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Steel
is real, or so they say. The original material for bike frames, it tends only to be found on either good value bikes, such as the Trek T10, the Marin Muirwoods or rather more recondite steeds such as Surly.
More compliant than aluminium, but often a bit heavier, steel has the classic spring and comfort that is ideal for, say, touring bikes.
There are many different combinations of carbon steel with chrome, molybdenum, manganese that produce lighter, stiffer frames, as the tensile strength of the material increases.
A superlight steel frame can weigh almost nothing and deliver eye watering speed and performance
- Aluminium is the default frame material these days, used for almost all bicycles. As with steel, it is alloyed with traces of other metals to produce a strong light material that can be formed into tubes, or pressed and welded into monocoques, or the tubes themselves can be “hydroformed” with oil under immense pressure into intricately formed multi-dimensional shapes to maximise strength and lightness.
The stiffness delivers speed, at the cost of some comfort, which is why most bikes with aluminium frames come with some form of suspension, in the seat pin or the forks, or indeed in the frame.
Even aluminium road bikes usually have carbon fibre forks these days to mitigate that stiffness and deliver comfort without sacrificing speed.
- Carbon Fibre is the “new” bike frame material. Trek have in fact been working with carbon for nigh on fifteen years now.
(Robbie and Rob both have Trek carbon bikes that are thirteen years old and still running perfectly.)
The strongest material in the world, carbon fibre produces unbelievably light frames.
Because it is laid up in layers and bonded together, it is possible to make the parts of the frame that are subject to the greatest stresses, such as bottom bracket, headtube and seat cluster stronger by using more material and/or complex patterns of laying up, or even as with the new Trek Madone series, by completely redesigning from scratch, while using less carbon on the frame tube sections.
The result is a frame of astonishing lightness, stiffness and comfort ; a bike that is a joy to ride all day, that is nimble and that accelerates like a rocket.
- Titanium is the lightest metal used in bike frames.
It is also very, very strong, and has springy characteristics that make it light, comfortable and quick. Even though it is one of the most common elements, the process of turning raw titanium into top spec bike tubing is highly intensive, and the material is not easy to work.
Titanium frames are therefore a touch expensive, but, they don’t corrode. See the top end of the Brompton Folding bike range with its use of weight-saving Titanium parts
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