Crankcousins

Is there a test you can do without damaging anything? or do you simple need to trust the brand.
Preety much all bikes out there are aluminum, So how can you tell the quality or durability?


Also, for those that know alot about pedals, why are crankbros candy C pedals (yellow) around 35 bucks
And the very same candy C but on a black/gray color, are like 60 bucks more expensive. Is there an actual difference?

Crank Brothers Candy C Pedal
Crank Brothers Candy C Pedal



Price $99.99 $39.99
Adjustments None None
Float 6 degrees 6 degrees
Material Composite body/Chromoly spindle Composite body/Chromoly spindle
Shoe Compatibility 2-hole SPD-style 2-hole SPD-style
Weight 308g 308g

Deanster04

There are still some steel bike makers if you want something durable. Gunnar Roadie, Surly, and Soma are some lower end but well built bikes. You can go up in price and there are a lot of steel custom makers. For aluminum ???? Trust I guess. Never owned an Al bike. The early ones were like riding a bike made out of fence posts and gave a horrible ride. Newer ones have improved on the high end. Metallurgically I don't trust Al for longevity.
I use the Candy C pedals for my mountain, cross, and road bikes. I switched from Look type pedals on my road bike because I wanted to wear the same cleats for all 3 on 2 different shoes road and MTB. Very comfortable and give a stable platform for riding. I use the lowend CroMo ones.

TRUMPHENT

How to test the frame? The only nondestructive test I know of is close inspection for damage, workmanship and flaws. I still don't know of a nondestructive inspection method for steel frames for interior rust such as in the seat and chain stays.

Pedals: Where did you find those prices for those pedals? Was it on the same website? Under the paint the pedals will be identical. Yellow apparently doesn't move as quickly as the gray ones out of inventory.

If you can stand the color, get the cheaper ones. I already know that if I put that color pedal on my bike, the tires would simultaneously and violently flatten while the bike was still in the repair stand.

HillRider

Unless you have access to radiographing and dye/magnetic inspection equipment, you are pretty much limited to buying from a proven manufacturer. Trek, Cannondale, Litespeed, etc. offer very good warranies which indicate their confidence in their products.

I agree that most Al frames are not lifetime purchases and often, the higher the price the more temporary they are. You are paying for very light weight and a boutique name, not longevity.

madman451

Most major manufacturers make decent aluminum frames. If you want peace of mind, Trek offers a lifetime warranty on all their frames, so if it breaks, they will replace it.

Crankcousins

So preety much its trust on the manufacture?

nitropowered

Yeah pretty much. You can also read the stress/durability/stiffness test reports (EFBe).

Most major manufacturers will offer some type of warranty.

busted knuckles

As for the crank bros pedals, I looked into them before purchasing a set on ebay. I found the same deal regarding the price. The difference I found was the more expensive ones had a stainless spindle.