Magnesium as a frame material
07-19-10 | 12:04 PM
#26
fuggitivo solitario
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From: Northern NJ
you know what, it's 5pm somewhere, i'll sip some wine. cheers
07-19-10 | 12:09 PM
#28
Junk Mile Junkie
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From: Webster, NY
Of course mag will burn, but not under normal bicycle usage. In fact, often race car suspension pieces (uprights) are made of mag and the brake calipers are bolted to them. Naturally, brakes get pretty damned hot. There are never mag fires due to brake heat. If it can life through that, then it can live through anything we're likely to put it through. The discussion is about whether it's mechanical properties lend it to being a good bike frame material. Frankly, it seems like a little more trouble than it's worth. Between Carbon, Steel, AL and Ti, I think we're pretty well covered.
The only consideration would be how hot you could get how thin of material. I have no idea. But, say you have a very thin tube that is sliding down the road in an accident. Will it flash?
07-19-10 | 12:10 PM
#29
Raising the bar
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From: Newmarket, New Hampshire
Bikes: 2007 Specialized Allez Double (sold), 2009 Kestrel RT 800
American Classic makes a magnesium wheelset, as many of you know, and they want you to wipe them down after each use etc. Very very high maintenance.
07-19-10 | 12:11 PM
#30
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07-19-10 | 12:12 PM
#31
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07-19-10 | 12:14 PM
#32
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I had a lot of fun one afternoon playing with a mix of aluminum powder and rust ignited by strips of magnesium. Man that stuff BURNS!
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07-19-10 | 12:22 PM
#35
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07-19-10 | 12:28 PM
#36
'84 and '09 Pinarellos
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07-19-10 | 12:56 PM
#38
Banned.
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From: Carlsbad, CA
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I recall these interesting I-beam magnesium frames being sold in the 80's:
The magazine article described the maker (Kirk?) driving his car over the frame, then reinstalling the wheels and riding it away, completely true & unbent, allegedly.
The magazine article described the maker (Kirk?) driving his car over the frame, then reinstalling the wheels and riding it away, completely true & unbent, allegedly.
07-19-10 | 01:11 PM
#40
Wheelsuck
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I think we all agree that this scenario should be the overriding criteria for bicycle frame material selection.
07-19-10 | 01:16 PM
#41
Junk Mile Junkie
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From: Webster, NY
07-19-10 | 03:09 PM
#43
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From: Damascus, MD, USA
Bikes: Neilpryde Nazare, Storck Scenero G3, Colnago Extreme Power, CAAD 10, Bowman Palace R, Strong Custom Foco Steel, BMC SLR01, BMC ALR01
I've said it before hereabouts, my Litech Mg frame possesses the best combination of ride characteristics of any of my bikes. It is as stiff and light as my CF bikes; Colnago C40, Velo Vie Vitesse 100 and Look 386. It rides as smoothly and forgivingly as my Steel Torelli Express and Ciocc COM 12.5 and tops the ride quality of my Tommaso Super Legerra Ti. It's also nearly as stiff as my stiffest frame, BMC Race Master (mix of CF and Al). I only wish more builders offered more Mg frames. Other than Segal, I am unaware of other builders currently offering Mg frames. When it's going to be a long ride at a fast pace with ample climbing, I'll take Mg.
07-19-10 | 03:28 PM
#44
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I've said it before hereabouts, my Litech Mg frame possesses the best combination of ride characteristics of any of my bikes. It is as stiff and light as my CF bikes; Colnago C40, Velo Vie Vitesse 100 and Look 386. It rides as smoothly and forgivingly as my Steel Torelli Express and Ciocc COM 12.5 and tops the ride quality of my Tommaso Super Legerra Ti. It's also nearly as stiff as my stiffest frame, BMC Race Master (mix of CF and Al). I only wish more builders offered more Mg frames. Other than Segal, I am unaware of other builders currently offering Mg frames. When it's going to be a long ride at a fast pace with ample climbing, I'll take Mg.
Was your Litech made in Russia?
07-19-10 | 04:22 PM
#46
Wheelsuck
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I had a look at the Segal website. They look like reasonably nice bikes, but for making such a big deal about weight, they're nothing special. They claim 1175g for a frame (what size?). That's maybe 150g heavier than a top-notch AL frame and 150g lighter than a top-notch steel frame. It's about 300 grams heavier than a very good carbon frame.
There are many different ways to measure a bike's value, and weight is relatively low down on the list for me. If it rides nice, then that is much, much more important. I've never ridden a mag frame, so I can't comment on that. However, for all of you that comment on how light a mag frame is, I think you might need a little reality check. Like I said initially, the specific stiffness and specific strength of most bike materials are frustratingly similar. Carbon being the outlier. There just aren't big gains to be found on the scales when it comes to bike construction.
There are many different ways to measure a bike's value, and weight is relatively low down on the list for me. If it rides nice, then that is much, much more important. I've never ridden a mag frame, so I can't comment on that. However, for all of you that comment on how light a mag frame is, I think you might need a little reality check. Like I said initially, the specific stiffness and specific strength of most bike materials are frustratingly similar. Carbon being the outlier. There just aren't big gains to be found on the scales when it comes to bike construction.
07-19-10 | 04:23 PM
#47
Old fart
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From: Appleton WI
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https://www.kirk-bicycles.co.uk/Kirk.htm
07-19-10 | 04:47 PM
#48
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From: Damascus, MD, USA
Bikes: Neilpryde Nazare, Storck Scenero G3, Colnago Extreme Power, CAAD 10, Bowman Palace R, Strong Custom Foco Steel, BMC SLR01, BMC ALR01
If I HAD to choose (which I don't have to do), I'd go with the Litech because of its better comfort over the long haul. Also, on a metal frame, I worry less about the consequences of crashing. A metal fame may bend but it's not going to shatter like CF. Yes, it's a Russian Litech. I bought the frame well-used from a cat in Salt Lake City. The frame was branded by a local SLC shop as "Salt Cycles".
07-19-10 | 05:03 PM
#49
Administrator
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Is the 41 the only place you find dumb people, jimbo?
You ever come across dumb people personally, in real life, jimbo?
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