zap1295

I'm just looking to get a fixie to ride around the city of Chicago with and maybe ride along the bike path. I had a KHS Flite 100 (aluminum) it was great. I grew out of that bike and I'm now looking into buying this bike: https://www.hucknroll.com/civilian-bi...questid=163175

Should I stay away from Steel?




with it being heavier, does it mean i'll bike slower? Myself, like everyone I know, like riding fast especially on these single speed bikes.

ThermionicScott 

Hi-ten steel can ride nicely, but it will be heavier than better steels like chromoly.

FrenchFit 

Hi-ten steel is a very sweet ride, nothing like it. Nicer riding than chromoly, quality to quality. " Lightweight and springy double-butted HiTen frame ", I doubt the first part. I expect that simple bike is well over 25 lbs. If a little weight doesn't scare you - go for it.

SlimRider

Chromoly steel is better than hi-tensile, but hi-tensile steel is better than aluminum, when it comes to both strength and durability.

My problem with most hi-tensile fixie/ss start-up companies these days, is that they're charging chromoly prices for hi-tensile bikes.

Try this one, instead:

The KHS Urban Soul ~ $400
www.khsbicycles.com/06_urban_soul_12.htm

fietsbob

Chicago being flat either will be fine.. Hi Tensile steel tube,
the tube mills sell a thicker wall tube to be reliable.

Spending more money a Chrome Moly alloy steel maintains the strength, with thinner tube wall ..

So will feel springy.. BUT..

A Wally World fixie will not be a big deal to replace when stolen off the streets.

windhchaser

I have noticed my aluminum bike sure rides rough i can feel every flaw in the road

cyccommute 

Lower the pressure in your tires or use wider ones. That has more influence on the ride than the frame material.

SlimRider

Google the "Mongoose Sinsure". Get a few feet of duct tape and paint the tape matte black. Wrap the tape around the top, down, and seat tubes. Replace the saddle with something old, comfortable, and ugly! Get an Onguard U lock.

Best Wishes and Good Luck!

robbyrocks12345

Carbon Fiber.

fietsbob

Aluminum begins cracking if flexed too often, so they design the frame stiff
for longevity.

no1mad 

Unless the OP intends or has to store the bike outside, exposed to the elements, year round. Or doesn't take the necessary precaution of adding Frame Saver periodically...

SlimRider

No1mad says:

OP, you only have to apply JP Weigle Frame Saver, once per lifetime! Of course, twice probably won't hurt it...

PS.

Also OP, if you find yourself in the situation where you have to leave your bike outside all year 'round where you experience the full impact of winter, my prayers are with you. If you have already purchased a valuable steel bike, then by all means use some type of frame saver, even if it's just motor oil.

However, in that type of situation, an aluminum frame just might serve you best, considering that streets are salted in the winter and salt accelerates the oxidation process whenever moisture is present.

OTOH, if you live in a highly populated urban area with a high incidence of crime, then just invest in a very inexpensive bike with a moderately priced lock, and make your bike look as unattractive as possible. In this case, your frame saver is your lock.

no1mad 

1. Select the gearing your comfortable with. You may have to go up in tooth count (front or rear) to overcome any weight differences from what you're used to.
2. Just deal with it and pedal harder.

monsterpile

The only disadvantage is weight. Its been said already, but its totally true the Hi-ten stuff rides smooth. I've has some of those bikes that are generally lower quality that were somewhat surprisingly hard to let go because they were so smooth.

Steely Dan

a frame material debate?........... YES!


steel may be real, but wood is good.

real men ride wood.

um.... wait.... let me rephrase that......



in all seriousness, a great bike frame can be made from any of the conventional materials. if a little extra weight doesn't scare you, go for the high-ten steel. if you fancy yourself a speed demon, go with something a little lighter - cro-mo, aluminum, titanium, carbon (in that rough order)

Chris Chicago

i have a hi-ten gitane. it rides great.

use a good lock and take the wheel or seat inside if you lock it for long periods of time. thieves luv shiny new bikes

Tundra_Man 

I have a hi-ten steel bike. It rides great. I have an aluminum bike. It rides great. I have a chromoly steel bike. It rides great.

They do weigh different. If you like the way it rides I wouldn't obsess about what it's made of.

beebe

Why are people still spreading the myth that frame material has a serious effect on ride quality?

OP: I thought the Flite 100 was CrMo? I don't have any experience with Civilian bikes, but it looks like the Flite is a better bike.

SlimRider

So ah....You must think that carbon, aluminum, and steel, all feel the same when riding...

cyccommute 

He's not the only one. And there are others who agree.

no1mad 

I'm sure there must differences, but I suspect that they're not as dramatic as some make them out to be. Each frame material when new has their pluses and minuses. Given the OP's budget, he's likely not to notice the difference between steel and aluminum. CF and Ti aren't even in the mix.

Two days ago, I took a 2010 Giant FCR3 for about a 90 minute ride. I couldn't discern any different characteristics between its aluminum frame and my CroMo framed Kona Smoke.

SlimRider

Cyccommute says:

Yes, Cyccomute!

I'm quite familiar with our most honored and cherished guru's thoughts on the matter of frame materials and how he attempts to mitigate the differences in frame materials. For the most part, I agree and have often used that very same link to express my opinion about how the construction of frame materials is used to offset specific inherent weaknesses within the frame material itself, for the purpose of quality cycling.

However, at no point within the context of Sheldon Brown's link, does he say that there is no difference in the ride quality felt through the use of different bicycle frame materials.

He does not stipulate that all bicycle frame materials feel the same when riding, given the same geometries. He doesn't say that, because different frame materials have different natural resonant frequencies that are unique unto the elemental and alloying properties, themselves. For that matter each bicycle has its own natural resonant frequency, based upon both its frame material and its construction.
Given the same construction but different frame material, you're going to have a different natural resonant frequency. Therefore, you're going to experience a different set of vibrations. They will NOT be the same!

No1mad says:

Eventhough CF and Ti aren't in the mix, they still have a certain specific feel when ridden. An experienced cyclist in most cases will be able to tell the difference between riding CF and just about anything else.
I personally, own a Trek 7.5FX and I can most definitely feel the difference between it and my steel road bikes.

no1mad 

Actually, Slim, I must admit I was mistaken. The bike was a 2009 FCR 3. No CF bits, but I'm sure I would've noticed it if there were any .

monsterpile

The way a bike ins constructed has a significant difference in how it rides. I have ridden some aluminum frames and there is no way around them being more harsh than other bikes in general. Now I have a late 90's Trek Police bike and its one of the best riding bikes I have ever ridden very smooth ridding bike. The mini velos I have are not harsh either and they are Aluminum bikes. I've ridden some steel bikes with decent to relatively good tubing and they weren't as smooth,but a little more zippy I think. There are so many factors when it comes to a bike frame its hard to really ay one way or another without ridding it. Some frames just feel right for one person and not as much for others. I rode a beat up Colangelo someone was selling for a good price and I had to admit it was a very nice riding frame, but I passed becasue I was more than I wanted to spend even though it was pretty good price.

The bottom line is get a bike you like and ride it.

deeth82

I have a 2011 Schwinn Racer; it's got a Hi-Ten frame and rides smoother than all my other road bikes (two of them aluminum).



That being said, I'll definitely side with monsterpile in saying that, depending on the manufacturer, aluminum can also be a smooth ride, despite its traditionally rougher history. My 2011 Trek Marlin SS (Gary Fisher design) is my favorite MTB of all time, and its frame is aluminum...I can take it on the trails and have a smooth ride, or I can lock the fork and go on the road with it and still enjoy the smoothness!



Like monsterpile said: Get on it, ride it, and if you don't like it, move on to the next. Just know that in my limited experience, the cheaper bikes (<$500) with aluminum frames are typically the ones with the roughest ride.