On Mon, 28 Aug 2017 22:15:33 -0400, Frank Krygowski
wrote:

On 8/28/2017 9:29 PM, John B. wrote:
On Mon, 28 Aug 2017 14:40:18 -0700 (PDT), Sir Ridesalot
wrote:

On Monday, August 28, 2017 at 5:22:25 PM UTC-4, wrote:
We might as well pick up this argument here again because the cost of carbon fiber has been falling like a log. You can now buy carbon fiber bikes for the same or less than aluminum or steel of the same quality and with the same component sets on them.

I have been convinced in email conversations with engineers are large manufacturers that you can build a carbon fiber frame and fork with the ability to last a lifetime.

But that is not what they are designing. They are using a light material to manufacture the lightest possible bikes. They are competing with each other to make a lighter bike. The engineers are stuck trying to put as much reliability into these frames as possible for their weights.

Snipped

Your first paragraph contradicts your third paragraph. LOL

Cheers

I think that the first paragraph referred to costs of raw carbon fiber
which is probably correct as facilities to make CF has tripled in the
past 10 years. Although it is also true that demand has risen during
the same period.

The last time I was down to my LBS - about two weeks ago - they had
one steel frame bike in stock, a TREK touring bike, bar end shifters
and all. The bulk of the bikes "on the floor" were aluminum and a few
"top of the line" CF bikes were on display.

One made me think of our indomitable MTB rider. All carbon, suspension
fore and aft, and large, the sales person mentioned "3.8", I assume
inches, tires. Price? A modest US$6,000 (note the devaluation of the
U.S. dollar here).

The shop also (usually) has a triathlon sitting in the window. In the
vicinity of US$10,000.

So, I'd guess that essentially, the top of the line bikes are CF, the
average guy is riding aluminum and the low enders (who think of
themselves as true believers) ride steel.

I think the steel contingent also includes almost anyone who, for
whatever reason, wants a custom frame. There's a fair amount of
interesting custom stuff happening, and it seems to be almost all in steel.


It is certainly possible for a private fame maker to make an aluminum
frame but it is probably not practical unless he has access to some
one? place? that can properly heat treat the frame after welding which
will likely make the cost more then a steel bike.

Also, there are those people who are justifiably happy with the good
quality steel frames they bought decades ago. Not everyone belongs to
the component-of-the-month club.

At least from what I see on the roads in this country the "average"
cyclist would be just as well off with a steel frame. After all Edie
Merekx set a one hour record on a steel fame bike that lasted for 12
years and was finally broken by another steel frame bike :-)

--
Cheers,

John B.