?? Work at Pickup Points � Flexible schedule

Is Carbon REALLY Better Than Aluminium?

BikeRadar 126 views

Download Video

Comments

Sorry? UGLY weld marks? Welding is one if the most difficult jobs (when you know what you are doing and doing it good)brbrThe welding on the bike is most likely done by robots, and they can outperform a human and do it absolutely perfect
Comment from : @ANiCKiN

Aluminum for me Carbon, and aspiring to the wants of pros, is out of my leagueMost of us will never enter, never mind win a race The pros don't pay for their kit The rest of us have real budget constraints
Comment from : @tomblackwell4924

Thank you bike radar for such a nice review You gave me the information I needed and not beating around the bush I’ve decided to go ahead with an aluminium road bike (trek emonda ALR 5)
Comment from : @Lone_wolf_31

I always go for metal bikes Be it aluminium or steel bikes
Comment from : @bryanooi8815

Carbon is primarily better for the bike industry Because easier to make small changes to the looks every year or so …and tell their sheepish customers that THIS is THE improvement the community has been waiting for and a swap to „the new“ model is worth every penny Plus 10x margin on the carbon frame is REALLY seductive for even international Luxury companies like LVMH who just took over Pinarello for their company „collection“ ! Go get a Titanium bike …and you‘re done for good!brThe one and ONLY reason why Tour de France riders are riding carbon has EVERYTHING to do what their sponsors are giving them and NOTHING to do with technical advancements…as the riders have no choice to say what they want They get their bike(s) and have to deal with it Full stop!
Comment from : @bikemike1118

Due to the tech involved in both aluminum, carbon and titanium, the advantages between them to the novice to intermediate rider is marginal at best Honestly, when it comes to riding on the paths, it'll come down to the eye candy effectHeck, I've seen guys on columbus steel and rim brakes smoke riders on carbon with discsAll relative
Comment from : @richdubbya

Great breakdown Here's the short versionbrCarbon: Longer rides, slightly lighter, undeniably better performancebrAluminum: More likely to survive a crash, stronger for accessorizing, much cheaper brbrIf you race and can afford replacing crashed frames or if you ride for long rides, carbon If you're a recreational rider that rarely puts in long rides, aluminum is an excellent choice brbrOr, get a magnesium and beat all of them for less money and a lot less weight and equal performance to carbon (compliance, stiffness, comfort, weight, durability, etc)
Comment from : @solitaryrefinement6787

Deep section wheels aren't faster when you ride like amateur I mean speed 35km/h
Comment from : @markymark9846

I prefer aluminium, less things to worry about and lets you focus on the most important thing, enjoying the ride
Comment from : @vikaluksena

Better is too broad a term Better in which metrics?
Comment from : @sepg5084

I probably wont buy any more carbon bikes Had one and sold it Sound of cables crashing inside the carbon frame was infuriating Carbon makes every sound louder Alloy for me
Comment from : @neutronshiva2498

Will my carbon bike will still be ridable in 20 years time?
Comment from : @markraines8138

I have a 2018 cannondale caadx and I’d say it feels better than any fully carbon bike What and how I ride it differs from how a person who rides a fully carbon road bike for their fit and use It wonderful that bikes come in many materials they all have their uses and to get the best use out of your bike consider your fit and it’s fit for the job you intend its uses for Your bike should fit you in all the ways the term fit it used
Comment from : @chrisjovan664

If that aluminum bike was black it would look just as good as the carbon
Comment from : @ItsMeHammie

The answer is steel Or maybe titanium Always
Comment from : @ItsMeHammie

I have a connondale caad and an sworks tarmac sl5 carbon,believe me my caad is more comfy than my carbon bike😂
Comment from : @tevesjuliusrey

Carbon or aluminum will be good but no trek
Comment from : @seanlee7670

Canyon Endurace AL7, upgraded to high quality saddle, 165mm cranks with dual sided powermeter and TPU inner tubes Might upgrade to carbon wheels in the future for 06kg less in the wheels
Comment from :

I have had both Carbon all the way Or if you want to feel every bump in the road, go aluminum
Comment from : @danblekeberg2470

For long term safety, I personally prefer the material that could provide tell-tale signs of breakdown - alloy I am not a fan of carbon fibre which could unknowingly break without warningbrbrAlso, the climatic-induced sustainability of carbon fibre material may be my concern especially in regions with climatic extremes (I E Constantly high temperature of above 50 degrees celcius with very strong UV One could never tell how carbon might perform, if not, depreciate, when exposed to the heat and the powerful sunshine)
Comment from : @kttan72

With the £1000 get a Garmin bike computer and a really nice saddle
Comment from : @Sweetskis

Klein was king
Comment from : @johngoldenbritt5112

Lovely and overpriced
Comment from : @decky9995

Contrary to popular belief Carbon does split, crack, chip, etc
Comment from : @kalijasin

OR you could buy chinese quality carbon frame No need to buy overprices western carbon bikes
Comment from : @Multi8h

I still have my emonda alr 5 from 2017, tried a couple carbon ones to see if I wanted a new one But no, I’m still too much satisfied with this one, it’s all I need Perhaps a carbon one is just slightly more comfortable on really terrible road surfaces, but the 28mm tires took care of the roughness just enough
Comment from : @Joppie86

I don't know 😢😢😢!!!
Comment from : @bierzoelite8875

Repairing alloy is a piece of piss as long as you know what grade of alloy your frame is made from
Comment from : @stevenfreeman7798

Good video!!! When should I change my carbon frame? What is the useful life of a carbon frame?
Comment from : @8888chico

I have the Trek Emonda ALR 5 in the coral and blue I love it I'm not a racer but need to tackle hills I find the bike handles beautifully and doubt the weight difference would benefit me I also like the fact that the aluminum is more durable I don't have easy access to having a carbon frame inspected for damage if I take a spill I am always a little nervous taking my bike over a bump if I am going to damage the carbon fork, but I never worry about the aluminum frame
Comment from : @radfordbean2164

for the average joe weight or stiffnes doesn't matter, only prestige
Comment from : @hapeha8229

I got lucky! Found an Emonda SL5 on clearance at my LBS for $1650 Best of both worlds :)
Comment from : @Jackisaboss1208

The weight difference is literally less than half a water bottle If you’re not a pro or really rich I’d go with the Alloy
Comment from : @SMreptiles1

9 kg - both are TANKS
Comment from : @czeckson74

He sound like a product marketer, what happened to honest reviews bike radar He talked about stiffness in the same context with compliance just to confuse the consumer, & 103 grams is not significant considering your extra water bottle is 7x heavier & just take a dump before you ride & there is 400 grams off you 95 of people that will buy these bikes are not even in Cat5, just go out & enjoy the ride if you don't ride for a living
Comment from : @JohnDoe-ci4ne

I have had an aluminum bike for 6 years; it's a Scott Speedster With the passage of time, I have had the opportunity to participate in some races with it Obviously, I have changed some parts, and I recently upgraded the groupset, but the performance of the bike has been the best In summary, there is nothing that I can't do with it that another carbon bike would do better Greetings from Colombia
Comment from : @renzoespinabernal5403

Construction methods? Well now like geometry that allows for more seat post exposure, plus wider tires Compliance has nothing to do with how the aluminum frame is made
Comment from : @timtaylor9590

Biggest difference in the two is production costs and method
Comment from : @timtaylor9590

It's not the bike it's the rider that matters, if you cant ride it carbon wont help you😮
Comment from : @IanSpeakes

THIS particular aluminum bike cost nearly the same as similarly spec Giant TCR (84kg) So, which would be better in that comparison, when money and spec are almost same, alu or carbon? ;)
Comment from : @osobnyw2231

I went for the aluminum Emonda
Comment from : @georgekrpan3181

Heaviest thing in my bikeis me I'll take the aluminum bike any day Toss on a carbon seat post and a carbon fork 🤷🏻‍♂️
Comment from : @terryperry6491

I have a custom built aluminum bike that weighs 706 kg and I love the ride
Comment from : @fernandovega5722

Anyone who's ridden both know that carbon is superior Aluminum's only real advantage is it more durable especially if the frame is damaged
Comment from : @dixonbidenzmouth4115

What year is that emonda?
Comment from : @dixonbidenzmouth4115

The aluminium bike looks a whole lot better too That carbon Emonda looks terrible compared to the alu version and has all the iso nonsense you don't need That alu Emonda is the best looking bike Trek has produced for a long time
Comment from : @geetee4037

Also an aluminum frame almost certainly has a threaded bottom bracket
Comment from : @tomweis1194

How does Trek make such a heavy carbon bike?
Comment from : @bikeman123

It’s pre-preg not pre-peg
Comment from : @DjDeepfry1

A technical brilliant welding-mark is like art!
Comment from : @Wideopen69

…my takeaway from this video is that my 7kg S-Works SL6 is better value than this carbon Emonda, which costs approx £75/g saved while my S-Works is merely about an extra £5 per gram saved vs the alloy! 😅
Comment from : @nuxxdk

the only upgrade you get from buying a carbon is the status
Comment from : @justinfo-jepy355

Im still happy with my old steel frame bikes
Comment from : @grahamekellermeier8280

Such an ugly paint job on the aluminum frame, the impression it makes unfavourably tilts the scale towards the carbon frame in this comparison
Comment from : @PRH123

What are the wheels you show in the video? You have not reviewed the Pro level wheels from Bontrager so would be interested to see a review of the Pro 37 and Pro 51 Wheels
Comment from : @rayschannel1972

Save the 1k, take a week or two off work and go for a riding trip
Comment from : @AleksiJoensuu

Ihave the Emonda carbon bike with 35inch carbon wheels Im looking at getting the aluminum ALR 5 bike for training as well
Comment from : @Shauncat1

Last year I was facing the choice between a Tarmac SL7 comp or an Allez Sprint with upgrades for the same money I ended up going with the Allez Sprint and I’m glad I did I got a nice set of carbon wheels, aero carbon bars and a fancy 3D printed saddle all within the budget of the tarmac Granted, that bike came with electronic shifting but I feel as if I’ve got a far more ‘race ready’ setup now brbrPlus, not having to worry about the frame material is a bonus
Comment from : @anthonyfalvey526

Ive got a canyon endurace al and its pretty great If i were to go full weenie i could go sub 68 easily
Comment from : @EstelonAgarwaen

I went with carbon frame on the Cannondale Topstone 3L bike as it has a better suspension than the aluminum model Time will tell as the bike was shipped today I do worry about damage to the carbon frame from a simple fall or other accidents
Comment from : @michaelsisk5938

Back in 2016, I was looking at the Emonda SL7 and as I was chatting with the bike shop crew as I am a long time customer, they started to put together the new Emonda ALR I took the bike for a short ride and blew off the SL and bought the ALR I transfer the Ultegra I had on another bike, and put the 105 on that frame and sold it I put some carbon bars and seat post on it and the bike has been a jewel of a find I got the weight down to just under 16 lbs Over the last couple of years I put some 50mm carbon TLR wheels on it, and late last year, I put SRAM Force eTap AXS on it and put on a more aero carbon bar on it Some would think I am crazy to put that on this frame, but I don't care, the ride is glorious and I still put 3K miles on it a year even though I have a high end carbon frame bike as well Both bikes are in normal rotation My ALR is still the lower weight of both bikes, now just over 16 lbs
Comment from : @justsomedude7556

The ALR Emonda is sweet I have an SL, but almost went with the ALR (ultimately chose carbon because I have an industry discount)brbrThe biggest difference between the 2 is comfort, followed by aerodynamics I'm a big fan if the seat mast system, as it adds a lot of compliance to an otherwise ultrastiff framebrbrThe frame isn't as aero as some dedicated aero bikes, but it has sacrificed a good deal of weight reduction for aerodynamic tubingbrbrAnd finally, the stiffness makes this bike feel like a rocket when accelerating
Comment from : @JohnsBikingPlaylists-ms6uj

"Repairing aluminium frame is a complex job" is an understatement You can't repair an aluminium frame without costing more than a new frame
Comment from : @AutoCAD681

who cares Steel is the best
Comment from : @shamuslamont100

Neither carbon or aluminum are good options for a bicycle frame
Comment from : @scottcopeland7457

It's pre-PREG, not pre-PEG, it stands for PRE-imPREGnated with resin
Comment from : @alberon111

I love my alu bike
Comment from : @thecommunist

Buy the aluminum frame instead of the complete bike and you can spec better components all around for the same price (or less) than the complete carbon bikebrbrSomehow fixing carbon is easy but aluminum is hard? In either case, you'll be sanding off some paint With carbon, you are going to bond in some new fabric with new resin, but the fibers won't be continuous with the original frame layup, so either you over build the repair or it will be weaker - a carbon repair will never be the same strength band/b dimensions as the original Aluminum, you can try to pop dents, but the area will be work hardened and you will need to use some body filler to smooth it out Or, if you have a crack, you can grind and weld over If you have an autobody shop in your area, you should be able to find someone locally who can fix aluminum If you need to repair carbon, I wouldn't trust anyone who wasn't a card-carrying wizard In either case, I'd expect the repair to add some grams of weight but nothing significant Source: I used to design aircraft parts, wings, etc and we chose to use aluminum over carbon because it was cheaper and easier to repairbrbrOh, and it's pronounced pre-"preg" - as in pre-impregnated with resin
Comment from : @justtheotherdave

Neither one, I'm still waiting for Trek to apologize to Greg LeMond before I buy anything from them I'm not holding my breath
Comment from : @GeekonaBike

Carbon all the way - for ride quality
Comment from : @sparkvideos77

good comparison and explanation I do not know much about road bikes, I ride MTB As mentioned, the AL bike has carbon fork, so the difference in over-all ride feel may not be that great For years I thought that carbon is not for me, mainly because the price/value Back in 2017 the bike I really wanted was available only in carbon (TREK Procaliber) I went for it and soon I realized what carbon is about It simply soaks up vibrations better than AL I felt a bit less beaten after riding our local trails than on my AL bike before My rides became longer, fatigue came later (while I am getting older), simply a better ride experience
Comment from : @marekbabal392

The aluminum one is pretty 😍
Comment from : @Msasha2727

I've literally been debating these exact bikes thank you
Comment from : @jacobrich7785

Trek bikes are ridiculously heavy for the price!
Comment from : @stevedriscoll5406

This review is spot on Aluminum framesets have gone a long way and the performance does not fully justify the price But when you add up things like road feel, looking cool on your local bunch ride, and stiffness, for me at least its justified because I would love the bike more if it were carbon Its the big TV argument, once you have a bigger one you cant ever go back and look at the smaller one Once you have a good carbon frameset its hard to imagine without it due to the enjoyment factor But if you have always ridden aluminum bikes and are happy keep doing so Just doing ride carbon because you might be tempted to switch over Been riding carbon framesets for over 10 years, cant imagine going back Sorry And is it just me but does 9kg sound incredibly heavy for a new bike??
Comment from : @okayest_amateur

Excellent info well presented
Comment from : @nodbag6301

When the first really good emonda alr came out, they sold an emonda slr, sl, and s The alr weighed less than the s 😂 And I think that was the last year they sold the s
Comment from : @jonathanzappala

Steel Is the workof our LordbrCF Is the work of the devilbrAluminium? meh
Comment from : @michaelhayward7572

Nothing new has been said The winner in this video is not aluminum or carbon, it's the beautiful landscape With lanscape like thatmagnesium, titanium, steel or bamboo would do just fine
Comment from : @StanEby1

You can find good aluminium frames second-hand for cheap and upgrade nearly everythingbrThe result is usually a better overall bike than a new, budget-oriented carbon frame and will still be cheaper brOn the other hand buying a used carbon frame is like playing russion roulettebrbrI'll get a high-end carbon frame when I have 8-10k to splash onto one, otherwise it's just stressful
Comment from : @FlyingPastilla

If i have to choose, i'm going to go with a Ti It's the same performance as a Carbon but may cost a little more than a carbon frame
Comment from : @homersadiarin9299

Aluminium is for many the best Material It's less stiff so it compensates beter for rider fatigue Rougher terrain, cobbles material flex is preferable so you don't need compensators brCarbon is an indicator In cheap production and high upsel and creating new problems That needs to be fixed by worse technology Take for example tru axle wich is thechnicly Worse than quickreleasebrCarbon fibre has a lifespan of 3 tears and isn't recyclablebrAl has an lifespan of 5 years and is 100 recyclablebrbrI know My choices
Comment from : @beeldpuntXVI

I'd choose an aluminum, and saved money spend on upgrades
Comment from : @alexeyborysevych5460

Bought an ultegra CAAD12 recently with plenty of upgrades for £800 It’s hardly been ridden, only 72kg and feels amazing
Comment from : @gordonegar7717