Alien Bikes: good? Bad?
#29
Don't Hate.
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LOL ... you have no idea that when you were asked "how much" it was a joke. Like you, a joke. Trying to impress people here with your bikes and money is hilarious. Begging for compliments on your saddle art is next. A rich NYC artist... i smell rich parents somewhere. Although i don't own an alien, i don't think i'm better than the people who ordered one and now have to wait. You do.
#31
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#32
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#33
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#34
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any updates on the actual topic of this thread? i ordered and payed for my frame on the 21st of may, it is now the 21st of july and i still don't know when i will be getting it.
#35
keep it pretend
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if a website is selling frames and they have a photo gallery that hardly even includes any of the frames they're selling--save for a prototype or two, but has text to the effect of, "use your imagination, cos these things are bangin'!", you'd be a fool to give them your money.
being the first to have something that doesn't exist is rarely ever a good idea. there are lots of cheap frames out there. there are lots of nice frames out there. there are lots of great deals on used frames out there. to take a bunch of people's money and then jerk them around is lame, but to give your money to someone without a tangible product is just as foolish as the chain-jerking is lame.
ok, now get back to telling me what a spoiled classist **** i am.
i've got a 16 hours of work ahead of me and could use the entertainment.
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This is for all of those who ordered a frame, and are interested in updates. I received a e-mail this evening saying my Alien frame as shipped and will be here Friday the 25th.
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Does anyone know what steel material the Alien bike frame is made with? I know from the website that it's double-butted chromo, but what steel class?
Thank you!
Thank you!
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that is good to hear. was your order just a frame though, unpowdercoated? i ordered a powder coat, cranks, bb and headset also.
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#43
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#44
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#45
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Joseph from Alien replied to my email and said that the Alien frame is a generic non-heat-treated double-butted 4130 chromo. I researched further into what this means and found some information on the MTB forums, given by a user named "walt":
All the tubing manufacturers make 3 basic products:
-Double butted 4130 (sometimes with some fancy name attached - the On-One bikes are called "DN6", which happens to be the postal code of their UK headquarters, for example). The cheapest and heaviest of the high-end bike tubing - typically .9mm/.6mm/.9mm butts. Weldable, brazeable, etc, with no post-weld heat treatment necessary. True Temper's Verus tubing fits into this category.
-Heat treated 4130. This is a little stronger (ie, higher tensile strength) and can hence be made a bit thinner (.8/.5/.8 is common). True Temper Verus HT is an example. Heat treated 4130 is probably the most commonly used steel tubing for bike frames, because it's relatively easy to cut and miter, and it's also relatively light (though the weight advantage isn't as big as you might think - a 4130 frame versus a 4130 heat treat frame is probably only going to be 150 grams or so heavier).
-Air hardening steel. This stuff is intended for welding, as the metal in the immediate area of the weld actually gets harder and stronger after welding (once again, you don't have to heat treat after welding). Examples would be Columbus Foco/Ultrafoco, Reynolds 853, or True Temper OX Platinum or S3. Butts get as thin as .7mm, and a complete frame will be considerably lighter (100-200 grams) than an identical one made from 4130.
Most manufacturers only use heat treated or air hardening steel for the front triangle (and often that excludes the seat and head tubes, because the harder steels are very hard to ream to fit a seatpost or headset) and then slap an OX platinum sticker (or whatever) on, though most of the frame is 4130. On mountain bikes, pretty much all seatstays and chainstays are 4130, as well as bottom bracket shells.
The Voodoo Wanga is probably made with a mix of mid-level heat treated and non-heat treated 4130 tubing.
Nobody heat treats steel after welding in the bike industry.
-Walt
Once the frames ship, I'm pretty sure I will order one. I just want to order an inexpensive, decently-made lugged frame that will last a while. I believe the Alien frame fits my needs and wants.
Cheers!
All the tubing manufacturers make 3 basic products:
-Double butted 4130 (sometimes with some fancy name attached - the On-One bikes are called "DN6", which happens to be the postal code of their UK headquarters, for example). The cheapest and heaviest of the high-end bike tubing - typically .9mm/.6mm/.9mm butts. Weldable, brazeable, etc, with no post-weld heat treatment necessary. True Temper's Verus tubing fits into this category.
-Heat treated 4130. This is a little stronger (ie, higher tensile strength) and can hence be made a bit thinner (.8/.5/.8 is common). True Temper Verus HT is an example. Heat treated 4130 is probably the most commonly used steel tubing for bike frames, because it's relatively easy to cut and miter, and it's also relatively light (though the weight advantage isn't as big as you might think - a 4130 frame versus a 4130 heat treat frame is probably only going to be 150 grams or so heavier).
-Air hardening steel. This stuff is intended for welding, as the metal in the immediate area of the weld actually gets harder and stronger after welding (once again, you don't have to heat treat after welding). Examples would be Columbus Foco/Ultrafoco, Reynolds 853, or True Temper OX Platinum or S3. Butts get as thin as .7mm, and a complete frame will be considerably lighter (100-200 grams) than an identical one made from 4130.
Most manufacturers only use heat treated or air hardening steel for the front triangle (and often that excludes the seat and head tubes, because the harder steels are very hard to ream to fit a seatpost or headset) and then slap an OX platinum sticker (or whatever) on, though most of the frame is 4130. On mountain bikes, pretty much all seatstays and chainstays are 4130, as well as bottom bracket shells.
The Voodoo Wanga is probably made with a mix of mid-level heat treated and non-heat treated 4130 tubing.
Nobody heat treats steel after welding in the bike industry.
-Walt
Once the frames ship, I'm pretty sure I will order one. I just want to order an inexpensive, decently-made lugged frame that will last a while. I believe the Alien frame fits my needs and wants.
Cheers!
#48
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Do these frames run small or something? I usually ride a 53cm but I took a look at the site and their geo looks like their 53cm might be a little small for me. Their 55cm looks like it would fit me better. Anyone have any ideas?
#49
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They measure C-T so their size 53 is a 51 C-C. So if the 53 that you ride normally is measured C-C then you should order their 55. As side update, I got an email from Joseph saying that my unpainted, drilled frame will ship in a few days. So I guess those that are getting theirs powdercoated having a week+ till their bikes ship out.
#50
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In an email to me, Joseph says that the back-log now is with the powder coating. Unpainted and undrilled frames ship now.
I will be ordering a frame that's powder coated, so I'll wait for a couple of weeks to let the powder coat company catch up. Good stuff.
I will be ordering a frame that's powder coated, so I'll wait for a couple of weeks to let the powder coat company catch up. Good stuff.