Originally Posted By: Russ
Back to bikes --Came back from my afternoon walk today and saw the neighbor in his garage working on his carbon fiber road bike getting it ready for a 100 mile ride on Saturday -- long ride. He volunteered that for comfort during long bike rides, thin-wall chromoly steel was the way to go. Yes!! We also agreed that as good as it is, aluminum alloy is the least comfortable.

Of the three materials, aluminum has the hardest ride and is the least comfortable. CF is not as comfortable as chromoly, but it's way lighter, strong, and dampens a lot of the vibrations you feel w/ aluminum alloy frames. I suppose if you ride with a peloton and need to keep up, speed & reduced weight trump comfort.

Were I in the market for a road bike, my first choice would be a Surly LHT; my second choice would be a TREK 520 -- both frames are chromoly steel.


Well it's not the material, but the frame design that really makes a noticable difference. You can make most materials stiffer or more flexible depending how how it's made.

As for cylcing, don't think too much about it. Just don't ride too hard to sweat (or if there is a shower, use that), keep your pants out of the chainring, have lighting on the bike and leave on time. Oh and your pants will start to wear the your crotch.
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