Any thoughts?

I know alu is way lighter, but how much can can an alu frame take?
tricking wise and such... mostly just screwing around, some falling and stuff.


s-works?
lets see some pics please
stories are good too.

Use the search function.

I got hit by a car and I still ride on my Alu. frame. It's not all that much lighter.

Pretty much everything under the sun could be found using the search function. That would mean no new threads ever.....And you could just stop posting ass hole comments that way because there would be no new discussionsEveryone would be happy that way.

So I'll add my 2cents:

Aluminum has no endurence limit. As an engineer.....That scares me if you are going to be beating the hell out of the bike. But with proper design, you can achieve something with basically an infinite cycle life.

Also, I just prefer the feel of a steel bike.

nothing like the empirical valuation of a subjective evaluation... (that doesn't really make sense, sorry I got nothing on Oscar Wilde)


hahaha, but really, Alu is fine, it'll hold out. Nearly all DH and freeride frames are made of it, yes they are built bigger, but they do 40' gaps on them too!!!

Alu frames usually have carbon forks and are usually stiffer and lighter. Most road frames are alu too. there is a comfort factor, but I think it's because people compare alu track frames to steel frames (alu track frames are really stiff). But still people ride them just fine on the street.

So in the end, **** all the stuff that people say, weight doesn't make a huge difference (unless you are going over the 13kg mark which is really unlikely in FG/SS). Just get something that fits your budget and you think looks good. Most people trade comfort and safety even for style anyway.

And don't say otherwise unless you are rocking a helmet mounted mirror!

There is almost no real world diffrence in ride quality between steel and AL bikes, its all in the geometry and tube size. Just get a bike that you like that fits right. Steel is tougher, but other than that it doesn't matter.

It's not the material that matters, it's the excecution of the design that will decide how a frame rides. There are sweet light steel bikes and sweet light aluminium bikes. There are also $hite heavy steel bikes and harsh riding aluminium bikes.

This particular topic has been beaten to death. I don't mind if a topic resurfaces every once in while, but this one is played out.

Just stating facts.

Thank you for contributing to the thread. I really like your take on the subject.

Yeah, I don't get the comfort angle. I regularly ride an alu bike, but for a few weeks was riding a steel single speed. The steel single-speed still had me feeling bumps etc, although it could be that the slower speed of it made it so that I noticed bumps more, while on the alu bike my focus on the speed made me ignore small discomforts.