View Poll Results: Which Frame Material Best Suits Your Daily Commute?
Voters: 121. You may not vote on this poll
Preferred Frame Material for the Daily Commuter
10-13-11 | 12:06 AM
#1
Thread Starter
Banned
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 5,804
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From: Northern California
Bikes: Raleigh Grand Prix, Giant Innova, Nishiki Sebring, Trek 7.5FX
Preferred Frame Material for the Daily Commuter
I was just thinking here....
Which frame material do you think would best suit your daily commute?
Please vote for your preferred frame material. If you'd like, please feel free to state why you've selected that particular frame material as best suited for your commute.
BTW - There are no wrong answers, as taste is a very subjective factor.
- Slim
Which frame material do you think would best suit your daily commute?
Please vote for your preferred frame material. If you'd like, please feel free to state why you've selected that particular frame material as best suited for your commute.
BTW - There are no wrong answers, as taste is a very subjective factor.
- Slim
Last edited by SlimRider; 10-13-11 at 01:55 AM.
10-13-11 | 12:32 AM
#4
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 1,145
Likes: 780
From: Shanghai, China
Bikes: Waltly Custom Ti // Seaboard CX01 // Dahon Boardwalk
Anything metal. I've owned steel and aluminum bikes before, and haven't noticed any difference in ride smoothness between them. I think the harshness of aluminum is highly overstated.
I still remain unconvinced about the long-term durability of carbon, particularly over less-than-perfect roads.
I still remain unconvinced about the long-term durability of carbon, particularly over less-than-perfect roads.
10-13-11 | 01:06 AM
#5
Tawp Dawg
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 1,221
Likes: 0
From: Anchorage, AK
Bikes: '06 Surly Pugsley, '14 Surly Straggler, '88 Kuwahara Xtracycle, '10 Motobecane Outcast 29er, '?? Surly Cross Check (wife's), '00 Trek 4500 (wife's), '12 Windsor Oxford 3-speed (dogs')
10-13-11 | 01:15 AM
#6
LET'S ROLL
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 4,789
Likes: 59
From: NEW YORK, NY - USA
Bikes: 2014 BMC Gran Fondo, 2013 Brompton S6L-X
My bike has taken me to work in 100F degree summers,
heavy rains, light snow and salted roads in the winter.
100 miles per week going on 2 years now(2009 FUJI Newest 1.0).
So my vote is for aluminum
RESPECT OTHERS by 1nterceptor, on Flickr
heavy rains, light snow and salted roads in the winter.
100 miles per week going on 2 years now(2009 FUJI Newest 1.0).
So my vote is for aluminum
RESPECT OTHERS by 1nterceptor, on Flickr
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10-13-11 | 01:57 AM
#7
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 40,863
Likes: 3,115
From: Sacramento, California, USA
Bikes: Specialized Tarmac, Canyon Exceed, Specialized Transition, Ellsworth Roots, Ridley Excalibur
I voted Al, but really the thing that matters more than frame material is that it fits your body and is well-set up for the commute.
10-13-11 | 03:20 AM
#8
Banned
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 8,701
Likes: 2,506
From: Mississauga/Toronto, Ontario canada
Bikes: I have 3 singlespeed/fixed gear bikes
Steel is the best. Riding a steel bike gives me a peace of mind that I don't get with other materials. My second choice would be aluminium. I hate anything carbon fibre, I don't trust CF. A CF bike might be ok for a one time race, but for daily commuting/utility riding it's pointless.
10-13-11 | 03:46 AM
#10
Overdoing projects
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 2,464
Likes: 1,369
From: Rotterdam, former republic of the Netherlands
Bikes: Batavus Randonneur GL, Gazelle Orange Excellent, Gazelle Super Licht, Gazelle Grand Tourist, Gazelle Lausanne, Gazelle Tandem, Koga-Miyata SilverAce, Koga-Miyata WorldTraveller
My current bike is aluminium, but I've had various alu parts suddenly fail on me (crankarms while accelerating in a busy street, that was fun) or horribly oxidize (kickstands).
Since carbon fibre is looking to be the asbestos of the future, for my next bike I would prefer either steel or titanium for it's lovely (anti-)oxidizing properties.
Since carbon fibre is looking to be the asbestos of the future, for my next bike I would prefer either steel or titanium for it's lovely (anti-)oxidizing properties.
10-13-11 | 04:11 AM
#11
Super Moderator
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 2,805
Likes: 868
From: Greenwood Indiana
Bikes: Surly Crosscheck
I switch back and forth between steel (crosscheck) and al (newest 1.0) I like them both, but I love my Surly. I dont know if it is because of the frame or not. Most important thing to me is the seat, frame dont matter (much).
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10-13-11 | 05:18 AM
#13
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 7,552
Likes: 135
Lately, I'm on a steel bike as my main commuter. Last year, aluminum. If I built a bamboo or wooden bike, I'd thrilled to commute on that one; if I could afford Ti or CF, I'd commute on them, too.
No preference. More important that it's a bike, construction material is mere nuance.
10-13-11 | 05:21 AM
#14
stupid after seven
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 135
Likes: 0
10-13-11 | 06:09 AM
#15
Thread Starter
Banned
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 5,804
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From: Northern California
Bikes: Raleigh Grand Prix, Giant Innova, Nishiki Sebring, Trek 7.5FX
Why are you guys NOT voting your preferences?
If you've already stated your postion on frame materias, please come back and vote.
Thank you
- Slim
If you've already stated your postion on frame materias, please come back and vote.
Thank you
- Slim
Last edited by SlimRider; 10-13-11 at 06:19 AM.
10-13-11 | 07:08 AM
#16
Plays in traffic
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 6,971
Likes: 15
From: Rochester, NY
Bikes: 1996 Litespeed Classic, 2006 Trek Portland, 2013 Ribble Winter/Audax, 2016 Giant Talon 4
Titanium.
Doesn't rust, needs no paint to leave behind on the parking rack, scratches buff out with a Scotch Brite pad.
Heavenly ride too.
Doesn't rust, needs no paint to leave behind on the parking rack, scratches buff out with a Scotch Brite pad.
Heavenly ride too.
10-13-11 | 07:51 AM
#17
born again cyclist
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 2,412
Likes: 88
From: Chicago
Bikes: I have five of brikes
wood is good.
i'm old school, i don't trust any of these newfangled metallic materials for frame construction. they either rust into oblivion at the first drop of moisture or catastrophically fail at the slightest of impacts.
Wood: hundreds of thousands of years of development
Steel: barely a thousand years, which one would you rather have under your butt at 30mph?
i'm old school, i don't trust any of these newfangled metallic materials for frame construction. they either rust into oblivion at the first drop of moisture or catastrophically fail at the slightest of impacts.
Wood: hundreds of thousands of years of development
Steel: barely a thousand years, which one would you rather have under your butt at 30mph?
Last edited by Steely Dan; 10-13-11 at 07:54 AM.
10-13-11 | 07:59 AM
#20
Thread Starter
Banned
Joined: May 2011
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From: Northern California
Bikes: Raleigh Grand Prix, Giant Innova, Nishiki Sebring, Trek 7.5FX
Originally Posted by Steely Dan;13358624[QUOTE
]wood is good.
i'm old school, i don't trust any of these newfangled metallic materials for frame construction. they either rust into oblivion at the first drop of moisture or catastrophically fail at the slightest of impacts.
Wood: hundreds of thousands of years of development
Steel: barely a thousand years, which one would you rather have under your butt at 30mph?
i'm old school, i don't trust any of these newfangled metallic materials for frame construction. they either rust into oblivion at the first drop of moisture or catastrophically fail at the slightest of impacts.
Wood: hundreds of thousands of years of development
Steel: barely a thousand years, which one would you rather have under your butt at 30mph?
- Slim
PS.
Whenever I see you passing by on your magnesium-framed bicycle, I'll be certain to celebrate your arrival by lighting a multitude of fireworks all around your frame!
Last edited by SlimRider; 10-13-11 at 08:06 AM.
10-13-11 | 08:39 AM
#24
I voted for aluminum because it's my favorite frame material, but I commute on the bikes I own that are lowest on the totem pole: a steel (Reynolds 853) bike that I've left outside all day, every day, for years in DC (no significant rust so far) and a heavy aluminum road bike from Toys 'r' Us that happens to fit me perfectly that I use for my commute to and from the train station in Baltimore.
10-13-11 | 10:51 AM
#25
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 1,486
Likes: 1
From: PNW - Victoria, BC
Bikes: 2002 Litespeed Vortex - 2007 Trek Madone 5.9 - 2004 Redline Conquest Pro - Specialized S-Works Festina Team Model - 93 Cannondale M 800 Beast of the East
I've got one of each.... except bamboo. Favorite is my Ti bike, but I like them all.