Ha! I think many have their opinions and different experiences. I'm a heavy rider, at 230 I am as skinny as I will ever be, at 6'1 tall. I ride hard at times and at times training for climbing timed events. That is when I noticed I snapped a couple of frames. I was climbing a 10% grade in the mountains when one frame popped. It was a flimsy alum frame to start with, Lemond Tourmalet. Flimsy frame, snapped after 13,000 miles\3 years.
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Thank you for sharing. as new future rider it is little scary that frame can fell you and broke
It was replaced with a Lemond Chambery, partial alum and partial carbon. Another 13,000 miles/3 years and it snapped. I loved this bike, great ride but I think it snapped because of the cut out at the rear dropout that was probably there to cut weight on the frame. So I myself would avoid another frame with a similar cutout. It broke at the aluminum section.
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That was replaced by a full carbon Madone, 15,000+ miles on it and not a problem. It is a 2014 frame.
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As far as wheels? Being a heavy guy, I don't put much faith in stock wheels. I get about 2,000 miles out of a rear wheel then it's toast. I build my own now and use a Velocity Deep V in the back for durability. Heavy rim but I'd rather ride my bike for 20,000 miles without issue vs ride a light supposedly fast wheel for $2,000 and have to replace it in a year.
I started building my own wheels after way too many issues with machine built and hand built by idiots at the shop. Seriously, I had the same exact model fail after the first 40 miles. I started building my own, same exact equipment, 20,000+ miles out of my first wheel.
Not to mention, the more I train, the less I feel of the wheel weight, not that I feel it anyway. I have had buddies preach expensive light race wheels to me but then they are drafting me ha ha!
So depending on your weight, you may get a decent amount out of stock wheels but at this point, I toss the wheels as soon as I get home because if I am planning on a new bike, I've already built a set of wheels for it.
So use the stock wheel if you can. Then upgrade after that. Bikes aren't wear and toss. You simply replace the difficult component then get back on it again. I've changed my wheels several times on all my bikes.
As far as frames, I have a 1998 ALUMINUM Cannondale that I still ride. Still stiff.
I ride the carbon Trek Madone, 15,000 miles no problem.
Flimsy broken alum frame above.
Broken partial carbon/ alum mix frame that broke at the alum section.
Have a steel tandem from 1997 that we still ride and not a problem.
So nowadays, it is more like get a bike, ride it, if something breaks, replace it. Some frames last longer than others. If I got another alum frame, I'd make sure it wasn't wimpy and flimsy at the bottom bracket area.
As I said, your results may very depending on your size. This is me at 225 pounds. Skinny as I can get at 45 years of age. The guy next to me is 160 pounds. This was in Arizona, just got done riding a mostly solo 62 mile ride at 20 mph average speed. I rode the last 1/3 with a guy who wouldn't stop begging me to ride with him after his team mate had mechanical problems. I just wanted to get back because the first 100 riders in got medals.
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