bonsai171

Hi everyone,

I noticed a lot of singlespeed frames are steel and on the heavy side. Are there any aluminum ones out there? Why are so many of them steel? Thanks,

Dave

seau grateau

Steel is cheap, durable, and easy to make a decent quality frame out of. As for aluminum frames for road use that are SS-specific, Wabi Lightning comes to mind. There are tons of aluminum track frames out there you could use, but not many that are designed for road use for several reasons. One, single-speed road riding is very much a niche market. Two, carbon is pretty much taking over as the preferred material for road bike frames these days. Three, you could take any aluminum road bike frame and set it up as a single-speed.

edit- Actually, turns out that Wabi is steel now.

JeremyLC

You can readily find aluminium track frames with front and rear brake mounts. Put a freewheel on the back and you have an aluminium single speed. Unless you're really fussy about geometry, then your options may be more limited.

rEVOLVED

If aluminum is important to you, the Charge Plug 1 has an aluminum frame and fork, and looks more like a hipster fixie than a track bike. I don't say this as a bad thing. Just stating the facts. They came up in my extensive search for my first fixed gear, but I couldn't justify the price.

TenSpeedV2

Aero aluminum track bikes are not that great for road riding. I know because I have one. Now, that does not stop me one bit because the bike is fast as hell. It does not have a rear brake mount or bottle cage bosses. It's stiff. It is really not compliant. It isn't made for the road, it's made for the track. Would I recommend one? 12/10 says hell yes.

JeremyLC

Look up the 2010 Fuji Track Comp

TenSpeedV2

Yep like mine. 2011 Felt TK2.

seau grateau

I <3 my Felt too but I don't use it on the road.

IAmSam

Considering that OP mentioned weight...how come no one has gotten around to telling him that crappy alu frames can be heavier than decent steel frames, yet?

bonsai171

Hi,

Thanks for the replies.. I currently have an '87 Schwinn Letour frame for my singlespeed, but the problem is that it's too small. I'm about 6', and have a 57cm frame for my regular road bike, and have too much of a drop between the handlebars and the seat. The goal is to go with a frame that fits better, and has a higher handlebar height. The fork is threaded, and the handlebars are attached with a threadless adapter, but it is set at the maximum height already. Track frames are probably not good for me due to geometry. The reason i'm looking at aluminum is cost. Took a look at the wabi frames, and the lighter steel ones are really up there... I think aluminum is a better bang for the buck. My goal is maybe around 3 or 400 for the frame.

Dave

TejanoTrackie 

The Wabi Classic frameset including the headset is only $400, and it is not heavy at all. It also has two sets of waterbottle mounts as well as fender mounts.

Wabi Classic Frameset - Wabi Cycles

seau grateau

And you can build a light steel bike if you choose your parts carefully. Someone here used to have a Kilo TT that was around 16 lbs if I remember correctly. If you're set on aluminum and don't want to use a track frame, I'd look at road frames. It'll be kind of a pain if you want to set it up for fixed gear (no room for adjustment in the dropouts), but you could set one up single-speed easily.
Example: Nashbar Alloy Road Frame

Note - I haven't looked at the geometry or weight on that frame, just an example.

Senrab62 

If you clean perfect lines aren't a big deal to you, then look into converting a aluminum or steel road bike frame. Gives you many more choices, and you can also sell the components/parts you do not like and recoup your money. And can be made very light.

And as Iam Sam eluded too, assuming aluminum frames are always lighter is not accurate. Have you held or worked on a quality steel frame? If you like the oversized look of aluminum tubing, then that would be different.

Either way good luck and keep us posted!

TejanoTrackie 

Using an aluminum road frame with vertical dropouts will require some sort of chain tensioner, which is an added complication that I'd rather avoid. Also, the dropout spacing will not be 120mm, which is the norm for track wheels that are used with singlespeed freewheels. Affordable aluminum and steel track framesets designed for road use are readily available, so I see no reason not to go that route.

As to weight differences between aluminum and steel framesets, this is largely due to steel frames being typically paired with steel forks, whereas aluminum frames are typically paired with lighter carbon forks.

TimothyH

If weight is a concern then why not carbon?

At one point I was considering an Ali Express chicarb for about $490 shipped.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/2016...208.4.8.hvvdAU


-Tim-

1989Pre 

For $160.00, entire Giordano bike:

https://www.amazon.com/Giordano-Rapi...FW4?th=1&psc=1

also, State has the "Black Label" 6061 frame w/ full carbon fork in many colors for $319.00 w/ free ship:

https://www.statebicycle.com/collections/frames

https://www.thecoolist.com/best-single-speed-bikes/

veganbikes

That Giordano is slightly heaver than my geared touring bike with rack, fenders and 3 bottle cages. I guess Jeff Bezos is charging by the pound for bikes now to keep the price low.

TenSpeedV2

Guy brought one of those Giordano bikes into the shop one day. What a piece. Heavy as all get out. Wheels were totally out of true. Something wrong with the headset, oh, and it was fresh out of the box. Kid ended up spending almost another $100 in repairs to the shop to just get it working correctly.

1989Pre 

I hope the adjustments were all minor. It really pays to be able to do these things for oneself. Tell them to join Bike Forums!

daryldeal

Yo OP, youre a big guy, go with the classic steel frame man! dont mind the weight ��

bonsai171

Steel frames are really nice. I just changed the front gear on my Schwinn Letour (now singlespeed) from 52t to 45t, and it's a lot easier to pedal. It is also my smoothest riding bike (got an aluminum road bike with carbon fork and a steel mountain bike with no suspension). I just don't know if I'll be able to handle it's geometry long term. The way the tubing is, the front of the bike is kind of low, so that's what lead me to looking at different frames.. Plus you gotta love the way they can shape the aluminum (got teardrop shaped tubing on my other road bike). Although, i'd like to get another 7k miles out of this Schwinn Maybe i'll eventually wind up with a wabi frame. I noticed some bikes have a aluminum or metal insert in the rear wheel dropout, can anyone comment on how durable wabi's pain is? I haven't seen the metal insert on the wabis.

Dave

seau grateau

You generally won't see dropout inserts on steel frames like Wabis because they're not necessary. Dropout inserts are made of steel and they're used on alu and carbon because they give your wheel nuts something tough to grab onto that won't be easily deformed when you tighten down those nuts. Steel frames don't need them because they're already made of steel.

bonsai171

I was hoping to find an insert on a frame for the sake of protecting the paint, hence the question about the wabi paint durability. Maybe another option would be to take my existing frame and wrap some metalized tape around the rear dropout? The rear hub nuts have really done a number on the paint

seau grateau

My recommendation would be to not worry about it.

BanjerD

I just picked up a used (and cheap!) Cinelli Bootleg Mystic, aluminum frame, carbon fork. 8.1kg