Scandium Road bikes?

[Memos]

I'm looking into a new roady and i'm just curios what you guys think i should get? and what you think about scandium?
Thanks a lot!
Andy

[waitabit]

Whats your price range?

[waitabit]

Sorry, welcome to MORC.

[Memos]

I don't really have a price range yet. I'm just curious about people's opinion on scandium frames.
Well basically i already have everything except a frame. I've heard a lot of good things about scandium but i would like more opinions... I guess!
For instance: why not get a scandium frame"?
Thanks for the greeting by the way!

[martini]

What size you looking for? I've got a 60cm Kona Scandium Cyclocross frame/fork(fork is steel) that I'm selling. CX I think is a much better option than road. Lets you go further if you notice a trail on the side of the road that looks interesting. Plus your not limited to tarmac. Gravel is just as fun and traffic is much much less.

[Memos]

I'm looking into a road bike scandium frame between 58-60cm. The frame that i'm really looking at is a Salsa Compeon Frame. If you could, could you send me a link to a picture of your frame. My mind and eyes are still wide open!:D Thanks again!
Andy
Oh and where roughly do you live in case i would like to check it out? Just a city name would be great!

[martini]

:D I live in WI, formerly of the rural Mpls area. Still have family back in that area, so I do make it back. I'll post a pic of the frame later today.

[Memos]

I don't mean to be rude when i say i'm not looking into cyclcross at the minute. I already have a trek 9.8 elite to go off road. Thanks for the input though. I really don't mean to be a dick! Oh by the way i'm sure CX is really fun. A few guys on my team (BCR) ride CX. Thanks again for the post.:sick:
Andy

[SickBoy]

I think what Marty is getting at is that for a lot of people (including some who road race) a good cyclocross bike functions just as well as a road bike would plus has the ability to accept fatter treaded tires should you so choose later on. A focused road bike doesn't really handle dirt roads very well either but a cx bike would work good for that. But it's your choice as always.

[martini]

Yeah, for me personally, a CX bike is a much more versitile tool. I can go further, and see more with one of these bikes than I can w/a road bike. Its not that a road bike isn't capable, on the contrary, they are. Its that the geometry of a 'cross bike is more adaptable than a road bike is. A cross bike is more mountain-bikey(slightly higher BB, slightly longer stays, slightly slacker angles), but still retains all the capabilities of a road bike. I guess an example is due. I used to live in uptown, and worked at QBP down in Bloomington, just a skip away from the riverbottoms. I'd ride to work on my 'cross bike, and on the way home hit up the Riverbottoms. Many who work there do the same. The cyclocross bike allows you to do that without a thought. And the RB on a cross bike is a freakin' blast. If you think you can go fast down there on a MTB, just wait till you try it on a 'crosser! THe point being that a cx bike isn't JUST and off road, single purpose tool. Its a swiss army knife, able to do many things very effectively. They ain't no hybrid, thats for sure. They're an all out performance bike.

To see pics of the Kona, go to my gallery here:
http://www.morcmtb.org/photopost/showgallery.php?cat=500&ppuser=79

[Aaroneous]

Not to hijack this too far, but... That's a sweet ride, Martini! What gear are you running it in as an SS? I'd assume there's some trade-off between road speed & climb-ability...

[martini]

thanks, gearing was set at 42-20 for climbing down here in the driftless. We got some steeeep hills round these parts. Built up in those pics it was ~18lbs +/- a bit. Nice and light for a 60cm frame w/a heavy fork.

[Memos]

Well i don't really know anything more than what you just told me about cyclocross bikes. I must say though that wow that sounds like a really nice LIGHT bike. Oh by the way I enjoyed looking through your picture gallery(nice).
I can't even imagine doing off road without a shock anymore(I'm a wimp). Martini I absolutely agree that minivans are evil.
As for Cruse...
Why aren't you a part of BCR yet?
Just playin!

Thanks again for the info
How much would you like for that frame by the way?

[martini]

Thanks, it was nice. Retail was ~$600 or so, I rode it for an abbreviated season. Asking $425 for frame, fork, headset, Onza brakes, seatpost adapter(stock its a wierd 30.0, the shim included takes it to a more reasonable 27.2), and cable hanger. The frame is 135mm spaced(mountain spacing) and disc compatible, though the fork doesn't have disc tabs on it. I'll be at the Decorah Time Trials on the 24th of April. I can bring it there so you can see it if you plan attending down there(great event btw).

[Vertigomotion]

Jumpin' in late here.

Once you go CX, you will never go back.

My CX bike gets used more than any other bike I have because it is so versitile. I commute with it, I ride gravel roads with it, I ride off-road with it, I ride paved roads with it, I take it on group rides, I even did a few crits with it last year.

Unless you want to be a serious roadie - get a CX bike!

My CX bike has a Scandium frame. Seems fine - hasn't broke yet. Not as stiff as I would like, but good enough.

[Spike]

I too believe that a CX bike is the most versatile bike you will ever own. I use mine for road riding, touring, and hopefully CX again if/when my doc will allow it. As for riding off-road w/o shocks, I never really found it to be an issue. The larger wheel size and higher speeds allow you to kind of skim over bumps and for those you can't skim over, you just use your body for suspension. The added bonus is that one CX ride can teach you more about bike handling than a couple of years of road riding ever will. Or at least, that was my experience anyway.

I haven't ridden a scandium bike but I have heard good things about the material. My CX bike is aluminum but I threw on some Spinergy wheels so that gives it a bit of cush. The longer wheelbase also helps smooth out the bumps a bit so that might be something to consider when picking your bike. The only disadvantage to riding a CX bike vs a road bike is the higher bottom bracket. IMHO, you can't quite rail corners like you can on a road bike and fast descents can feel a bit sketchy at times. But I'm willing to accept those disadvantages because I feel they are far outweighed by all the advantages a CX bike has to offer. As always, YMMV.