Originally Posted by
jon c.
That's really not true. At least not with steel bikes. Mine is 37 years old and isn't approaching the end of anything. If I don't crash it, it will be still be going strong when I'm no longer strong enough to ride it.
I actually do agree with you that good steel frames are lovely and they are very long lasting, but they are not the main kind of bicycle frame on the market these days, and they have not been for a long time. Steel frames are a specialty item now. You can't compare them to e-bike frames - it's apples to oranges.
Aluminum has been the dominant frame material in the recreational and utility sector for decades, and is the main material for purpose-built e-bike frames. Aluminum frames do have a shorter lifespan than steel, just because of the different characteristics of the metal. Over time it does become more brittle. That's been an acceptable trade off for the stiffness and (relatively) light weight, as well as the ease of manufacturing and relatively lower cost.