Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > General Cycling Discussion
Reload this Page >

Steel or aluminum bicycle frame?

Notices
General Cycling Discussion Have a cycling related question or comment that doesn't fit in one of the other specialty forums? Drop on in and post in here! When possible, please select the forum above that most fits your post!

Steel or aluminum bicycle frame?

Old 01-06-19, 08:16 AM
  #26  
Senior Member
 
BobbyG's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Colorado Springs, CO
Posts: 5,960

Bikes: 2015 Charge Plug, 2007 Dahon Boardwalk, 1997 Nishiki Blazer, 1984 Nishiki International, 2006 Felt F65, 1989 Dahon Getaway V

Mentioned: 54 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1359 Post(s)
Liked 1,658 Times in 822 Posts
Originally Posted by Andy Thousand
Ok my fellow cyclists which material do you prefer for a bicycle frame, steel or aluminum? And why?
Welcome to bikeforums...
Google: "Steel Vs. Aluminum site:www.bikeforums.net"
BobbyG is offline  
Old 01-06-19, 08:27 AM
  #27  
Senior Member
 
Lenton58's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Sendai, Japan: Tohoku region (Northern Honshu))
Posts: 1,785

Bikes: Vitus 979, Simplon 4-Star, Woodrup, Gazelle AB, Dawes Atlantis

Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 58 Post(s)
Liked 74 Times in 41 Posts
I have three steel bikes on the road, and one aluminum. I am not interested in plastic, but I have nothing to dislike about them either. I started collecting with what I still have. All the frames have been built up and starting just as frames— all qualifying as vintage. The aluminum Vitus 979 is well-known to not have the "nervous" vibration transmitted throughout the frame that is said to be usual by owners of modern Al frames. Modern aluminum frames differ from earlier aluminum frames in a number of ways. Early aluminum frames such as the Vitus, Allen, Bridgestone used tubing gauges that were of similar diameter to Reynolds, Columbia, Tange, True Temper and so on steel alloy tubing. They were typically bonded together. A small number of the Vitus 979's's were pegged at the BB for stiffening. All in all, these early aluminium frames felt very similar to steel frames, except in my experience at least, the unpegged Vitus tends to flex. I'm merely a sports rider who does not enter vintage competition, so any flexing is of no concern unless it causes autoshifting. (And so what? ... get over it!) All my steel bikes are a great ride too, some being stiffer than others — after all, they were constructed as racers. The Vitus is a joy because it has the airy feeling of just being lighter, but smooth and silky on tubular tires.
__________________
Vitus 979, Simplon 4 Star, Gazelle Champion Mondial, Woodrup Giro, Dawes Atlantis
Lenton58 is offline  
Old 01-06-19, 08:28 AM
  #28  
Newbie
 
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Finland
Posts: 13

Bikes: Nishiki Trim Master 1989, Torpado MTB ? 1991 , Peugeot PGN-10 1985

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 9 Post(s)
Liked 2 Times in 2 Posts
Road bikes with narrow tires i prefer steel, it give's more comfortable ride. Mtb's with wide tires aluminium, it makes bike little lighter.
Jv_247 is offline  
Old 01-06-19, 11:07 AM
  #29  
Mad bike riding scientist
 
cyccommute's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Denver, CO
Posts: 27,274

Bikes: Some silver ones, a red one, a black and orange one, and a few titanium ones

Mentioned: 150 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6147 Post(s)
Liked 4,092 Times in 2,325 Posts
Originally Posted by MikeyMK
Ally fatigues and cracks. I've cracked two frames, and bought a third and found fractures. All hairline stuff at first.
Steel cracks too. I’ve owned almost equal numbers of aluminum and steel frames (19 aluminum and 16 steel). I’ve broken 2 steel frames and 2 aluminum frames. One of the steel frames broke numerous times. Only one of the aluminum frames broke because of fatigue and that was because the material used...Specialized M2 aluminum/boron composite...was too brittle. Both steel frames broke because of fatigue.

Steel is heavier and can feel springy.
Yes, steel is heavier. No, steel isn’t inherently “springy”. It’s a stiff material. The reason it seems “springy” is because the tubes used for the frame are of small diameter. If steel turbing were of the same diameter as aluminum, it would be so stiff that no one would want to ride it.

As for the original question...aluminum. It’s light, durable and strong enough for the job without excess weight. Of my current 8 bikes, 5 are aluminum. Three are titanium.
__________________
Stuart Black
Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
Old School…When It Wasn’t Ancient bikepacking
Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!




Last edited by cyccommute; 01-06-19 at 11:10 AM.
cyccommute is offline  
Old 01-06-19, 11:14 AM
  #30  
tcs
Palmer
 
tcs's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Parts Unknown
Posts: 8,580

Bikes: Mike Melton custom, 1982 Stumpjumper, Alex Moulton AM, 2010 Dawes Briercliffe, 2017 Dahon Curl i8, 2021 Motobecane Turino 1x12

Mentioned: 37 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1645 Post(s)
Liked 1,785 Times in 1,041 Posts
Bamboo. Or magnesium.
tcs is offline  
Old 01-06-19, 11:24 AM
  #31  
Banned
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: NW,Oregon Coast
Posts: 43,598

Bikes: 8

Mentioned: 197 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 7607 Post(s)
Liked 1,354 Times in 861 Posts
made from the broken bodies of our ancestors ..
fietsbob is offline  
Old 01-06-19, 03:55 PM
  #32  
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: Portland OR
Posts: 109

Bikes: 1979 Bridgestone SkyWay, 1990 Bridgestone RB-1, 2002 Specialized Hardrock Comp, 2018 Soma Smoothie

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 25 Post(s)
Liked 12 Times in 10 Posts
Steel for road bikes. Aluminum for mountain bikes.
BritishV8 is offline  
Old 01-07-19, 08:06 AM
  #33  
Senior Member
 
bruce19's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Lebanon (Liberty Hill), CT
Posts: 8,456

Bikes: CAAD 12, MASI Gran Criterium S, Colnago World Cup CX & Guru steel

Mentioned: 6 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1722 Post(s)
Liked 1,272 Times in 734 Posts
My Masi is Al w/cf stays and fork and my Guru is steel w/cf fork. I really enjoy both of them.
bruce19 is offline  
Old 01-07-19, 11:11 AM
  #34  
Banned
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: NW,Oregon Coast
Posts: 43,598

Bikes: 8

Mentioned: 197 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 7607 Post(s)
Liked 1,354 Times in 861 Posts
you have touted your Tern in another Folding bike thread Why Ask , doubt your choice?








....

Last edited by fietsbob; 01-07-19 at 11:45 AM.
fietsbob is offline  
Old 01-07-19, 02:26 PM
  #35  
Banned.
 
Join Date: Jan 2019
Posts: 63
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 44 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Originally Posted by mtb_addict
I hacksawed an aluminum handlebar shorter, and it was like cutting butter.

So, I prefer steel.
I hacksawed a steel handlebar shorter, and it was like cutting butter.

So, I prefer carbon.
balut bandit is offline  
Old 01-07-19, 02:36 PM
  #36  
Senior Member
 
indyfabz's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 39,058
Mentioned: 210 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 18320 Post(s)
Liked 15,290 Times in 7,228 Posts
Titanium is the correct answer.

indyfabz is offline  
Old 01-07-19, 03:13 PM
  #37  
Tragically Ignorant
 
livedarklions's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2018
Location: New England
Posts: 15,613

Bikes: Serotta Atlanta; 1994 Specialized Allez Pro; Giant OCR A1; SOMA Double Cross Disc; 2022 Allez Elite mit der SRAM

Mentioned: 62 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 8186 Post(s)
Liked 9,094 Times in 5,053 Posts
Sodium, but don't let it get wet.
livedarklions is offline  
Old 01-07-19, 04:42 PM
  #38  
Senior Member
 
friday1970's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Brighton, Michigan
Posts: 658

Bikes: Optima Baron LR, '14 Nishiki Maricopa,'87 Trek 330 Elance, '89 Miyata 1400, '85 Peugeot PGN10, '04 Fuji Ace, '06 Giant Rincon, '95 Giant Allegre, '83 Trek 620, '86 Schwinn High Sierra

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 223 Post(s)
Liked 162 Times in 106 Posts
I mostly prefer to ride my steel bikes simply because it's more nostalgic. Kind of cool to ride one, in a way. I have an aluminum dept store Nishiki that I tore down and rebuilt with a carbon fork, bars, and seat post. And paired with similar tires, the aluminum bike almost feels a smooth as my steel bikes. I've taken the Nishiki on 200k brevet rides and I felt fine afterwards, despite the frame being aluminum. And on similar long rides, the steel bikes do make me feel like I have to work harder to finish
friday1970 is offline  
Old 01-07-19, 07:53 PM
  #39  
Senior Member
 
BrocLuno's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Kalifornia Kollective
Posts: 350

Bikes: K2 (Marzocchi/Fox), Trek 6000 (red) MARS Elite up front, Specialized Hardrock Sport -> eBike (R7 Elite up front), lastly TREK 820 loaner. Recently sold Peugeot du Monde Record and 1956 Schwinn (owned since new).

Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 75 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times in 2 Posts
Back in the day (1970's) it was Reynolds steel for me (Raleigh mostly, but the odd Peugeot now and then). Then CroMo. Then I started to switch to MTB and it became aluminum because climbing is a real drag with any more weight than necessary ...

Now, my favorite bike is an Aluminum frame with Carbon Fiber swing arm, and a bunch of magnesium in the air forks

My wife's latest MTB is an Aluminum frame hard-tail with Mg in the forks too

But, I still have one CroMo hybrid, and so does my wife
BrocLuno is offline  
Old 01-07-19, 10:47 PM
  #40  
Banned
 
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: Providence
Posts: 733

Bikes: Specialized tarmac sl2 giant tcx zero

Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 319 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 3 Times in 3 Posts
I have all 4 versions

Full steel
Cromo
Aluminum and alu/carbonish fork
full carbon

If i could get a full carbon under 1000 id ride that as a daily driver but still worry about it being stolen.
so i usualy ride the cheaper aluminum versions beycase i can affird to loose 350 rather than 800.

I have a nice build plan for a 600 dollar everydays full carbon tt frame bike that should be alot of fun .
Teamprovicycle is offline  
Old 01-07-19, 11:44 PM
  #41  
Senior Member
 
BrocLuno's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Kalifornia Kollective
Posts: 350

Bikes: K2 (Marzocchi/Fox), Trek 6000 (red) MARS Elite up front, Specialized Hardrock Sport -> eBike (R7 Elite up front), lastly TREK 820 loaner. Recently sold Peugeot du Monde Record and 1956 Schwinn (owned since new).

Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 75 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times in 2 Posts
The thing about stealing is usually taken care of by rattle can camouflage. Paint it like it's been "tagged" and it will likely be left alone

But how many of us can do that?

I bling out my bikes as part of the hobby.

So that makes them even more of an attraction ...
BrocLuno is offline  
Old 01-08-19, 02:06 AM
  #42  
Cycleway town
 
MikeyMK's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Milton Keynes, England
Posts: 1,402

Bikes: 2.6kw GT LTS e-tandem, 250w Voodoo, 250w solar recumbent trike, 3-speed shopper, Merlin ol/skl mtb, 80cc Ellswick

Mentioned: 7 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 569 Post(s)
Liked 169 Times in 117 Posts
I think personalisation is good, regardless of the style. Nobody was ever gonna steal my GT LTS-3 despite it being a very attractive bike and very clean, simply because it was blatantly the only one on the planet that looked the way it did. And theives just wanna pass a bike straight on.

Whether they are or not, a desirable bike to a thief looks common and standard. They want an easy 50 in their pocket. Steel, carbon, it'll probably go for the same price.

It reminds me of the un-stealable Mercedes - a rather wealthy arabic guy got Mercedes to build him an estate version of their new S-class Coupe in the early 1990s. The only 3-dr S-class on the planet. Somewhat of a hot potato on the black market.
MikeyMK is offline  
Old 01-08-19, 03:06 PM
  #43  
Tragically Ignorant
 
livedarklions's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2018
Location: New England
Posts: 15,613

Bikes: Serotta Atlanta; 1994 Specialized Allez Pro; Giant OCR A1; SOMA Double Cross Disc; 2022 Allez Elite mit der SRAM

Mentioned: 62 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 8186 Post(s)
Liked 9,094 Times in 5,053 Posts
Gotta say, the size of the tire matters a lot more than the frame material when it comes to the feeling of the ride.
livedarklions is offline  
Old 01-09-19, 06:35 AM
  #44  
Senior Member
 
bruce19's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Lebanon (Liberty Hill), CT
Posts: 8,456

Bikes: CAAD 12, MASI Gran Criterium S, Colnago World Cup CX & Guru steel

Mentioned: 6 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1722 Post(s)
Liked 1,272 Times in 734 Posts
Originally Posted by fietsbob
made from the broken bodies of our ancestors ..
Sounds like my body.
bruce19 is offline  
Old 01-09-19, 06:36 AM
  #45  
Senior Member
 
bruce19's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Lebanon (Liberty Hill), CT
Posts: 8,456

Bikes: CAAD 12, MASI Gran Criterium S, Colnago World Cup CX & Guru steel

Mentioned: 6 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1722 Post(s)
Liked 1,272 Times in 734 Posts
Originally Posted by indyfabz
Titanium is the correct answer.

Love the color of that bike.
bruce19 is offline  
Old 01-09-19, 06:49 AM
  #46  
Senior Member
 
indyfabz's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 39,058
Mentioned: 210 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 18320 Post(s)
Liked 15,290 Times in 7,228 Posts
Originally Posted by bruce19
Love the color of that bike.
Thanks. One of a kind custom blend of Gloss White and Zombie Green Cerakote ceramic glaze.
indyfabz is offline  
Old 01-09-19, 07:09 AM
  #47  
Senior Member
 
bruce19's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Lebanon (Liberty Hill), CT
Posts: 8,456

Bikes: CAAD 12, MASI Gran Criterium S, Colnago World Cup CX & Guru steel

Mentioned: 6 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1722 Post(s)
Liked 1,272 Times in 734 Posts
Originally Posted by fietsbob
made from the broken bodies of our ancestors ..
Sounds like my body.
bruce19 is offline  
Old 01-09-19, 07:05 PM
  #48  
Senior Member
 
BrocLuno's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Kalifornia Kollective
Posts: 350

Bikes: K2 (Marzocchi/Fox), Trek 6000 (red) MARS Elite up front, Specialized Hardrock Sport -> eBike (R7 Elite up front), lastly TREK 820 loaner. Recently sold Peugeot du Monde Record and 1956 Schwinn (owned since new).

Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 75 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times in 2 Posts
Yeah, the OP left out Titanium. Had it been in the running originally, it would be my vote too

Moots YBB - Yeah, baby ...
BrocLuno is offline  
Old 01-10-19, 10:18 AM
  #49  
Mad bike riding scientist
 
cyccommute's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Denver, CO
Posts: 27,274

Bikes: Some silver ones, a red one, a black and orange one, and a few titanium ones

Mentioned: 150 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6147 Post(s)
Liked 4,092 Times in 2,325 Posts
Originally Posted by BrocLuno
Yeah, the OP left out Titanium. Had it been in the running originally, it would be my vote too

Moots YBB - Yeah, baby ...
The ultimate off-road touring bike

IMG_3144 by Stuart Black, on Flickr

DSCN1255 by Stuart Black, on Flickr
__________________
Stuart Black
Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
Old School…When It Wasn’t Ancient bikepacking
Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!



cyccommute is offline  
Old 01-10-19, 10:23 AM
  #50  
Banned.
 
Join Date: Oct 2018
Posts: 217
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 92 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 12 Times in 4 Posts
Friends don't let friends ride aluminum.
EdwinHeadwind is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.