General Discussion Triathlon Talk » Are Carbon Bikes Harder To Steer? Rss Feed  
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2013-09-07 8:56 PM

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Costa Mesa
Subject: Are Carbon Bikes Harder To Steer?
I ride with a beginner/intermediate cycling group, and two different ladies fell today during our weekend ride, one of whom was on a used full carbon road bike she bought from a male MTB who just did not take to road cycling. She never had a fit on the bike, and I told her three weeks ago her the seat is literally crooked to one side. Apparently she has crashed every time she rides this bike.

One of the ladies said to the other lady who fell today that this was "too much bike" for the first lady who fell, and that lady 2 was "not ready" for a carbon bike either. At first I thought she was kidding and asked her "really?", honestly shocked this was a fact. She kind of looked at me like I was being facetious and said that she's sure lady 2 is a good rider, but that she's only been riding for 4 months and the combined speed improvement is such that it would be significantly more difficult to steer.

I ride an aluminum bike with a carbon fork since that's all I could afford, but I have tested full carbon bikes and while I did notice it was lighter and easier to gain speed at start, it was not more difficult to ride at all. (I'm not talking about carbon TT or Triathlon bikes, just carbon road bike vs aluminum road bikes.) Is this true?

Edited by ayabrea 2013-09-07 8:58 PM


2013-09-08 5:58 AM
in reply to: ayabrea

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Champion
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Knoxville area
Subject: RE: Are Carbon Bikes Harder To Steer?
no

There's nothing that would make carbon fiber more or less difficult to steer than aluminum, magnesium, titanium or steel... Now the geometry from one bike to another can effect steering if you aren't used to it.

Carbon isn't faster than any other material either. Sometimes it is lighter, and it is easier to shape into "aero" tubes, but for the most part bike material doesn't dictate performance.
2013-09-11 11:08 AM
in reply to: ayabrea

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Champion
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Tacoma, Washington
Subject: RE: Are Carbon Bikes Harder To Steer?

Originally posted by ayabrea She kind of looked at me like I was being facetious and said that she's sure lady 2 is a good rider, but that she's only been riding for 4 months and the combined speed improvement is such that it would be significantly more difficult to steer.

Hahahahahahaha! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Okay, I'm good now...

 

Nope!

 

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

 

 

Where do people come up with this cr@p?

2013-10-04 9:10 AM
in reply to: briderdt

Master
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Memphis, TN
Subject: RE: Are Carbon Bikes Harder To Steer?
Some times we crash. That had nothing to do with the bike material.
2013-10-04 1:59 PM
in reply to: ayabrea

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Pro
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Twin Cities
Subject: RE: Are Carbon Bikes Harder To Steer?
I don't get it... Why would anyone think that? I mean, even if they were new riders, what on earth would make them come to that conclusion? That could be one of the weirder things I've ever heard. Well, weirder cycling related things, anyway.
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General Discussion Triathlon Talk » Are Carbon Bikes Harder To Steer? Rss Feed  
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