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Aluminum Bike

The most common material for a bike frame is steel, but aluminum bikes are becoming more common with the advent of modern aluminum alloys– for good reason. Aluminum is a third the weight of steel, but only half the strength. This means an aluminum frame can be lighter than a steel frame, even though it must also be larger. Some cheap aluminum bikes are over-built so that there is no significant weight saving, but many offer significant weight savings.

Aluminum is also not as stiff as steel – so ostensibly an aluminum bike would ride ‘softer’ than its steel counterpart, flexing a lot under the stress of pedaling and when riding over obstacles. However, due to the lower strength of aluminum the tubes that make up the frame will be thicker, meaning that overall stiffness increases in aluminum bikes. However, the tires, suspension and frame geometry affect ride quality just as much or more.

Aluminum is a great choice of material if expensive materials like titanium or carbon fiber are out of your budget – spending less on the frame will allow you to put more of your budget towards the rest of the components, which can be just as important.

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