Opinions on REI brand bikes (Novara)?

On Sat, 25 Mar 2006 09:21:06 -0600, Tim McNamara wrote:

In article ,
RonSonic wrote:

On Fri, 24 Mar 2006 22:28:11 -0600, Tim McNamara
wrote:

In article ,
RonSonic wrote:

On 24 Mar 2006 10:33:03 -0800, "SYJ" wrote:

wrote:
Avoid aluminum road bikes if you desire comfort. For all day
rides find a steel frame. Novars bike have a good reputation.
I'd advise to find a ike that is comfortable first.

That's a pretty broad statement - Have you ridden every aluminum
bike on the market? Done blind studies comparing dissimilar
materials? Or perhaps you are extrapolating personal experience
gained from a small sample of bikes to every other bike with
similar characteristics.

I've had tig'd steel, lugged steel, oversized aluminum
(traditional), oversized aluminum (sloping), and lugged carbon.
Most of the components have carried over from one bike to the
next. Biggest differences in perceived ride quality came from
changes of, in order:

1) Tires 2) Saddle 3) Fork (only noticable on the Trek carbon
w/the scary flexy Icon fork) tie Cantilevered seatpost (only
noticable on compact aluminum frame) 5) Thickness of bar tape 6)
Frame Material

I'd put design of frame somewhere well above frame material and
below fork.

Yes, perhaps you would. The point is that SYJ *did not*. Now
you're the one sticking to your theory in the face of contrary
anecdote.

Nope, not contradicting him at all, just ADDING a factor that he
omitted, that I felt should be mentioned. Part of the conversation.

Design is more important than material in this issue I think. You'd
probably agree.


Yes. I didn't read closely enough. Sorry!

No sweat. No real heat here.

Ron