Frame Materials: Ti vs. Al vs. Steel

[BrewMaster]

I have only ridden my aluminum full squish bike, so I am curious of others' opinions of different frame materials.

I am looking into a new HT and titanium, aluminum and steel alloys seem to be the predominant frame materials in use.

I keep hearing about the nice feel of riding a steel framed bike. I haven't ridden one, so I will take people's word on it until I get my chance to demo one. Anyone care to describe it a little more in detail and perhaps why they would prefer steel over aluminum?

How does titanium stack up as far as ride feel? More like aluminum or more like steel? Or perhaps totally different altogether?

Thanks.

[CPATCRASH]

Originally Posted by BrewMaster

I have only ridden my aluminum full squish bike, so I am curious of others' opinions of different frame materials.

I am looking into a new HT and titanium, aluminum and steel alloys seem to be the predominant frame materials in use.

I keep hearing about the nice feel of riding a steel framed bike. I haven't ridden one, so I will take people's word on it until I get my chance to demo one. Anyone care to describe it a little more in detail and perhaps why they would prefer steel over aluminum?

How does titanium stack up as far as ride feel? More like aluminum or more like steel? Or perhaps totally different altogether?

Thanks.

This will tell you more than you want to know.

http://www.strongframes.com/material_tech/metallurgy/

[jamesdc]

I love steel frames, all my bikes including my dh are steel. It doesn't fatigue like aluminum and i think it rides better, never tried titanuim though.

[ericfoltz]

Titanium will give you a much more confortable ride than Al and the frame will last longer. Aluminum has a pretty harsh ride. I always think of it as feeling brittle.

I have a Ti frame that I've had since early '93. I lost count of how many miles but it's somewhere around 40-50,000.

I don't ride it as much as I'd like being spoiled by the comfort of FS. My time up Blackstar is about 6 minutes faster and on Harding almost 10 minutes faster on the HT.

[reflux]

I have limited exposure to the various different materials, but I can sum up my thoughts with this: it all depends on the manufacturer.

1) My alpha bike is a 2000 Dean 853 hardtail. This bike is like an old pair of drawers. Sure, it's a little flexy in some spots, but it provides a smooth ride that's comfortable to be on for hours.

2) I have ridden 1 ti frame in my life. It was an Ibis Ti Mojo, built courtesy of Dean. Apparently Ibis farmed out some production to Dean and Strong just before they officially went under. My thoughts on this frame: stiff as a mothertrucker. It was an okay ride. Perhaps I would have liked it more had I spent more time on it.

3) A Sycip hardtail that I recently rebuilt in the form of a SS. Comfortable enough for a hardtail; stiff in all the places that my Dean isn't. If you can ride a SS and fit a large frame (23.5 ETT), you're more than welcome to take it for a spin sometime. You know, assuming you won't destroy it. Ha.

Thankfully I have never put leg over an aluminum hardtail. w00t.

Andrew

[2wheel_lee]

One debate a day (26er vs 29er) wasn't good enough for you?

[spookydave]

my steel frame is pretty plush. but it does have 9" of wheel travel. woot~!

[Abui]

Originally Posted by BrewMaster

I have only ridden my aluminum full squish bike, so I am curious of others' opinions of different frame materials.

I am looking into a new HT and titanium, aluminum and steel alloys seem to be the predominant frame materials in use.

I keep hearing about the nice feel of riding a steel framed bike. I haven't ridden one, so I will take people's word on it until I get my chance to demo one. Anyone care to describe it a little more in detail and perhaps why they would prefer steel over aluminum?

How does titanium stack up as far as ride feel? More like aluminum or more like steel? Or perhaps totally different altogether?

Thanks.

My Scandium One 9 rides softer than the sir 9's I had. (Wore out 2 sir 9's this year) Geometry? Allloy? It is just better. BTW the strongframes link doesn't discuss aluminum with scandium.

I had an 80's aluminum road bike that was harsh, but this bike is different.

[Steven Jackson]

My Motiv has this super exxpensiv frame, I have broken 7 of them tho.

[MTBMaven]

Carbon

[Bryguy17]

from what i've seen, in terms of ride rigidity, aluminum>steel>titanium. not to say that steel or titanium frames aren't stiff, but they have a plusher ride (as much as it can be on a hardtail). personally, if i could afford it i would go Ti for the plush ride and what is essentially an infinite fatigue life. plush titanium looks damn sexy

[BrewMaster]

Originally Posted by 2wheel_lee

One debate a day (26er vs 29er) wasn't good enough for you?

Not looking for a debate, just people's experiences.

[BrewMaster]

Originally Posted by Bryguy17

from what i've seen, in terms of ride rigidity, aluminum>steel>titanium. not to say that steel or titanium frames aren't stiff, but they have a plusher ride (as much as it can be on a hardtail). personally, if i could afford it i would go Ti for the plush ride and what is essentially an infinite fatigue life. plush titanium looks damn sexy

There are Ti frames for cheaper than you might think. Ti frames are available for as little as $1000, that's what got me thinking about Ti over aluminum.

I would prefer the lighter weight of aluminum or Ti, but I don't want to sacrifice ride quality. I envision this being a bike I could ride for 5+ hours in a day without feeling like I am getting beat up. Perhaps Ti is the way to go to get light weight and a nice feel.

[Abui]

I had a choice of replacement frames demoed the One 9 for a week and chose the One 9. Ride first, then decide. Long rides? This will be my VQ bike.

[.8down]

why are SSers so fond of Cromo frames? is it a throw back thing? feel? its not weight, cuz Cromo is not known to be light...and wouldn't the stiffness of a alum frame be better on a climb?

[Burner]

more than just frame material plays a factor in the ride.

there are Alu bikes that ride great, and Ti that ride like crap... design, tube selection, geo, fab, etc. all play a large part.

[BrewMaster]

Originally Posted by Burner

more than just frame material plays a factor in the ride.

there are Alu bikes that ride great, and Ti that ride like crap... design, tube selection, geo, fab, etc. all play a large part.

Very true.

[2wheel_lee]

Originally Posted by BrewMaster

Not looking for a debate, just people's experiences.

I know...I was just playin'.

Here's something I read on a blog not too long ago. It's directed toward roadies, but I think it still mostly applies.

Steel

Pros: Cyclists and builders have long sung the praises of steel, citing its strength, reparability, and magical ride quality akin to being carried across a land of mattresses while on ecstasy by a phalanx of fairies wearing running shoes. Common sayings include, “Steel is Real,” “If it’s ferrous, others will be jerrous,” and “Aluminum sucks, but chromium and vanadium will get you laidium.”

Cons: Rusts, goes soft, is noodly and heavy, can give you tetanus, and eventually will turn on you and try to kill you in your sleep.

Aluminum

Pros: Lightweight, inexpensive, stiff, and strong. Larger-diameter tube size allows larger manufacturer logos and more places to display clever stickers celebrating your political beliefs, sense of humor, and favorite equipment companies.

Cons: Rides harsh. Will fail catastrophically and without warning. Seven out of ten aluminum-bike owners do not live to regret their choice of material, let alone long enough to own another bicycle.

Titanium

Pros: Incredibly strong and lightweight. Riding ti is like being carried across a land of down duvets while on opium by herd of Jell-o horses all riding lugged steel bikes with Clement tubulars.

Cons: The vast majority of titanium bikes are built of tubing purchased from breakaway republics that were once part of the former Soviet Union. These republics subsidize themselves by dismantling their nuclear weapons facilities and selling the space-aged materials of which they are comprised to the West. The result is that most titanium bikes emit unacceptable levels of radiation. Owners of titanium bikes are transforming their DNA on every ride and are unwittingly spawning an army of mutants even as you read this. In an already uncertain time, this is, quite frankly, horrifying.

Carbon Fiber

Pros: Incredibly strong and lightweight. Used in space. Space! Riding carbon fiber is like a Caribbean vacation without hurricanes, getting sand in your bathing suit, or having to look at or interact with the locals. And for chrissakes, they use this stuff in space. I cannot stress that enough.

Cons: Carbon fiber delaminates in the sun, fails catastrophically, contracts and cracks in sub-zero temperatures, is water soluble and emits a sulfur-like odor if ridden in the rain, and because of the infinite shapes into which it can be molded allows bicycle manufacturers to build and market the ugliest bicycles the world has ever seen.

[Rockinthecasbah]

Theyre is pros and cons of every material but it all comes down to the design. .001 mm wall thickens in certian spots can alter the flex and feel of any frame. When honda first made the aluminum framed Cr they got alot of feedback saying it had to harsh of a ride and now the aluminum motorcycles have been getting thinner and smaller frames the same is happening with MTB which can be seen with the lack of monoque frames in the market, when they were so big for a long time. The bikes all stated out oversized and aluminum and super stiff and now theyre coming back to smaller tubes and less monoque frames or just small clamshelled sections like the chumba f5. I think alot of the material debates is just hype it is totally dependent on the design of the bike.