Differences in Aluminum
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Differences in Aluminum
Okay, I think this might be a good forum for this topic!
As many of you already know, not all aluminums are the same! Cannondale has, of course, heat-treated 6061-T6 alu frames and Santana and some others use 7000 series alu on thier frames because they say it's better than 6061 and it doesn't have to be heat-treated. I've noticed that really light competition handlebars are 2024 alu but I never have seen a bike frame made out of this material. Why is that? It's because it's too brittle or something?
This has been getting my curiosity up recently because part of my job at work is cutting up raw steel and aluminum for use in the weld and machine shops. We have alot of 6061 and 2024 alu stock, some of it in big heavy chunks that I can hardly lift. We also have 6262-T9 aluminum (which we hardly ever use!). Why would that not be used in bicycles (or is it?). Any metallurgists out there?
What's good-better-best?
I think I might save my steel questions for the SS/FG forum!
As many of you already know, not all aluminums are the same! Cannondale has, of course, heat-treated 6061-T6 alu frames and Santana and some others use 7000 series alu on thier frames because they say it's better than 6061 and it doesn't have to be heat-treated. I've noticed that really light competition handlebars are 2024 alu but I never have seen a bike frame made out of this material. Why is that? It's because it's too brittle or something?
This has been getting my curiosity up recently because part of my job at work is cutting up raw steel and aluminum for use in the weld and machine shops. We have alot of 6061 and 2024 alu stock, some of it in big heavy chunks that I can hardly lift. We also have 6262-T9 aluminum (which we hardly ever use!). Why would that not be used in bicycles (or is it?). Any metallurgists out there?
What's good-better-best?
I think I might save my steel questions for the SS/FG forum!
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Modern high-end aluminum tubesests are drawn paper-thin and precisely engineered for the load they are designed to carry. A lot of people are unhappy with this trend...there's not a lot of data on the longevity of these frames, and how dent-resistant could such a thin piece of metal be? Interestingly, Reynolds new X-100 aluminum/lithium tubeset (Jamis Xenith uses it) goes the opposite direction: smaller diameter, thicker tubes (like steel, but lighter).
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This topic has been discussed in recent threads.
Here's a couple...
https://www.bikeforums.net/road-cycling/53270-steel-numbers-translation-please.html
https://www.bikeforums.net/bicycle-mechanics/51530-tell-me-about-different-frame-materials-please.html
Here's a couple...
https://www.bikeforums.net/road-cycling/53270-steel-numbers-translation-please.html
https://www.bikeforums.net/bicycle-mechanics/51530-tell-me-about-different-frame-materials-please.html
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1999 K2 OzM 2001 Aegis Aro Svelte
"Be liberal in what you accept, and conservative in what you send." -- Jon Postel, RFC1122
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Originally Posted by Poppaspoke
Interestingly, Reynolds new X-100 aluminum/lithium tubeset (Jamis Xenith uses it) goes the opposite direction: smaller diameter, thicker tubes (like steel, but lighter).
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1999 K2 OzM 2001 Aegis Aro Svelte
"Be liberal in what you accept, and conservative in what you send." -- Jon Postel, RFC1122
1999 K2 OzM 2001 Aegis Aro Svelte
"Be liberal in what you accept, and conservative in what you send." -- Jon Postel, RFC1122