Carbon fiber is a horrible material for a touring bike. If you’re biking across a far off land and the frame cracks, you can’t weld it back together as you can with steel. If you dent it or ding the material, it becomes weak and can break. When carbon fiber fails, it fails catastrophically. I once saw a carbon fiber fork disintegrate, throwing the rider over the handlebars. It isn’t clear if the frames are meant to take heavy panniers.
I love my new carbon fiber touring bike. It’s black, light, and beautiful. It’s made by Pedal Force, a company that was kind enough to not cover their frame with decals. Here the bike is on its inaugural tour in San Benito County.
The reason I got the bike: I had an old Novarra touring bike. The frame broke. I had all of these parts just sitting in my basement. I was offered this frame for a really good price. How could I say no? The parts in my basement needed a home. Also, the bike is beautiful.
The author sounds not only simplistic but insincere. The title says it all, how he loves his bike made of horrible stuff.
Why not take it on a trip and write back with the results? Does it ride comfortably? What kind of tires are being used?
I went to the pedal force site. They have racy road bikes. They have mountain bikes, They have cyclocross bikes. But they don’t have a single frame for touring.
Anyone who knows more than the most basics of biking, and I mean being able to distinguish a frame from a fork and a crank from a chainring, knows that different bike types have their own frame builds. Most likely, since “David” the author was given a price break on a frame, it was probably a mountain or cyclocross bike. Their geometries (frame builds) do not lend themselves well to touring.
You can run in sandals or dress shoes rather than running shoes, but how good of an idea is that? If you have to chase down you three year old, then run! But if you are doing a 5 or 10 kilometer run, get the right shoes.
Novarra is an REI brand of bike. They are of average quality, nothing special. The frame broke? Under what circumstances? What part of the frame?
This article does nothing for anyone interested in bicycling. The title is contradictory and either appropriately or sadly the rest of the story is just as helpful. If you want to learn something about bikes, either go to my little web site minnesnowtan.net or visit the forums at bicycling.com or roadbikereview.com or mtbr.com (mountainbike review). David would do well to go to those places and learn a few things.
Bruce just stumbled across your response. I have done several self supported bicycle trips not long maybe the longest being eight days. I have an S works carbon fiber frame. I traded the wheels out for touring wheels 32 and 36 spokes built by REI. The bike handles great with a load of about 40 to 50 pounds in my panniers on the rear of the bike. It is a comfortable ride and very enjoyable I also traded out the rear cassette for a 12-36 and it handles hills nicely. http://www.sale-bikes.com/products/Specialized-S%252dWorks-Tricross-Carbon-2011-Bike.html?setCurrencyId=8. This is a site with all of the specs. about the bike. People give carbon fiber a bad rap but in truth it really is a great touring bike. just a little tip when you respond to someone be careful to stay away from name calling through inferences such as your quote, “Anyone who knows more than the most basics of biking”, it shows that your debate response has a lack of fact it appeals to emotion rather than a logical response. I am an avid bicyclist and though he did not have a lot specs he stated his opinion in a positive light and now i too am adding a positive for carbon fiber. For trips of about 3 weeks or so i would have to disagree and say it is a fine material. It may be too early to cast negative input on the material yet. I also have a surly frame at my disposal. It too is a great bike. moderate price range and has high ratings. both bikes are really good bikes. However, i must say that my carbon fiber S works is a much better ride loaded and at the end of an aeighty mile day loaded i can honestly say that i have enjoyed the ride more on the S-works. it is lighter and makes for an enjoyable ride. I think it makes my total load about 20 pounds lighter when all is said and done. Price doesn’t make a bike bad or good. Performance is what make the bike bad.
I tour on a long haul trucker – next year I am building a Carbon Tour extreme – Probably a very high end cyclocross frame, tubeless tires, hydraulic disk, Electric shifting – yes it works, brooks saddle – and no – I am not insane – most of these new tech things work well under heavy pressure for long periods of time. I will tour mainly America – if I leave america I will be on the long haul trucker mainly because of theft, not worried about breakdowns.
I have a carbon fiber specialized comp carbon I’m on my 2nd year of touring fully loaded bike gear and me weigh in at 275 it’s holding up fine so far no cracks or problems as of yet getting ready to start 3rd touring season