Frame Material
 

Hello,

Hoping that I can get some good advice from the members of this forum. I've been riding cross for about two years now. Recently started racing quite a bit So far I've been using a decent used steel frame. I think that I am about to upgrade. I don't have an unlimited budget but I am ready to invest in a great frame. I plan on using it for a long, long time.

The question is one of material. I am considering a few high end aluminum frames and a few titanium frames. Can someone help me with the advantages and disadvantages of each? Specifically, is the added cost of a titanium frame worth it?

Thanks for the help.

I won't lie, I'm biased; I ride a dean torreys cti (ti/carbon) cross. (www.deanbikes.com - mine is the one in the picture)

I've ridden 3 different cross bikes now (ridden meaning real road/trail time). But the frame materials typically, in my biased opinion:

Steel - GOOD steel is nice - Not the typical production cro-mo, but real steel. Damps well, little bit of spring, repairable. Good does not mean the lightest - The heavier steel I've test ridden has felt nice - it really has more to do with tube alloys and geometries.

Cheap AL - rides very harsh, very stiff. Cheap, light.

"Tuned" or better AL - very good ride, very light

Ti - Similar to steel in feel, generally lighter (depends on design), sexy. generally more Brittle than steel, things like derraiulr hangers are not easly fixed by any old shop - make sure they are replaceable.

Just my 0.002. To be honest, I love my bike, but the bianchi AL frames rode _really_ nice, and I'd have fair chunk of change in my pocket if I had gone that route.