Frannie is a 2019 Salsa Vaya.
Steel frame with a Shimano 105 drivetrain. We roll tubeless. She typically hauls between 20 and 40 pounds of gear depending on the season. I used to ride carbon, but once I hit my 40s every ride started to hurt a little more, so I moved to steel. Unloaded, the frame weighs about 19 lbs, but it handles smooth as silk.
I would spend 8 hours a day on this thing if I didn’t have a job.
Dat azzzz
Howdy! Sorry, thought I responded already. Carbon vs steel is night and day. There’s pretty much zero energy absorbtion with carbon, so you feel every bump and crack.
Steel, for as hard and durable as it is, has a decent amount of give. You’ll still feel the bumps, but significantly less.
If you’re just looking to make your current ride more comfortable, though, that leather saddle is a massive upgrade. Seriously. It’s everything.
Less comfort and more my shitty knee (which per the doctor I’m trying to keep as long as I can, but will need a replacement before my 60s guaranteed)
I’m also considering getting electric going as a backup, in case I need to give my knee a break for a few. My longer (60+mi/100+km) rides I just can’t do anymore because of it, and I am trying to think of ways I can. Right now even 25mi/40km can be a bit of a stretch, so when I do ride its only for an hour or so. I miss the long rides.