Originally Posted by jeff williams
I took a hammer and smacked my cromo frame (no paint, being rebuilt, has hits to the toptube already). A good hit made a tiny dimple,1\4 the size of a pea.
Would have F'd a Alu tube.
Stop smackin poor innocent bikes, you complete bastard.
I kept my steelo for nearly 20 years. My LBS took his foot and pressed it against my bootom bracket. When I saw more than 3 inches of flex I decided it might be time to get rid of the fatigue ridden steel crapola. When he grabbed the handlebars and swayed them from side to side and the aluminium handlebar tubing was stronger than the forged steel gooseneck (which swayed in the breeze) I decided that the time might be very soon... like the same day.
Now I appreciate that different materials have different properties, so I'm careful about what I buy. I expect to replace my aluminium training bike frames within 25000km or 2 years. Big deal. I'll have replaced 105 or Ultegra drivetrain 5 times by then. I'll have replaced 7 rear tyres and 4 front tyres by then. I might even have changed beers by then....