Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Road Cycling
Reload this Page >

Bike frame material rankings!

Notices
Road Cycling “It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them. Thus you remember them as they actually are, while in a motor car only a high hill impresses you, and you have no such accurate remembrance of country you have driven through as you gain by riding a bicycle.” -- Ernest Hemingway

Bike frame material rankings!

Old 10-31-22, 12:18 PM
  #1  
amazinmets73
Full Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 382
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 169 Post(s)
Liked 25 Times in 19 Posts
Bike frame material rankings!

Here are mine:

Speed/performance (ideal frame for racing.)

1: Carbon
2: Aluminum
3: Titanium
4: Steel

Comfort:

1: Steel
2: Titanium
3: Carbon
4: Aluminum

Durability:

1: Steel
2: Titanium
3: Aluminum
4: Carbon

Sustainability (environmental impact)

1: Aluminum
2: Steel
3: Titanium
4: Carbon

Opinions?
amazinmets73 is offline  
Old 10-31-22, 12:22 PM
  #2  
tomato coupe
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 5,879

Bikes: Colnago, Van Dessel, Factor, Cervelo, Ritchey

Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3906 Post(s)
Liked 7,182 Times in 2,905 Posts
I smell popcorn.
tomato coupe is offline  
Old 10-31-22, 12:51 PM
  #3  
PeteHski
Senior Member
 
PeteHski's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2021
Posts: 8,175
Mentioned: 12 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4274 Post(s)
Liked 4,712 Times in 2,911 Posts
Carbon tops comfort for me too. At least carbon frames optimised for comfort. One of the advantages of carbon is the ability to design a frame with almost any ride characteristics you like with less compromise than metal equivalents.
PeteHski is offline  
Likes For PeteHski:
Old 10-31-22, 12:52 PM
  #4  
Branko D
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2018
Posts: 786
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 338 Post(s)
Liked 408 Times in 252 Posts
Let's play.

Speed: Carbon fiber, then everything else
Comfort: Carbon fiber, then everything else. If you want comfort, buy a CF endurance bike designed to be comfortable, not a super stiff race bike.
Durability (provided you don't crash): CF, Steel & Titanium, Aluminium
Sustainability: Steel then aluminium / titanium and then CF, but it's largely overstated; the CO2 equivalent of a CF road bike is about 197 CO2 equivalent. That's the typical emissions you'd see driving for 1100km in a fairly economical car. If you drive a big truck, slash that in half.
Branko D is offline  
Old 10-31-22, 12:54 PM
  #5  
Iride01 
I'm good to go!
 
Iride01's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: Mississippi
Posts: 14,810

Bikes: Tarmac Disc Comp Di2 - 2020

Mentioned: 50 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6100 Post(s)
Liked 4,732 Times in 3,262 Posts
I think it all depends on the person doing the evaluation and the exact model of bike. I've ridden plenty of lousy steel bikes to know that steel isn't a guarantee for anything. Though I have ridden two or three really great steel bikes. Still frame material is the least important. What's important is that the design and use of any material take advantage of the qualities and short comings of that material.

One nit pick might be on the environmental side....

Aluminum takes a pretty big hit for pollution when first mined both for water use and pollution while refining as well as electrical demands to smelt initially. And it seems that few people ever scrap their bikes so that any recycling can actually be done with them. Apparently they just show up on eBay and Craigslist forever no matter what material they are made from.
Iride01 is online now  
Likes For Iride01:
Old 10-31-22, 12:59 PM
  #6  
Bacciagalupe
Professional Fuss-Budget
 
Bacciagalupe's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 6,494
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 32 Post(s)
Liked 24 Times in 14 Posts
With all due respect... Ugh

Bike manufacturers are pretty good these days at tuning frames to their intended purpose. CF and aluminum in particular give designers a lot of latitude, but even round-tubed steel and ti can be butted or otherwise adjusted. Other components of the bike, such as the wheels, tires, tire pressure, saddle, seatpost, suspension and so on also have a big impact on these qualities -- in some cases, possibly overwhelming the properties we normally associate with the frame. And of course, budget is always a factor.

These are just a few reasons why broad rankings like this don't really make much sense. If someone asks for a recommendation on a bike, you have to listen to their uses, find out how much they are willing to spend, and go from there.
Bacciagalupe is offline  
Likes For Bacciagalupe:
Old 10-31-22, 01:02 PM
  #7  
mstateglfr 
Sunshine
 
mstateglfr's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Des Moines, IA
Posts: 16,538

Bikes: '18 class built steel roadbike, '19 Fairlight Secan, '88 Schwinn Premis , Black Mountain Cycles Monstercross V4, '89 Novara Trionfo

Mentioned: 123 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 10902 Post(s)
Liked 7,391 Times in 4,148 Posts
Originally Posted by amazinmets73
Opinions?
Why not include affordability? It would be a great addition to the other arbitrarily ranked categories.
mstateglfr is offline  
Likes For mstateglfr:
Old 10-31-22, 02:39 PM
  #8  
seypat
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 8,757
Mentioned: 69 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3192 Post(s)
Liked 2,460 Times in 1,489 Posts
Subscribed! I've been looking for this info for a while. Good thing someone finally started a thread on it.
seypat is online now  
Likes For seypat:
Old 10-31-22, 02:50 PM
  #9  
Trakhak
Senior Member
 
Trakhak's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Baltimore, MD
Posts: 5,338
Mentioned: 15 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2429 Post(s)
Liked 2,887 Times in 1,646 Posts
Proportions of bike sales (categorized by frame material) for a prominent British bike company, i.e., Wiggle, according to a senior manager:

1. Aluminum
2. Aluminum, cont.
3. Carbon
4. Steel
5, Titanium

Those proportions are consistent with what you'll see on the sales floors of the vast majority of bike shops in the U.S., except that you'll see very few (if any) steel bikes and no titanium bikes.
Trakhak is offline  
Likes For Trakhak:
Old 10-31-22, 05:39 PM
  #10  
Bob Ross
your god hates me
 
Bob Ross's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 4,580

Bikes: 2016 Richard Sachs, 2010 Carl Strong, 2006 Cannondale Synapse

Mentioned: 10 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1233 Post(s)
Liked 1,241 Times in 689 Posts
Originally Posted by amazinmets73
Opinions?
You could easily turn your list into a version of Rock/Paper/Scissors!
Bob Ross is offline  
Likes For Bob Ross:
Old 10-31-22, 05:45 PM
  #11  
kcjc
Full Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 269
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 82 Post(s)
Liked 44 Times in 33 Posts
Red except pink for sustainability (homage to energizer bunny).
kcjc is offline  
Old 10-31-22, 05:57 PM
  #12  
Bald Paul
Senior Member
 
Bald Paul's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Upstate SC
Posts: 1,680
Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 806 Post(s)
Liked 1,612 Times in 764 Posts
My frames are all made of Unobtanium.
Bald Paul is offline  
Likes For Bald Paul:
Old 10-31-22, 07:13 PM
  #13  
tomato coupe
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 5,879

Bikes: Colnago, Van Dessel, Factor, Cervelo, Ritchey

Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3906 Post(s)
Liked 7,182 Times in 2,905 Posts
These steel vs. carbon vs. titanium vs. aluminum threads are all started by Big Bamboo. Once they get us fighting against each other, they'll swoop in and take over the industry. They are ready for this -- I've seen the massive bamboo forests.
tomato coupe is offline  
Old 10-31-22, 07:24 PM
  #14  
thin_concrete
Achtung!
 
thin_concrete's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: New England
Posts: 1,673

Bikes: 60.1, Marvel

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 515 Post(s)
Liked 268 Times in 161 Posts
None of this matters if you’re cranking megawatts like a boss.

Is today 31OCT or 01APR?
thin_concrete is offline  
Likes For thin_concrete:
Old 10-31-22, 08:07 PM
  #15  
_ForceD_
Sr Member on Sr bikes
 
_ForceD_'s Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Rhode Island (sometimes in SE Florida)
Posts: 2,306

Bikes: Several...from old junk to new all-carbon.

Mentioned: 13 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1012 Post(s)
Liked 759 Times in 408 Posts
Frame material COMFORT ? Isn’t rider’s comfort determined by rider-bike interface components…saddle, handlebars, cranks/pedals/shoes, maybe suspension if the bike is so equipped, tire size and inflation…and the proper adjustment of those components? When I’m riding I don’t even touch the frame. How can frame material affect my comfort?

Dan
_ForceD_ is offline  
Old 10-31-22, 08:43 PM
  #16  
Koyote
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 7,767
Mentioned: 37 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6882 Post(s)
Liked 10,873 Times in 4,637 Posts
Originally Posted by tomato coupe
I smell popcorn.
I’m going to need extra butter for this one.
Koyote is offline  
Old 10-31-22, 11:08 PM
  #17  
znomit
Zoom zoom zoom zoom bonk
 
znomit's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: New Zealand
Posts: 4,623

Bikes: Giant Defy, Trek 1.7c, BMC GF02, Fuji Tahoe, Scott Sub 35, Kona Rove, Trek Verve+2

Mentioned: 6 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 549 Post(s)
Liked 721 Times in 365 Posts
Sequestering carbon into bike frames is a fantastic way to reverse global warming.
znomit is offline  
Old 11-01-22, 05:20 AM
  #18  
Shadco 
Resident PIA
 
Shadco's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: City of Oaks, NC
Posts: 842

Bikes: Gunnar Roadie, Look 765 Optimum, Spesh Aethos

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 206 Post(s)
Liked 347 Times in 183 Posts
I would think titanium would be tops since cracks in critical areas don’t matter.

.
__________________
--
Shad
I knew where I was when I wrote this
I don't know where I am now...
05 Gunnar Roadie Chorus/Record
67'er
Shadco is offline  
Old 11-01-22, 06:21 AM
  #19  
Maelochs
Senior Member
 
Maelochs's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 15,453

Bikes: 2015 Workswell 066, 2017 Workswell 093, 2014 Dawes Sheila, 1983 Cannondale 500, 1984 Raleigh Olympian, 2007 Cannondale Rize 4, 2017 Fuji Sportif 1 LE

Mentioned: 144 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 7628 Post(s)
Liked 3,453 Times in 1,823 Posts
I like bikes with frames.
Maelochs is offline  
Likes For Maelochs:
Old 11-01-22, 06:38 AM
  #20  
Koyote
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 7,767
Mentioned: 37 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6882 Post(s)
Liked 10,873 Times in 4,637 Posts
Originally Posted by Shadco
I would think titanium would be tops since cracks in critical areas don’t matter.

.

Umm.,,what?
Koyote is offline  
Likes For Koyote:
Old 11-01-22, 06:46 AM
  #21  
Reflector Guy
Senior Member
 
Reflector Guy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2020
Location: Chicago
Posts: 1,340

Bikes: Bianchi Infinito XE, Via Nirone 7, GT Aggressor Pro

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 599 Post(s)
Liked 1,270 Times in 588 Posts
If we could superimpose the material choices here onto a thread about chain lubes.... It'll be like discovering plutonium by accident!
Reflector Guy is offline  
Old 11-01-22, 06:49 AM
  #22  
datlas 
Should Be More Popular
 
datlas's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Malvern, PA (20 miles West of Philly)
Posts: 42,957

Bikes: 1986 Alpine (steel road bike), 2009 Ti Habenero, 2013 Specialized Roubaix

Mentioned: 560 Post(s)
Tagged: 2 Thread(s)
Quoted: 22513 Post(s)
Liked 8,843 Times in 4,113 Posts
Hi! What's this thread about?
__________________
Originally Posted by rjones28
Addiction is all about class.
datlas is offline  
Likes For datlas:
Old 11-01-22, 06:55 AM
  #23  
Shadco 
Resident PIA
 
Shadco's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: City of Oaks, NC
Posts: 842

Bikes: Gunnar Roadie, Look 765 Optimum, Spesh Aethos

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 206 Post(s)
Liked 347 Times in 183 Posts
Originally Posted by Koyote
Umm.,,what?
https://www.bikeforums.net/general-c...safe-ride.html

.
__________________
--
Shad
I knew where I was when I wrote this
I don't know where I am now...
05 Gunnar Roadie Chorus/Record
67'er
Shadco is offline  
Old 11-01-22, 06:58 AM
  #24  
Koyote
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 7,767
Mentioned: 37 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6882 Post(s)
Liked 10,873 Times in 4,637 Posts
Ah, yes. Thanks for the reminder. The OP has offered up so many....umm...interesting posts that it's hard to remember all of them.

Last edited by BillyD; 11-01-22 at 07:35 AM. Reason: Trolling
Koyote is offline  
Old 11-01-22, 07:40 AM
  #25  
BillyD
Administrator
 
BillyD's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Hudson Valley, NY
Posts: 32,901

Bikes: Merlin Cyrene '04; Bridgestone RB-1 '92

Mentioned: 325 Post(s)
Tagged: 2 Thread(s)
Quoted: 11894 Post(s)
Liked 6,490 Times in 3,417 Posts
Let’s not get into past threads, there’s a general rule regarding that level of stirring up stuff. Anybody who doesn’t like the contents of a thread … ANY thread … is free to leave. But you are not free to harass. If one believes a poster is a troll, then leave, don’t feed the troll. Easy peasy.
__________________
See, this is why we can't have nice things. - - smarkinson
Where else but the internet can a bunch of cyclists go and be the tough guy? - - jdon
BillyD is offline  
Likes For BillyD:

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.