Originally Posted by
Retro Grouch
You sound like a lawyer using meaningless verbiage to obfuscate the simple truth. Why don't you refer to steel framed bicycles as "alloy"? The purpose of an adjective is to describe or limit. Using the word "alloy" in this sense does the opposite.
Talk about meaningless verbiage.
Language is never changing and fluid(some may say its 'hydro'). As such, terms used to describe an object or idea may be different than what that term has historically meant. Also, a word used in common language may mean something different than that same word used by healthcare professionals or engineers.
Steel means frames made of metal alloy that a magnet sticks to and has been a frame material since the 19th century.
Alloy means frames made of aluminum alloy.
It's really quite simple to understand, and demanding everyone change just because it isnt correct from an engineer's perspective is quite arrogant and annoying. Everyone I know that has an aluminum bike knows it's an aluminum bike. There is no confusion if I refer to their frame as alloy. Also, there is no confusion when I refer to all my frames as steel.
No confusion exists because we all accept the terms being used in a different way than an engineer at work.
It's a simple way to designate one frame material from another.
Keep tilting at those windmills.