EpicSchwinn

Design-wise, affinity frames have been near the top of my list for considerations for my next frame. I have noticed that hardly anyone on ssfg has them aside from a few lo pros, which made me wonder - Is there a good reason to or not to get one?

pics for clicks
They look like beautiful frames

Squirrelli

The first one looks like a Tiemeyer rip off. Uncool.

yummygooey

There's always been something that bothers me about the first frame. I think it's the dinky little seatpost sticking out of the huge aero seat tube.

Scrodzilla

It's a bird! It's a plane! It's Supermeh!

yummygooey

They also seem overpriced for what they are. $500 for a 4130 frame and fork?

hamish5178

Oh come on dude. Most aero-Al frames look the same. The Kissena just has that long seat-tube that Tiemeyer also has, that doesn't make it a rip-off. Not to mention that the Kissena is made of "nicer" Al for about half the price of a Tiemeyer.

On that not, I'm curious, why does noone ever ***** about Tiemeyer using 6061 and having ugly welds? But people complain all day about Leader? I'm genuinely curious, not hating, I've never seen a Tiemeyer in person.

yummygooey

I think 7005 is cheaper than 6061. 6000 series aluminums require extensive heat treating/solid solution treatment to regain strength after welding, but the 7005 doesn't. That makes it cheaper and easier to manufacture, and is probably why Affinity uses it on their Kissenas. The difference between the two in a quality made final product is probably negligible, though. Kind of like Reynolds 631 versus Reynolds 853.

Tiemeyer welds actually look pretty good for hand welded aluminum. It's pretty unfair to compare a robot welded aluminum frame to a handmade aluminum frame.

Dauphine

I take my bike to the Affinity shop for servicing since it's near my office, but the bikes they build are just slightly to 'meh' for my taste as well. That seat tube kind of scares me a little, but it is the shop around for 'cool fixie messenger types' to hang out in. They know their stuffs, and some of the full builds that they sell in the store are obviously rip offs. $900 for a steel single speed with generic parts? Thanks but no thanks. That said, I have a friend who rides the one with the scary seat tube, and he thinks it's the jam.

hamish5178

So you're saying my Team Track is made of more expensive Al than a Concept/Super Pista/Fuji Track Pro?

I know nothing about Aluminum, this is just contrary to what I usually read on here.

yummygooey

I wasn't saying for sure that 6000 series is more expensive than 7000 series, I was just trying to speculate as to why different alloys have different costs. I don't know what aluminum prices are, but there are a lot of factors... manufacturing processes are just part of it. Just like there is straight gauge 4130, butted 4130, Reynolds 520, etc, there are many different types of 6061 or 7005 aluminum tubing you can get. I suppose you can't really say that 6061 is "nicer" than 7005 or vice versa, and you can't say the same about costs either. I'm sure you can find both "cheap" and "expensive" frames with all sorts of aluminum alloys.

There's a lot of reading online and on BF about the differences. Here's a thread, for example:

https://www.bikeforums.net/archive/in.../t-482375.html

I'm sure there are other reasons for choosing an aluminum alloy over another one. Machineability, weldability, heat treatability, ultimate tensile strength, stress/cycle data, etc. I don't know why Bianchi uses 7005 and Tiemeyer uses 6061, but like I said before, you probably won't notice the difference. The main benefit of 7005 is that is has a higher UTS and thinner tubing can be used, but I think with a proper frame design you can get an equally stiff 6061 frame without compromising the weight.

dookski

I used to go to Affinity for all my local bike needs too. I was immediately impressed that they had their own production frames and sponsored a local racing team. Their frames do look nice, but also seemed more expensive than they needed to be. If anyone is interested in Affinity's bicycles, I would first find a local manufacturer and see what they have to offer as supporting a local business was the only reason I could justify the price.

As for my lbs experience there- They installed my bottom bracket and headset on a bike I built up a few years ago. Later, after having a lot of headset problems and several servicing fails I started taking my business elsewhere (One of the mechanics actually remarked to me how the steerer tube was cut incorrectly and asked who installed it, oops). Generally they were nice guys and very helpful. I was invited to a bike polo game my first trip and once they removed a cog from a complete bike for me when I really needed it.

Dauphine

^
Yeah. They're great for repairs! I took a bike in there that I'd assembled myself, and just needed someone to tighten the headset, $5! They don't sass me about screwing up my own attempted DIY repairs, which is nice. The only thing is they will randomly close if it's nice out, but who wouldn't rather be riding?

Ultraspontane

First one is fugly.

hamish5178

Thanks for the link. Metals are really fascinating, makes me want to drop out of college and become a welder...

LupinIII

affinity makes decent frames, if a bit overpriced.

price hierarchy of aluminum is generally 6k<7k<2k. don't know why tiemeyer uses 6k, maybe that's what they're most comfortable using, and weight doesn't seem to be a concern in track racing.

and tiemeyers have beautiful welds, l2aluminum

nickpoiron

as to the overpriced nature of affinity, apparently it costs about $68 to make a lo-pro frame/fork. Just what I heard.

yummygooey

QFT. My favorite classes so far have all been centered around material behavior, and the one I'm taking right now is heavily centered around steels. And I'm registered for a welding class next semester.

xkillemallx16

i love the 212.

Philasteve

I think the cyclone would make an awesome anything goes tough as nails bike.

LupinIII

and it probably costs $20 to make a madone

raw materials cost less than a finished product.

REMspeedwagon

I always wanted a lo-pro but I'm currently riding a Kilo TT. The price difference just seems ridiculous.. but that fork is delish

yummygooey

Tubing, powder coating, manufacturing costs? I doubt it costs a whole bunch compared to MSRP, but unless the Lo Pros are made of straight gauge 4130 and one layer of powder coat in some sweat shop factory, $68 sounds really low.

BoozyMcliverRot

I agree,even if you had a thousand people (kids) building this frame,it would still be worth at least 400,can you say Soma?

xkillemallx16

most soma's are made of tange prestige = comparable to 753. or infinity = comparable to 631.

but still, affinities are nice.

nickpoiron

yea i mean thats just what i heard, as I said. Im also aware that a manufactured product costs more than raw materials, thanks.