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If aluminium cost as much per tonne as titanium, it would be the premium bike frame material. Agreed?

by Tom Amos
Sat, May 04, 2013 22:36
33

Having bought an aluminium road bike, and been very happy with it, it has constantly occurred to me that the only reason that Alu frames have a stigma is because aluminium is a relatively cheap material to produce bike frames from. If alu suddenly flew up in price, it would suddenly become a premium material. Do you agree?

I would go so far as to say that I prefer it from carbon fibre. My bike will withstand a real knock in a crash that a carbon fibre frame might get written off in.

If you're new please join in and if you have questions pop them below and the forum regulars will answer as best we can.

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bashthebox replied to Gkam84 | 11 years ago
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Gkam84 wrote:
bashthebox wrote:

There's a reason pros use Carbon.
carbon is better because the pros use it.

WRONG, The pro's have no choice as to what they are riding, the team are told their bike with be.... X and then they can fit whatever to it within the sponsor agreement.

The reason they ride carbon in most races is because they are told to ride it.

Look at pro's OUT of the race, alot of them are NOT using carbon frames 3 3

That's a load of shit and you know it. Let's take the obvious example of Team Sky and their obsession with marginal gains. We're told again and again how they'll do anything to shave fractions of watts off their effort - you think if carbon wasn't the best choice for frames that they would still use it? Come on. Sky have a huge budget from their main sponsor; bike sponsor budget is pretty small in comparison - they ride whatever makes them fastest.

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Tom Amos | 11 years ago
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well, I think you agree with me then Gkam? 39

AFAIK, most Pro riders choose alu bars over carbon because they don't want them to fail at the crucial moment. Must admit, my alu bars give me a lot of confidence. If someone said to me, I'll give you a free top-end carbon fibre handlebar, I would think for a moment as to whether I would accept it. Think I would say No to be honest.

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Gkam84 | 11 years ago
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Aluminium over carbon every time.

NO, if Aluminium was as expensive as Titanium it wouldn't be a "premium" frame, because Titanium is difficult to work with and is mainly used for custom bikes, although it is filtering down.

If Aluminium did reach that price, everyone would be flying around on cheap carbon and Aluminium would be the "new" carbon.

I do not consider carbon to be a premium material at the moment, they would just change about, Titanium would stay up there.

As steel is making quite a big come back, I expect to see more people going steel over carbon in the next few years aswell.

To me, unless something improves in carbon frame's. They are on the edge of "having their day" the reason I say this. Look at pro teams, almost every rider needs a different bike set up. Steel, Aluminium and even Titanium as all easier to build a custom frame to each riders need vs Carbon, where they get a "general" frame size given to them and have to muck about with stems and saddle height, handle bar width.

So to sum up. NO it wouldn't be classed as premium like Titanium is at the moment, in MY eyes 26

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