Originally Posted by
cyccommute
Indeed it will be revealing. They'll find that the aluminum bends easily in one direction but doesn't bend back all that well. And if you try to bend it back the aluminum will tear not snap. Aluminum is not a brittle material. Steel is.
Because I build frames, I have both those materials on hand and can promise you that is not the case. It may be with whatever alloy they're selling at Home Depot, but the heat treated 6 or 7 series aluminum that is used in bicycle tubing does
not like to be bent.
But whatever. I'm done arguing about it. As I noted, I don't really have anything against aluminum in bicycles. Also as I noted, in my experience steel is slightly more reliable, but not enough to really make a difference in most cases. Why folks felt the need to jump all over that is beyond me. That's the internet, I guess.