carbon or alloy frame ?

[moparchris]

im going to buy a road bike, its definatly going to be a giant but im not sure which to get.. either the TCR composite 2 or otehrwise the TCR 2 or 1 alloy but i cant really decide and havent ridden many different road bikes, ive mostly only ridden mountain bikes.

can you guys tell me any advantages and disadvantages of them. obviously alloy is going to be a bit heavier but the carbon is going to cost more, dont worry aobut components for now, im more worried about frame material, assume they have the same components.

 

[jabike]

im going to buy a road bike, its definatly going to be a giant but im not sure which to get.. either the TCR composite 2 or otehrwise the TCR 2 or 1 alloy but i cant really decide and havent ridden many different road bikes, ive mostly only ridden mountain bikes.

can you guys tell me any advantages and disadvantages of them. obviously alloy is going to be a bit heavier but the carbon is going to cost more, dont worry aobut components for now, im more worried about frame material, assume they have the same components.

In my many years of riding I have always ridden steel bikes (both mountain and road). Recently I switched to a Lemond with a mix of carbon and steel. In about 1000 miles of riding I have decided that this seems to be the best of two worlds at least for me. I can feel a little more flex, especially when mashing on the uphills, but it almost seems to make the bike work with me to get over the top of the hill. This combination of steel and carbon also seems to absorb the road shocks very well.

 

[TKOS]

In my many years of riding I have always ridden steel bikes (both mountain and road). Recently I switched to a Lemond with a mix of carbon and steel. In about 1000 miles of riding I have decided that this seems to be the best of two worlds at least for me. I can feel a little more flex, especially when mashing on the uphills, but it almost seems to make the bike work with me to get over the top of the hill. This combination of steel and carbon also seems to absorb the road shocks very well.

I just got on a aluminum/carbon bike within the last month. I had been riding a steel frame for the past year and this is so much nice around these parts. Unfortunatly I have not riden a full carbon bike so I can't help you out with that one.

Is there anyway you can test the bikes out?

 

[moparchris]

I just got on a aluminum/carbon bike within the last month. I had been riding a steel frame for the past year and this is so much nice around these parts. Unfortunatly I have not riden a full carbon bike so I can't help you out with that one.

Is there anyway you can test the bikes out?

oh hell yeah, i work in the shop lol, thats why its got to be eitehr a specialised (bah, theyre giants anyway so im not getting one) a jamis (dont really know whgat they make for road at the moment but ill take a look, we only have their mountain bikes in the shop) or a GT or mongoose but i want a giant anyway so depending what jamis have its prettymuch definatly a giant oh and we can get diamondback (ahha what a joke - oh yeah i dont have my zetec anymore)

and i know the advantages and stuff of carbon vs alloy i just wanted to see your opinions, i havent ridden either of them far so i cant really say for sure that theres much of a difference in ride feel

oh another thing i should mention is the bike will only be for exercise and some races (only for the fun of it, nothing serious)