Are all the Tour riders riding carbon fiber frames now?

[MMcG]

Looks to be the norm now huh? Any teams riding AL, or scandium, or Ti frames?

And here's a stretch - any team or rider still on a steel frame??

[narlus]

i thought i read somewhere that one team is riding scandium (the bianchi team?). all the rest are on CF.

[Ian F]

Yeah, I noticed that too... definitely a CF world right now...

[splat]

AG2R , used to and I believe still does ride Aluminum. because the Sponser ( decathalon ) out right sells that model to consumers

[-dustin]

liquigas frames are aluminum with carbon rears. guy had one built up at the shop...liquigas frame/ fork with full Record. think he paid $3000 (it was a show bike). only difference is the Tour frames don't have paint...100gr weight savings.

[DRB]

liquigas frames are aluminum with carbon rears. guy had one built up at the shop...liquigas frame/ fork with full Record. think he paid $3000 (it was a show bike). only difference is the Tour frames don't have paint...100gr weight savings.

Liquigas has the option of full carbon, full scandium (aluminum) or a hybrid.

[Zutroy]

It's a pretty good mix, most of the guys can ride what they want, and the change sometimes from stage to stage. Alot of CF, lots of Al still, some Ti. Not much isteel, although some of the guys still use steel for flat stages.

[GotMyGED]

I can't imagine trying to compete with the best in the world on a Ti frame. Like racing a wet noodle.

[indieboy]

I can't imagine trying to compete with the best in the world on a Ti frame. Like racing a wet noodle.

ahahhahahhahahahahhahahah *breathe* ahahhahaha
you think so huh?

[The Toninator]

if i was given a new bike each year i'd go carbon. otherwise carbon is the bastard element.

[James]

AG2R , used to and I believe still does ride Aluminum. because the Sponser ( decathalon ) out right sells that model to consumers
They're actually on a new carbon frame this year. Pretty fugly if you ask me, but whatever, it's not my bike.
Supposed to be decently light anyway.

[Ian F]

liquigas frames are aluminum with carbon rears. guy had one built up at the shop...liquigas frame/ fork with full Record. think he paid $3000 (it was a show bike).

Wow... that's pretty cheap for a Pro-frame w/ full Record...

[James]

They're actually on a new carbon frame this year. Pretty fugly if you ask me, but whatever, it's not my bike.
Supposed to be decently light anyway.
Here's the Decathalon carbon bike:
http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/photos/races06/tdf06/tdftech/decathlon-moreau1a.jpg

[splat]

Dam that is fugly!!!

[The Toninator]

carbon fork - yes
carbon stays - maybe
full carbon - no it still wont last

[Westy]

carbon fork - yes
carbon stays - maybe
full carbon - no it still wont last

I find it funny you would trust CF on a fork but not the rest of the bike.

The only frame I ever broke was an aluminum road frame. I think it has more to do with what the frame was designed to handle than what it is made out of.

[The Toninator]

Westy it's not that i dont trust it it's that i dont believe it has longevity. I see people wear out their carbon frames. Or I could just be biased and am making the whole thing up. The reason carbon is so popular is because it is easily formed into any shape imaginable. So frame makers can produce them in large quantities at low cost to them. Doesn’t mean it’s the best.
TI is way harder to deal with and therefore more expensive to produce. I’ve never heard of anybody wearing out a ti frame. Or really even steel for that matter (although after and number of years steel is so cheap people get tired of it and get a new one.)
Aluminum is the bastard metal (although I do have an aluminum road frame that i've put tons of miles on).
OUI I could go on but I have to work even though I’m not sure I’ve actually said anything.

But in summation the reason there is such an abundance of full carbon frames in the peleton is because that’s what bike manufactures are producing and giving to the pros and forcing us to buy.

[Westy]

I hear ya. Actually I want a nice steel frame for that reason, something that will last that I will be comfy on. I could care less about having a sub kilo frame which all the manufacturers seem to be pushing these days.

[The Toninator]

what the h3ll do i need a 14lb bike for? I dont.

I'm giving serious thought to getting a nice steel IF cyclocross bike and making it my primary rhode bike and a little bit of a xc bike to boot.

[binary visions]

Toni, carbon is an awesome, very strong material. When properly designed, a carbon bike should last nearly forever.

If it's incorrectly designed, the carbon layers can delaminate, so the creation of the bikes takes some expertise.

The chief problem with carbon is what happens when it gets banged up too hard. It's not quite as forgiving as steel or aluminum when you gouge it. However, the tubing on most steel or aluminum road bikes is thin enough that many times a gouge will sacrifice a metal frame too.

Carbon has plenty of longevity. "Wear out" is a pretty vague term - what do you mean by wearing out a frame? Does it crack? Is it some subjective idea that people fear their frames are on the way out and they replace it?

I mean, we all need to feel good about what we ride and if steel or Ti does that for you, great. I just bought a steel hardtail myself. I'm just curious about why there's an impression that carbon doesn't last?

[Westy]

I still take my slicked out hardtail for road rides in the mountains and there are few things better in life than climbing pass some dude on a 14 lb $5000 road bike.

[binary visions]

I still take my slicked out hardtail for road rides in the mountains and there are few things better in life than climbing pass some dude on a 14 lb $5000 road bike.
:rofl:

There was some dude who I used to pass on my drive to and from work every morning, who rode a clapped out Wal-Mart hardtail up and down this nasty hill. Every once in a while there'd be a hardcore roadie or two riding up the same hill and he'd either be gaining on them or pulling away from them :p

[splat]

Funny thing is I ride an older carbon fram , with an aluminum fork and aluminum stays . ( 9 years old )

and my Older Road bike is completly aluminum when I got it it was very stiff, now it is a noodle ( 18 years old )