Should I Buy One Of The Carbon Road Bikes Or An Aluminum Framed One

Are you hoping to get a new bike soon? If you are like a lot of people you want a good bike but you don’t want to overspend. Maybe another question you have is “Is there any advantage to buying one of the carbon road bikes over aluminum framed one?”

I personally have heard sales people tell customers that aluminum bikes give a more comfy ride. I have also heard the opposite that carbon bikes are more comfortable. Well from both my experience and everything I have read the second answer is the correct one. They flex more which tends to take some of the bumps out of the road.

With an aluminum framed bike you'll definitely feel more of the road. I've ridden both and my carbon bike is definitely more comfortable. But there is more to a bike than just comfort. You want a bike that is responsive and fast. We all want one that is light and makes those climbs a bit easier. Finally we want a bike that you are able to ride for hours without everything in your body screaming at you.

An aluminum framed bike is stiffer which gives it some advantages. That means it’s strong but it also means it is able to translate the riders energy to forward movement very efficiently. That’s good and means less of the riders energy is wasted. That also means that that energy is help speed the cyclist down the road.

One problem with aluminum is weight. Carbon frames are generally lighter than aluminum ones. While there are some very aluminum bike frames which can rival some carbon fiber bike frames with the use of alloys this is not generally the case. In fact most aluminum frames being sold today are heavier than carbon frames. Now you may think that a couple of pounds won’t make much of a difference and in fact it won’t as long as you are riding on the level. But as soon as you start climbing a hill you will notice instantly the difference.

Carbon fiber frames are very light in fact the lightest weighs only a pound and a half. Now that is the frame by itself without anything on it but never the less that is impressive.

The comfort of a bike has to do with a number of things one of which is the frame and carbon is definitely the winner here. But comfort also has the do with how the bike is set up. Has your bike been fit properly to you and your riding style? The seat and the wheel set also are contributing factors to the comfort of your ride.

Though I didn’t mention it earlier price is always a factor when it comes to buying a bike and here is where the aluminum frame is a winner. The prices of carbon bikes are coming down with the increased demand for them but often there is hundreds of dollars of difference in the price of a bike when everything else is equal and the only difference is the frame.

All in all if you are only riding for relatively short distances, then an aluminum frame should be no problem. But for longer distances hard training and races especially on the hills most would prefer the smoother feel and the lighter weight of one of the name brand carbon road bikes.

By: Dave McIntosh

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Dave McIntosh has enjoyed cycling for years. If you are looking for more great information on Carbon Road Bikes, visit Road Bike Magazine.