[Bob Ross]

Is there a consensus on the practicality, applicability, or general all around desireability of road bikes with the "beam-style" frame (eg., Trek Y-Foil, Powerwing Softride, Zipp 2001, etc)? Does this design offer any distinct advantages to the diehard roadie (or triathelete, or time trialer, whichever they're designed for), or is it just the result of engineers thinking outside the box? (or outside the triangle...ha! Get it? Oh yeah, I'll be here all week. Don't forget to tip your waitress.)

Just wondering.

 

[MR_GRUMPY]

The Trek Y-foil was just heavy crap, but the softride just might work for people with back problems............(or not). Designs like the Zipp have been left behind because of bikes like the Trek TT bike and others.

 

[Mel Erickson]

I rode a Softride Solo for several years because of a back problem. I really liked the bike. Never really felt like I was riding something different other than the comfort. I don't consider Softrides a gimmick and would consider one again.

 

[weltyed]

saw some guy on a softride at a crit. not a good choice. bobs way too much. but i dont think he was there to win, place, or show. so, thumbs up to him, thumbs down on the bike's performance.

 

[MB1]

They must be good, the UCI banned them.

nmnmndm

 

[beamer]

Beam bikes

I have ridden a Softride Solo for 6 seasons now, have about 2,000 miles on this frameset. (first Solo frameset broke at a weld, and was replaced at no charge by Softride under 5 year warranty program. It had 10,000 miles on it.) I bought the bike because I do have some back problems in the form of 3 ruptured disks. I do not race or time trial the bike, I do 35 to 50 mile rides twice a week, more often if schedule allows. I love the bike.

The beam will help you develop your spin. If your cadence is less than about 75-80 rpm, the beam will "bounce" a bit. If you spin at higher cadences, there really is no "bounce" in my experience. Although I'm a fairly large guy for a cyclist, and most people would assume I'm a masher, I spin at about 95-100 rpm with no bounce, and that's good for my knees, etc..

On longer rides, the guys I ride with are getting out of the saddle for small bumps, etc. I just pedal on through the rough stuff. If I needed another bike, I would purchase another Softride. If the guys I ride with were in the market, they would all strongly consider the Softrides.

Of course, YMMV. My .02 cents.

 

[fleck]

for the most part, they are faster then most TT frames. They just aren't popular because of UCI's ban trying to perserve the style of the double triangle. You see it all over in Tri events for good reason. They look up to international Tri racers not UCI racers. We all want what the pros have so since they don't ride them they drift from popularity.

 

[atpjunkie]

12K miles in 6 seasons sounds like a pretty light load

that's 2K a year that's a 166.6666 miles a month. Most who refer to years as seasons (racers) do more than that a week. Is that just TT/Tri Race miles?Do you have/ride another bike?

 

[racerx]

The Trek Y-foil was just heavy crap, but the softride just might work for people with back problems............(or not). Designs like the Zipp have been left behind because of bikes like the Trek TT bike and others.

But oh so fast and fun to ride. Turned in a 28:18 on the 12 mile portion of a run bike run duathlon last week.

Softrides, IMO, with no science to back me up, are awesome on 50+ milers with limited hills and lots of wind. Just from my experience. My quickest centuries and half ironman overall times were on SR's.

Also, it could be that designs like this were left behind because the ruling board banned these types of bikes. Remember Big Mig on his Pina' beam bike. Things were really starting to break loose in design untill the board squashed new designs, leaving us with double triangles like great, great grand pa raced on when he was a kid.

 

[collectorvelo]

not for me

But oh so fast and fun to ride. Turned in a 28:18 on the 12 mile portion of a run bike run duathlon last week.

Softrides, IMO, with no science to back me up, are awesome on 50+ milers with limited hills and lots of wind. Just from my experience. My quickest centuries and half ironman overall times were on SR's.

Also, it could be that designs like this were left behind because the ruling board banned these types of bikes. Remember Big Mig on his Pina' beam bike. Things were really starting to break loose in design untill the board squashed new designs, leaving us with double triangles like great, great grand pa raced on when he was a kid.

I can see how some might like the looks of such a bike
But i do not care for it
And there is no way the performance will be better than a traditional frame