lively response. My current bike is an triple butted ally and I expected my hopes and expectations were too high. Think a trip to decathlon to play on their ally vs carbon then try and find an end of season bargain in a LBS, happy days 1

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BBB | 8 years ago
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Fit, contact points (brake levers, bars, tape, saddle) and tyre setup will almost completely determine the feel of the bike.

Vast majority of people would never be able to tell one frame material from another in a "blind" test.

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mtbtomo | 8 years ago
1 like

I had KTM Revelator which was ok, but felt a bit soft compared to my alu Giant TCR SLR.  Maybe the Revelator just muted the bumps better?

I now have a Genesis Zero which feels a bit more direct than what I remember of the Revelator.

But its all subtle and subjective.

If it was Gran Fondo/Sportive orientated then maybe it was more focussed on comfort than stiffness.  

At £1500 for a full bike, I'd be reading the reviews carefully because its at the lower-mid end of the carbon bike price spectrum. 

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Yorkshie Whippet | 8 years ago
1 like

Horses for courses. 

Some carbon frames are designed/built to dampen the road vibration. I have Ridley Fenix specifically to dampen the cobbles/rough roads. Compare it against my Helium, the Fenix is more comfortable but lacks the zip. 

Other things to think about are wheels and tyres. Both may dampen feel or make the bike feel it's missing something.

I'm guessing the frame you tried was more towards comfort and you prefer a more talkative bike. Try a less comfort oriented carbon setup before writing it off completely. If you want harsh look at a more aero frame or one known for being stiff.

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Dutchie | 8 years ago
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I have a carbon Giant TCR, nice bike but for fun factor I still prefer my very harsh but lively 2004 alumium bike with steel forks. It talks to you, the TCR doesn't. Got me a new winter bike recently, steel and in spite of 28mm tyres that gives more feedback than the carbon bike. My next good bike will likely not be carbon.... 

You might be able to get what you want just about within budget on a Ti frame in the winter sales?

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