Choosing the right bike frame material is one of the most important decisions when buying a bike.
Bike frames have been made from a variety of materials over the years, with steel being the dominant material. Currently, aluminium and carbon fibre are the primary choices, although steel and titanium are still widely used.
Each frame material has advantages and disadvantages depending on your priorities as a cyclist including weight, budget, durability, and the performance characteristics you want from your frame and therefore your bike.
First, let’s state that we are considering a custom framework. When you buy a custom frame, the frame builder comes back to you. That means you need to change the way you think about buying if you’ve never bought a custom frame before. Instead of comparing one image to another, you need to prioritize them. Once priorities are set, the choice of material becomes much more obvious.
One important thing to keep in mind is that we optimise material properties based on your priorities for a custom bike frame. The reputation of the material used in a stock frame cannot be compared to a custom application because stock frames have not been optimised for your individual priorities.
In this post, we will be looking at steel, titanium, carbon fibre, and aluminium. Each of these materials is chosen for a specific reason, to meet specific priorities, and each will stand out when used correctly. It is important to understand that each material has different mechanical properties and that any combination of properties is considered by the manufacturer when the material is applied. The most important mechanical properties that a builder looks for are modulus, tensile strength, fatigue strength, and density. Here are the factors to consider when choosing the right bike frames for your needs.
1. COST.
Cost is probably the first and most obvious factor when comparing frames. The main thing to remember when considering the price is that you need to compare apples to apples. This means that it is not fair to compare a mass-produced frame to a frame made one by one by a single manufacturer. However, in the realm of a hand-built frame, steel, and aluminium are generally the cheapest, with titanium being the most expensive and carbon fibre being the most expensive.
2. APPLICATION.
Any material can be made stiff or soft as desired when applied to a bicycle frame, regardless of its effective modulus (stiffness). The tube diameter determines the stiffness. If the material used is less rigid, the diameter of the tube will be increased to obtain the same rigidity as the other materials. The key to frame design is that stiffness increases faster with diameter than when more material is added. To prevent the tube from becoming heavier due to the larger diameter, a thinner tube wall was used. This allows the designer to increase rigidity while reducing weight. Of course, something has to give: in this case, it’s the thickness of the walls. You can’t go any further until the wall of the hose is so thin that it tears, buckles, or dents easily. For example, aluminum as a material is about half as stiff as steel, but we can make aluminum tubing as stiff as steel tubing by using a much larger diameter than steel.
3. PRACTICAL.
Without getting bogged down in ‘tech’, let’s take a look at the practical considerations for a rider. There are several factors to consider when purchasing a frame and choosing a material: price, weight, durability, and handling.
4. The longevity.
There is generally no limit to the longevity of a high-end custom frame (although in some cases you may feel that lightness is more important than longevity). We can reduce the weight even more, but it will shorten the lifespan. As the weight decreases, the duration decreases, and vice versa. Titanium and steel are the strongest, and titanium makes for a lighter frame. Aluminium and carbon are lighter but less durable, so more material must be used to achieve the same strength.
5. Weightiness.
When used in a frame, weight is the next obvious point of comparison. An average frame weighs between 2 and 5 pounds. As weight decreases, cost increases, and/or stiffness and durability decrease. All things being equal, carbon fiber will make the frame lighter, then titanium, then steel. Although aluminum is very light, it loses a lot of strength.
6. The ride features
This is where there is a lot of mythology in the market. While each material is somewhat different in feel, all can create a frame as compliant or stiff as the builder wants. It’s all about balance. Stiffness and compliance need to be balanced against each other, and it’s up to the builder to help figure out that balance and specify the tubes accordingly.
Besides the stiffness of the frame, feel is also important, but is much more subjective and esoteric. It doesn’t have the best “feel”, but generally steel frames are active. Titanium is like steel but slightly more dampening and eliminates high-frequency road noise, and carbon is very wet to the touch and not very” durable”. Finally, aluminium lacks “give” and dampening, so it has a rap for a “rough” feel.
That’s it. When choosing a frame material, take the time to weigh your priorities. Understanding how each material can meet your priorities will help you understand which material is best for you.
Conclusion :
Steel has the best value and durability. If you want a lighter, high-strength frame, titanium is the choice, but you’ll pay more. Carbon is perfect for customers who want the lightest, stiffest frame, don’t care about durability, and are willing to pay the price. Aluminum is cheap, light, and stiff, but when it’s light it has poor durability.
Finally, bike maintenance shouldn’t be underrated.