Why Your Next Bike Might NOT Be Made Of Carbon | GCN Tech Show Ep.357

Are alloy bikes making a comeback? Will pro riders start choosing metal bikes over carbon ones? Alex & Ollie dive right into whether alloy or carbon fibre bikes are the future! They also cover a new aluminium bike from Orbea, limited edition SunGod sunglasses, an outrageous custom-painted bike, plus the bike vault and comments of the week!

⏱️ Timestamps ⏱️
00:00 Welcome to the GCN Tech Show!
00:31 Have carbon fibre bikes had their day?
11:50 Hot and spicy tech
11:59 New Orbea Avant #AD
14:00 Limited Edition SunGod Vulcans (Sunglasses)
14:39 Zwift's Tour of Watopia & GCN x Zwift Club Rides! #AD
15:48 Incredible custom paint-job by tattoo artist
18:58 Comments of the Week
21:52 Bike Vault

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What do you think the future holds for aluminium, steel, titanium, and carbon fibre bikes? 🚲

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🎵 Music - licensed by Epidemic Sound 🎵

#gcntech #gcn #cycling #roadcycling #roadbike #bike #bikes #bikelife #biketech #carbonfiber #carbonframe #carbonbikes #titanium #steel #aluminium #bikeframe

📸 Photos - © Velo Collection (TDW) / Getty Images & © Sprint Cycling Agency

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[gcntech]

What do you think the future holds for carbon fibre bikes? 🚲 👇

[ymn]

Your next bike is alloy because of the technical improvements and aerodynamics (I didn't watch the video yet). My next bike is alloy because I am poor. We are not the same.

[roberttell]

The advent of wider tires has made a big difference. For most riders the most compelling reason for carbon over aluminum was comfort and still lightweight. Now that people are riding around on 32 mm tires lightweight aluminum isn't uncomfortable.

[kokodeer]

I currently ride carbon fiber, but like many other cyclists my dream bike is a custom titanium bike. Custom metal bikes can be perfectly suited to your size, locally manufactured, and they look beautiful. Someday, that's what I'll ride.

[barryw]

Love the Endurace AL I bought last year to replace my 30 year old Cannondale R300 (still hanging on wall, though). I lost 7 kg since March so no need for carbon fiber.

[dubberish]

The service box on the Orbea looks like a battery. We can't be having that.

[thatguy]

Ride a lot, crash a few times, titanium will be the top of your list.

[ktube]

You know what's cool about metal bikes? They're quiet. You don't really notice how loud your carbon bike is until you hop on something else, but it's really awesome. If you are out on a nice fall day, no wind, cruising on a long ride, with a waxed chain no less, you hear nothing, your bike just goes. Then when you hop back on your wizz bang bike, it's clunk clunk rattle rattle and you hear all of it. I hop back and forth with my N+1 collection and that's the main thing.

[KeithHeinrich]

My last new bike was aluminium. Priced right and performs fine. Unlikely to explode on a trail. Perfect.

I have a fleet of steel vintage bikes as well. Ageless and lovely to ride. Who will be riding 45 year old carbon bikes in years to come.

[rangersmith]

My favorite bike is made of steel. It has a carbon fiber fork and alloy wheels. I don't care what the pros ride. I am not a pro, and I never will be.

[dylantodd]

The aluminium discussion reminds me of when Specialized did a limited release Allez Smartweld S-Works version that was super light and performed amazing in sprints.

[royevans]

My Cannondale CAADi2 (CAAD12 with Di2) has come back into fashion! Cool. Never getting rid of it, knew it was the best that money could buy.

[romeandcurry]

Yay my Grevil got a Supernice at the end - spent ages on that photo :-) thanks Alex and Ollie.

[Mullinino]

Thanks for finally saying it Ollie, our local landfills have more carbon frames in them than even your local dentists garage, amazed but not surprised that governments aren't remotely interested in doing anything about it, a lot of people have forgotten that bicycles are supposed to be a better alternative to other forms of transport

[kramrenrut]

Not sold on the service box, a perfect place to catch all the crud off the road, pros will ride what there paid to and whatever the industry wants to promote

[wspmjw]

I chose a titanium bike (VA Moots) over a carbon fiber one due to the vibration-dampening characteristics of the metal. It does have a carbon fork and the recovery time after a long ride is less than carbon or aluminium.

[ivandean]

I have Pinarello 1992 with Campagnolo SuperRecord, Trek Alumininium frame with Shimano 105 (2010) (gone), Specialized Diverge with Shimano GRX (2022) (my daughter has it now) and custom Ti frame with SRAM XPLR. From all these bikes, the 1992 Pinarello is still AMAZING bike to ride. Feels and rides great. Is it the fastest, lightest, etc, bike? No, it is not. But it rides like a dream. I love to go for up to 20km rides on it for pure enjoyment.
the custom Ti frame is designed to be single bike with two wheel-sets, one road and one gravel. The lateral stiffness is 10/10 and the vertical compliance is 6/10. With titanium and steel you can design such frame. Went with titanium frame, as from my experience with high end steel, it will last forever. Group sets change and as they age out become very expensive (I dread the moment when looking for original Campagnolo, but they look just beautiful).
Now here is the most important part, 55 yo with about 87kg. Is the bike 1-2 kilo heavier or lighter, don't care much, as much I enjoy the ride and the time with the frineds out on the road. I hope to keep my custom Ti bike for next 20 years and enjoy many, many great rides

[albikes]

With Aluminium theres a possibility with hydroformed tubing. You can make them look modern and like a smooth carbon frame.Price for performance Aluminum i can see making a comeback. Steel its harder for me to see unless theres a resurgance of people wanting the look of an old school round tube bike. Titanium is to expensive and much more expensive to produce a bike frame. Being a steel bike lover. Id love to see a comeback.

[crunchysteve]

I've been riding a fluid formed alu-alloy frame as a touring bike for 8 years now. Bombproof, light enough for an old "fred" like me and I run supple tyres on it. Super handling, easy comfy riding, carries a big load. Way cheaper than and as many brackets and bosses as any entry level steel tourer. And steel started at 3x the price when I bought this.

[KNURKonesur]

Oh I've known for years now that my next bike WILL 100% NOT be carbon :D It will be titanium :) Carbon bikes are for athletes and people interested in racing, and I'm neither :)