Carbon or not

[Swallow]

Just wondered what others think of this. I've just been to my LBS and they have a Full carbon road bike equipped with Sora kit for nearly £1200. Personally I have nothing against Sora but at £1200 would a better equipped aluminium or steel bike be better value.I know it can be upgraded latter but still seems a lot of money.I'm not thinking of buying it by the way, just interested in what others think.

[Mark1978]

You should always get the best frame you can afford. So I would go with the carbon frame over the better equipped aluminium bike.

Firstly, a groupset can be swapped out for another groupset down the line if you want to upgrade. Secondly, Sora is fine

[cycleruk]

I would say it also depends on the make of frame.
Do a search (Google?) on the bike and see if there are any reviews etc.
Also do a price "compare" against other retailers.
It's coming to the end of the season so next years bikes will be appearing and this years will start to be discounted.

[Brucey]

there are quite a few carbon road bikes out there for about £1000 now. A few weeks ago Planet X were doing a carbon bike with full ultegra groupset for £1200.

So if that is what you want, shop around....

cheers

[Swallow]

Not interested myself, just thought it was a lot of money for a Sora equipped bike, carbon or not

[fossala]

It depends what sort of riding you are looking at doing.

[cycleruk]

Sora groupset about £210.
Then there are wheels, tires, bars, saddle + other bits. So say another £250
Leaving about £750 for the frameset.

[Mark1978]

Scott CR1 carbon frame at Westbrooks for £500

[Gearoidmuar]

You should always get the best frame you can afford. So I would go with the carbon frame over the better equipped aluminium bike.

Firstly, a groupset can be swapped out for another groupset down the line if you want to upgrade. Secondly, Sora is fine

Why would a carbon one be the "best" ?

..and why should you always get the best frame ?

If you have a crash in a carbon frame, short of getting it x-rayed, you may not be able to say it's damaged.
That's a bit of a limitation.

[samsbike]

I think the reason to go.with the best frame is because hanging good kit on a poor frame is never going to give a good ride whether it's ultegra or not. Having a good frame with low level kit will give a good ride but will feel even better with better kit. By better kit I mean nice wheels and shifters.

At £1200, now £1000, I don't think you can beat the planet x deal. Even you don't want carbon a condor fratello/ genesis equilibrium with 105 is aroubd that price both in steel or you can get something in al from Giant, Cannondale, Boardman etc

[Mark1978]

..and why should you always get the best frame ?

You should in general get the best bike you can afford. However if you have a choice between two identically priced bikes, one with a better* frame and one with better components, then choose the better frame. Especially since the components are easy to upgrade at a reasonable cost later, the frame is not

*You can define for yourself what 'best' is here. It doesn't have to be carbon, it could be steel, for example.

[steady eddy]

This years Sora on my son's Giant looks very much like last years Tiagra rebadged to me. The unreachable thumb shifters have gone and it has paddles like the rest of the range. It al seems to work fine.

[paieye]

My only experience of carbon tube construction is of carbon fishing-rods. These are exquisitely light, but, if they break, splinter like chicken-bones.

Does the carbon tube used for bicycle-frames behave differently ?

[Brucey]

My only experience of carbon tube construction is of carbon fishing-rods. These are exquisitely light, but, if they break, splinter like chicken-bones.

Does the carbon tube used for bicycle-frames behave differently ?

pretty much the same really; there is a whole website devoted to it, too

http://www.bustedcarbon.com/

cheers