European Steel or American Alloy

American alloy. I only have these s..t bikes.

Can I poop the party and introduce Ti?

American expertise in Ti fabrication from building lots of guns, rockets bombs and tanks has spawned some craft Ti builders we just don't have here.

So American Ti covers both bases..until they sell out to big business and the quality ethos falls apart like Litespeed!

Steel... wherever it is made! (Knowing the chaps name who made it is a big bonus though )

For real-world riders - that is, everyone except racers with factory bikes - I can't see what the attraction is with bikes made out of aluminium and carbon.

I've got a Cannondale caad9, which I've only kept because of the lifetime warranty. I've never cracked one but when I'll be on my 3rd one soon because of corrosion under the paint. Ok, so it rides great, but I never enjoy using it because I know every pedal revolution brings the bike slowly closer to unavoidable failure.

As well as looking elegant, a rustproofed steel bike can last a lifetime, and you don't have to worry about the bottom bracket shell breaking off. There is no way I will ever own another aluminium bike. And as for composite - I really don't see the attraction at all.

This one has come back up from the depths :xmas-cool:

i-am-iron-man":3m2gdw8r said:

For real-world riders - that is, everyone except racers with factory bikes - I can't see what the attraction is with bikes made out of aluminium and carbon.

I've got a Cannondale caad9, which I've only kept because of the lifetime warranty. I've never cracked one but when I'll be on my 3rd one soon because of corrosion under the paint. Ok, so it rides great, but I never enjoy using it because I know every pedal revolution brings the bike slowly closer to unavoidable failure.

As well as looking elegant, a rustproofed steel bike can last a lifetime, and you don't have to worry about the bottom bracket shell breaking off. There is no way I will ever own another aluminium bike. And as for composite - I really don't see the attraction at all.

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Some interesting opinions. What are your thoughts on aeroplane travel?

John":1fd9dcd9 said:

Some interesting opinions. What are your thoughts on aeroplane travel?

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Don't even get me started!

This made me smile - considering we've never met you've picked up on one of my favourite things...the old boy works for BAE Systems and his job revolves around stress and metal fatigue. He started off detecting cracks in Phantoms and Buccaneers, then moved on to Hawks and Airbus stuff, and now he is interested in the vertical take-off version of the Raptor. I remember when Formula One discovered non-destructive testing and they were interested in him too, I think one of his colleagues went to work for the (then) Benetton team.

Anyway, I don't know how it relates but I am very addicted to Air Crash Investigation on Sky. Oddly enough this has made me completely unafraid of air travel.

Also, I work in Comet's HQ in IT - did you know Comet is named after the De Havilland Comet, the British commercial jet that used to burst open over the sea because of the shape of its windows?