Originally Posted by
KonAaron Snake
Slim - I don't have any aluminum frames, I'm not trying to play devil's advocate and I far prefer steel. I also agree about aluminum shattering vs. steel bending. The main issue for me is more about tubing diameter...I find most aluminum frames so oversized as to be VERY harsh.
I understand that the usage and rider will affect the fatigue life - and I'm sure not all aluminum frames are equal. A Kona might be more or less over built than a Cannondale. I'm still wondering if it's a relevant consideration though - I haven't heard of too many frames just snapping based on fatigue. Obviously wide spread aluminum use is fairly recent - early 80s on - so there is a limited sampling pool. That being said - I still see a LOT of 80s used Cannondales around and I haven't heard of frame snapping stories. Cannondale's life time warranty indicates that they thought it would be around long enough not to worry about fatigue life.
Ultimately, if aluminum frames were actually snapping due to fatigue, i think there would be more warnings and more data on actual incidents.
Hey there KAS!
You hit the nail on the head when you mentioned "sampling pool". There are quite literally no statistics available. However, if you were to talk to bicycle mechanics in LBS, they will tell you that they get so many aluminum frames that fail, and they get so many steel frames that fail. The primary reason that steel frames fail, is due to lack of proper care and issues related to oxidation. With aluminum, it seems it could be almost anything.
We need to have some type of mandatory recording of failed frames and the estimated reason for their failure. This information can then be distributed or disseminated to world cyclists, so that we may better make cycling decisions when it comes to purchase. However, I do get the feeling that the bicycle manufacturers already know more about frame statistics than we do. They're just keeping that info close to the vest!
- Slim
PS.
I think that the government should step in and collect its own independent bicycle data.