Any steel guys race on aluminum?

[TimJ]

I'm wondering if any of you guys who normally ride steel choose to race on aluminum for some reason, like weight?

I'm always mulling what kind of race bike I want to build and financially aluminum makes a lot more sense because it's pretty easy to find inexpensive aluminum cx frames (motobecane, ibex, performance...). So cost-wise aluminum is the way to go, barring some insane ebay deal. But I've always rode steel and the one aluminum bike I've had I hated the ride, it just felt dead. Super stiff and dead. It was a rockhopper from like 1999 so surely a new cx would probably be better, but still I know I like steel so I keep thinking maybe I should save up for steel.

I don't need any recommendations of frames right now, I'm just wondering if folks who normally like steel find aluminum cx to be the way to go for racing, and if so I'd like to know why. Thanks.

[justinb]

I'm exactly the person you describe... love my steel bikes, but race cross on an Al bike.

My road bike is an old Miyata, brought up to modern standards with an Ouzo Pro fork and a Centaur 10spd drivetrain. It races sometimes, and I haven't found it to be a disadvantage.

Cross is a different story. For me, light weight makes a whole lot more difference when you are repeatedly changing speeds and getting on/off the bike. My first cross bike was an old steel road conversion. It was fun enough to get me into the sport, but I hated picking that beast up over the barriers on the final laps, and hated the way the skinny tube dug in to my shoulder on run-ups.

I took the Al plunge with a Motobecane frameset, and have been really happy with that decision. The ride has never been too harsh, even through some rutted and rocky singletrack (tires are most important there, IMO), and racing on it feels so much better than the old frankenbike. Financially, it was easy to swing, and I'm not really worried about completely wrecking the frame either.

I'm still interested in getting a nice light steel frame for cross, though. I'm keeping my eye on the new 853 job that Bikesdirect is supposedly releasing later this year.

[bitterken]

My two road racing bikes are Ti, but my current CX bike is Al. I've raced Al road bikes and steel CX too. All I can say is that the frame material in itself doesn't make the ride. There are a lot of other factors like geometry, tire and pressure, tube design, wheels, etc. Also, a CX race is pretty short - 1 hour or less. The courses get technical with lots of different terrain where you will be moving your butt all over the place and parts where you will have to get off and run. So the comfort of the bike and it's weight is really less of a concern. Also keep in mind that things break a lot more in CX, so cheap stuff that works is a good idea if you're paying for it. So my answer is: find a bike in your budget that you like, regardless of the frame material.

[sfcrossrider]

I raced aluminum for a season and rand back to steel. My new frame is custom steel, and rides better than any bike I have ever ridden.

[TimJ]

I raced aluminum for a season and rand back to steel. My new frame is custom steel, and rides better than any bike I have ever ridden.

Custom steel... Thanks for bragging, bragger.


Seriously though, thanks for the input dudes. I did get to ride a bit on a cx course on a tricross last year and it felt real nice. I would suspect a bargain aluminum frame wouldn't be quite as nice but taking into consideration it's not exactly an hour of being planted firmly on the butt I'm feeling like I could go aluminum without worrying about it.

[trackandtrials]

I ride steel road bikes and love my al (scandium) CX bike...I love it mainly for the weight and stiffness. You want vertical compliance? Try out tubulars at 28psi :-)