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That one is actually a little better structurally. The flatness of the Cusco is what will give it the flex. The round tube that you have will be better at withstanding those compresion loads. Also, the Comptech looks a little straighter. But that area of the car really isn't going to flex that much so I would think that almost any strut bar will work the same. Whether it costs $500 or $5, same performance levels.
I do not have an STB, but I have read on s2ki that if you tie a piece of string from tower to tower (tightly) and then go for a spirited drive, the string will have snapped by the time you get back. If this is true, there must be chasis flex of somekind that can be prevented (reduced) with an STB.
Im pretty sure a cars chassis sees more stress than a bicycle would under any conditions. Therefore the reason Lance ditched his old bikes in favor for the titanium would probally be because of the weight savings associated with Titanium not because of the strength.
I ordered the Comptech shown above. They discontinued their flat aluminum style in favor of the more ridgid ti with stout, solid mounting ends. As an owner of a Litespeed bicycle, I can attest to Ti tube strength, rigidity and importantly, longevity of these physical properties. It doesn't become as mallable under stress over time like aluminum or steel.
For what little, if any, good the STB does, this Ti unit is $100 cheaper than the Cusco. I don't like the Cusco because of it's bent, sheet style mounting brackets. Where the bar is cheesily welded is where most of the inherent flex energy will be absorbed. I would also rather have a tubular bar than a flat rectangle. Try bending both over you knee and see which collapses first. (not me, too expensive. In theory)
For me, this new Comptech is the best available blend of engineering, weight, style and cost. I paid about $245.
Originally posted by SpeedxRacer
Therefore the reason Lance ditched his old bikes in favor for the titanium would probally be because of the weight savings associated with Titanium not because of the strength.
Not necessarily. Ti is light AND very strong. It's popular in bikes because it allows the majority of the rider's energy(force) to make it to the wheel and not get absorbed in frame flex. It's aso popular with mountain bikes because of it's shock absorbing properties. Great stuff.
I'm no engineer but I think Big Ben has a point. I also question the value of the rocker type fittings on the end of many STB bars.
How about the $134.00 Neuspeed that I have? It's steel, w/no rocker mounts. It mounts so solidly that I swear you could lift the car up by it with an engine puller/lift. I could tell the difference when I installed it, the windows did'nt rattle as bad over rough road. I installed a X-Brace a week later, the combo helped the handling even more.
