Kevan
journeyman
Reged: 12/22/03
Posts: 70
|
|
Are we done? Are carbon fiber and various strains of the same going to be the last of the latest and greatest building materials? Steel, which almost went away, is on its resurgence, mostly due to its fine heritage and the sexy builds we're seeing from the likes of Vanilla and Kirk. Aluminum will always have a place as a relatively cheap and stiff race bike. Ti remains popular for now, but the future suggests that the market for these frames will be in hybrid form, mixed with carbon fiber. Now virtually all the big names are pumping out fiber. What's next? Will bamboo be given its due? Are there other materials out there, the miracles of science, the byproduct of NASA, Hasbro, the current hush of the military, that will find its way eventually strung between two bicycle wheels and shoved into a store window near you? Got any trade secrets to share?
|
bfd
journeyman
Reged: 12/22/03
Posts: 77
|
|
The secret to riding, according to Eddy Merckx, is to *ride lots*. Forget all this hocus pocus and get out and RIDE!
Carbon this and that or whatever material is nice, but the only way to "improve" or "go faster" is to ride. RIDING is what gets you in shape and the only thing that will truly make you faster....
|
Kevan
journeyman
Reged: 12/22/03
Posts: 70
|
|
I wouldn't argue that. In fact, I'm not arguing anything. I'm just curious what the next gismo's going to be in frame material is all.
If we want to stray from the topic of this thread that's perfectly fine with me. Frankly, I've got more bike than I need with my Luna. I suspect many of us would agree that point with your own Calfees. "Ride lots" you say.... Well, the pressures at home, raising kids, dealing with a job which this year involved just over 50 days travel are such that keeping "tuned" is very difficult to do indeed. At this point, I'm taking the position of reasonable fitness. For me to stay with one of my local club's faster packs (not the fastest), I need to be at every club ride both Saturday and Sunday. I need to be cranking just as much and as hard as those guys so that I can keep their company. I'm not so certain I want to keep up that regimen. I'm in a quandry because I loved doing just that, but my obligations to my son in particular is offering redirection. I now have him on a road bike and I think there's nothing better than to get him out on the road and teaching him the ropes. Eventually, he'll have the speed to torment his father then I can return to my gang, perhaps even stronger for it.
The old Serotta I've been using off and on this year has been loads of fun. The paint job is out of control and the ride is so different from the Luna. At this time I have zero interest in a Ti bike (short of freebees), but a nice steel frame and fork is what I'm lustin'.
Ride lots... I sure will. Ride fast... might not happen this coming year. Stay tuned.
|
Insightdriver
captain
Reged: 03/07/04
Posts: 472
|
|
currently the carbon fiber frames are using either mandrel-wound tubes or hand-layups of prepreg into molds. The next thing will be machines developed that are cheap enough for small shops that will, under computer control and precision, wind up a complete frame, compressing and curing it on the fly. Organic shapes will become the norm since form follows function and tubes are a compromise because of the limitations in fabrication technology.
|
 Lon
sage
Reged: 12/20/03
Posts: 595
Loc: Pittsburgh, PA
|
|
It is good to have you back Big K. I waited until you had put down some roots before welcoming you.
Ride with your son. There are any number of us who would love our children to take a strong interest in riding. You are very fortunate. Enjoy those times while they last because it won't be for long.
I too have no desire for a regimen. 30 years in my job gave me all the competition and stress I needed for the rest of my life.
I ride hard and fast when motivated and that doesn't happen all that much.
The number one motivation is some HUGE a-o that needs to be taught some manners, humility and a lesson.
Number 2 is a fast downgrade (not a hill where you tuck) where if you hammer the pedals you can hit 35 to 40 or more mph. What a hoot to pedal that fast.
Number 3 is running with cars and traffic. I love to do that. People just can't handle it when a bike is going along right next to them.
I have other motivations I guess but I'm too tired to thing any longer. 
Now stick around...ok...BIG K? 
|
vaxn8r
contributor
Reged: 12/19/03
Posts: 222
|
|
Kevan, as per your comments regarding ti. IMO ti is waning as a viable frame material. Not because it doesn't offer an excellent ride quality but because it is outpriced and in some cases outperformed at what it did best by carbon fiber.
IMO the mixed use of ti and CF has been a transition period for builders who needed to get into joining CF tubes cheaply and quickly. You see Serotta, Landshark and some others transitioning from ti or steel to ti/CF or steel/CF and now to full CF, all the while selling "cutting edge" bikes which they knew would be outdated once they were able to join CF tubes with CF lugs.
Personally I like ti. It doesn't need to be mated with CF to offer a sweet ride. If anything is going to wane, IMO it will be the mixed material bikes.
|
Kevan
journeyman
Reged: 12/22/03
Posts: 70
|
|
Insight and Vax,
I think you're spot on, builders who were masters of steel, alum and Ti are transitioning to a new direction using CF. I'm glad to see the other materials surviving, but it seems CF has finally lived up to its due and the market is in demand. Twenty plus years at being the dark horse certainly has been long enough. Now with a better understanding and technology CF will take over. It will be interesting to see how Calfee continues to claim their market share with all the other CF options now available. Will pushing bamboo work - the new dark horse?
Lon,
It's always nice to be over in Calfeeland talking about the bikes we've so enjoyed. Being a member to these forums has been a blessing, getting to establish new friendships, actually meeting and riding with some, talk about all aspects of biking whenever, and just acting goofy. I wish the forums remained as they originally started with Kahuna's insight, but alas, change happened. The Serotta board remains most active so I do spend most of my time there, learning the ropes and beating up my arch-nemesis Sandy.
Yeah, it's great trying to get the kids hooked on the sport. I've given both my son and daughter a delicate nudge. My daughter who is now a freshman in college is using an old Olmo to get around. I really need to upgrade the drive train so she feels more comfortable. Going from the current down tube friction shifters to probably Shimano's Sora system would give her a boost of confidence. However, the bike's age, where it's being kept, and the rear spacing on the bike is such that it really is not worth going hog-wild upgrading the bike. Tucker came upon a Quintana Roo through a work colleague of mine, that's been dressed for road and he'll only last one more season on this frame, I think. The time trial geometry is going to kill his back, you should see the stubby head tube on this thing, so I?ll be looking to get him something more road specific a bit later on. That QR is sweet, weights nearly nothing, and has a good drive train to move over to a new frame. New helmets are under the tree for the both of them and tonight I need to do a rush order for myself and will be ordering some shorts for Tuck, which is a huge fashion change for him to accept.
Next season should be interesting to see how it plays out.
Kevan
Edited by Kevan (12/20/05 03:01 PM)
|
Lon
sage
Reged: 12/20/03
Posts: 595
Loc: Pittsburgh, PA
|
|
If the shorts have him hesitant...it isn't easy being that age...maybe get him another short to wear over them. Plus it is more practical. I speak from experience. Since I don't drive more pockets, warmth and practicality has me wearing both unless it is purely a bike ride.
There is a great short on sale right now. They are heavy nylon and windproof. In the winter now I wear my tights and these over them. They also protect some areas vulnerable to cold.
Quartermaster
It is quartermaster. They make police and other uniforms. This link goes to the blue ones which are the last item on the page. The first item on the next page they are in black. Their normal price is 32 and they are 21.88. They are really tough and the reflective stripe is nice. I ordered one pair and I'm getting two more for commuting.
There is one more "blessing" in wearing this type of short. I now can wear all those great shorts of mine that the only thing wrong with them was wearing through where my thunder thighs rubbed. Some went so fast I can now get full life out of them and the chamois.
Just in case your local bike patrol wears the yellow on top and black on bottom or blue on top jacket they sell them without the logos. You haven't lived until you bike and the 4 wheeled world thinks you are a cop...waved to make a left, waved back into the traffic lane...stopping to let you out of a side street...it is glorious! You do have to give directions a lot though.
|
Kevan
journeyman
Reged: 12/22/03
Posts: 70
|
|
Thanks Lon, but the boy knows the routine and is ready now for the next step. He's dealing with a love hate situation, but he stated he was ready for some padded lycra. I'm gonna be a bit cheap at first, no, no pair of Assos until he's: a) fully grown; and b) putting in 100 miles or more a week. He's got some of my smaller jerseys so he's good to go.
Here's the funny part: He likes riding his bike over to his buddies, around town and what not, so I bought him pedals that clip-in on one side (SPD) and handle plain ol' sneakers on the other (no strap). They are Spin bike pedals. Ugly and huge as hell, they absolutely defile the lines of his bike, but they work for him. Honestly, he and that bike needs a pair of Looks. I shuddered putting those beasts on his bike. But he's happy and that's worth pedals twice the size.
|
Lon
sage
Reged: 12/20/03
Posts: 595
Loc: Pittsburgh, PA
|
|
You misunderstood me. The padded lycra is in...just for example when he heads over to his friends he can throw these on top in the same manner he uses the flat side of the pedal. It is a lot more comfortable than just a pair of shorts or jeans.
|
Kevan
journeyman
Reged: 12/22/03
Posts: 70
|
|
No I understood. Tuck and I were doing a ride this fall when he proclaimed his shorts were seemingly slowing him down as they bagged in the wind. He shook his head in disbelief that he would have to stoop to my level, but he acknowledged he needed a true pair of bike shorts too.
The ride to his pal's would remain to be done in jeans; there's no half solution there.
|
Riccardo
new member
Reged: 12/17/05
Posts: 14
|
|
Well, I don't think that the next big thing will be frame materials, or even wheel materials. Can we make material improvements? Sure. But, the price performance ratio starts to get out of wack for any sort of mass audience, hence it can't really be a big thing.
In the pro tour, mechanics are already making choices of how they want to get to the UCI regulation weight. For example, do they mount aero clip-ons, or put on the more aero wheels? They really don't need to revert to a downtube lever for the front derailler.
Yeah, UCI can (and may under pressure from bike manufactureers) relax their weight limits. But, at some point this becomes a losing game for manufacturers. Along with the weight to price trade off, there is typically a weight to longevity tradeoff. And, everyone can really compete on more or less an even playing field. No one has a lock on a material that lets them be more competitive. In fact, we see manufacturers in all sorts of industries realizing that marketing distinction is more important than true functional distinction.
Meanwhile, our population (like that of many Western countries) is aging. Some of the 50-something and 60-something riders maintain good flexibility. But many are looking for better comfort to extend their riding years. Comfort is a combination of fit and design and doesn't necessarily make for a slower bike. In fact, for anything but a sprint, it usually makes for a faster bike/rider combination. Add to this the limited (in duration - not audience) appeal of modern bike aesthetics, and there is a reason why true custom builders are enjoying a resurgence whether they work in steel, aluminum, ti, carbon, or bamboo.
Naturally, no trek, cannondale, bianchi or giant will take this lying down (in fact they've made some attempts to offer limited customization within there production models). But, my prediction is that the next big thing will be randonneur (comfortable/fast/adaptable) inspired bikes with more classic styling cues.
Just me 2 cents.
|
AndyTiedye
new member
Reged: 10/05/05
Posts: 7
Loc: Santa Cruz Mountains
|
|
I think the next big thing will be...
Recumbents!
 
--------------------
Ride the Music and anything with pedals
|
Nev
captain
Reged: 05/03/04
Posts: 376
Loc: Never where I want to be
|
|
Quote:
AndyTiedye wrote:
I think the next big thing will be...
Recumbents!
Uhmmm... *stepping out on a limb here* no it won't be.
|
Previous
Thread Index
Next
Threaded
So... is this it?
Edit
Reply
Quote
Welcome Back
Shorts