Zarnoff Bike Blog
8Sep/090

Framing Materials Of Your Mountain Bike

The cost of a mountain bike frame is proportionate to its material, as well as the treatment that material has received. Currently, there are five types of material used in mountain bikes - high tensile steel, chromoly steel, aluminum, titanium, and carbon fiber. Oversized diameters, heat treating, and butting are tubing material treatments that will increase the cost of a frame as well.

High tensile steel This is a very durable alloy that's found in lower priced mountain bikes. It offers a high carbon content which makes it less stiff than chromoly steel, so more materials are needed to make it stiff enough for bicycle frames, which will in turn make it that much heavier.

Relatively inexpensive to produce, you'll find this material in trail bikes, city bikes, and even entry level mountain bikes. There are some bikes that come with a chromoly seat tube, while the rest is high tensile steel.

Chromoly steel Short for steel alloy, chromoly is best described by its major additives - chromium and molybdenum. This is probably the most refined framing material, giving over 100 years of dependable service.

Depending on the type of heat treating and butting, you can find this material in bikes as low as 400 dollars all the way up to 1,500 and beyond. The chromoly steel material offers very good durability and a compliant ride characteristic.

Aluminum For the past 15 years, aluminum has been refined in pretty much the same way as chromoly. There have been various alloys developed, as well as heat treatment, oversizing, and butting. With dual suspension bikes, aluminum is the preferred material as it's the stiffest and most cost effective.

Aluminum is stiffer than chromoly, and therefore it will crack before chromoly. Of course, this depends on how you ride and how much abuse you give the frame. The advantages of aluminum is that the frame is very light and very stiff through oversizing or butting.

Titanium Even thought it's somewhat exotic, the prices for this material have come down over the last few years. Frames made of titanium remain expensive because it takes longer to weld the tubes to the frame.

Titanium is considered an alloy, normally mixed with small amounts of vanadium and aluminum to give it better weldability and ride characteristics. More compliant than chromoly, it offers better fatigue and corrosion properties.

The material you choose for your bike, all depends on where you ride and what style you use. Almost all materials will last you for years, as long as you take care of your bike and treat the frame with some respect.

Proactol
9May/09Off

Free Article About Mountain Bike Frames

tubeless mountain bike tires

You will find the cost of a mountain bike frame is proportionate to the material it’s made from, and the treatment the substance has been given.  Currently, there’s five types of substance used for bikes - high tensile steel, chromoly steel, aluminum, titanium, and of course carbon fiber. Extended diameters, heat treatment, as well as butting are tubing material treatments which will increase the overall cost of the frame as well.

High tensile steel

Here is a highly sturdy alloy that's employed in lower priced mountain bikes.  It provides a raised carbon count which makes it less stiff than chromoly steel, therefore addtional materials are required to make it tough enough for bicycle frames, and that will in turn make it that much heavier. Broadly speaking inexpensive to make, you will realize this material in trail bicycles, city bicycles, and actually entry level mountain bicycles.  There are some bikes which are made with a seat tube made from chromoly, while the rest is high tensile steel.

Chromoly steel

Abridged for steel alloy, chromoly is better known by its dominant additives, chromium and molybdenum, this is probably the highest refined framing substance, providing well over one hundred years of dependable service.  Based on the kind of treatment and butting, you can locate this material in bicycles as low as four hundred dollars and even up to 1,500 and beyond.  The chromoly steel material renders very good durability and a good ride distinction.

Aluminum

For the last 15 years, aluminum has been treated in pretty much the same way as chromoly.  There’s been various alloys developed, in addition to heat treating, oversizing, and butting.  With dual suspension system bikes, aluminum is the preferred material as it's the toughest as well as most cost effective.  Aluminum is stiffer than the material chromoly, and as such it will crack faster that chromoly, but of course, this reckons on how you cycle and how much abuse you give that frame.  A advantage of aluminum is the fact that the overall frame is very light and quite sturdy throughout.

Titanium

While it's a bit outlandish, the prices for this metal have come down over the past few years though frames made of titanium remain costly as it takes longer to weld the tubes to the frame.  Titanium is thought of as an alloy, commonly combined with small portions of vanadium and aluminum to provide it better weldability as well as ride aspects.  More amenable than chromoly, this supplies greater fatigue as well as corrosion features.

The material which you choose for the bicycle, all depends on where you’ll bike and what style you utilize. Almost every material will last you for several years, as long as you care for your bicycle and be respectful of it.

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