Do you like a nice retro bike...

[Andrew G]

...then there are some gorgeous machines [url=http://www.raydobbins.com/]here[/url].

[Mike I]

What makes you think that site isn't already in my Favourites?

No harm in spreading the word though. Keep up the good work!

[Dombo]

It would be interesting to know how they ride compare to more modern kit. There's something about the look of bikes of the 70's, 80s that you see in old TdF photos that modern ones somehow lack. Dunno what it is.

[Jon H]

That bloke needs to get out more if he has that much time for polishing his bits and pieces.

[Andrew G]

True Jon, a touch of OCD going on there.

[quote="Dombo"]It would be interesting to know how they ride compare to more modern kit. There's something about the look of bikes of the 70's, 80s that you see in old TdF photos that modern ones somehow lack. Dunno what it is.

[mrP(Boonen)VT]

[quote]Carbon can be comfy but doesn't have the durability.

[Andrew G]

Primarily I was referring to repairability of a steel frame in the event of an accident (tubes can be replaced etc.). Metal bends and is more likely to give you a warning, and doesn't shatter like carbon.

I have no evidence as such to point you to but have read various tales of failure in certain carbon frames/joints/bonds after x amount of time. Granted this may have been in part to the way they had been treated by the owner. I would never have carbon bars and stem as they take a lot of impact in an accident and I would never know if the structure had been compromised and wouldn't trust it. I'd also never buy a second hand carbon frame but be quite happy buying 2nd hand metal (steel/aluminium/titanium).

Even at the highest level, I read Lotto had a load of trouble one year (first year with Ridley's I think) with carbon stems snapping early season. They weren't 2nd hand crash damaged bits either.

[-Adam-]

Surely the cost if repairing a steel/aluminium/titanium frame by removing/replacing a tube far outweighs the initial cost of the frame?

But I agree on carbon bars and stems, I can't justify the expense given the doubts over them. Most pros stick to alu still. But a frames a frame, once it's broken, it's broken, no?

[Jon H]

If you keep replacing damaged tubes, a steel frame will go on forever... like Trigger's broom.

[quote="Jon Hemming"]If you keep replacing damaged tubes, a steel frame will go on forever... like Trigger's broom.

[Mike I]

.[quote]It would be interesting to know how they ride compare to more modern kit.