Proud Yorkshireman from the UK's answer to Flanders, Calderdale, go check out the cobbled climbs! Hi, I'm one of Cycling Weekly's content writers for the web team responsible for writing stories on racing, tech, updating evergreen pages as well as the weekly email newsletter. This technique is used to give the ability to change the shapes to less traditional styles and using fluid under high pressure allows this. Many frame manufacturers use hydroformed tubes.
This allows the frame to be as light as possible without losing its stiffness. Triple-butted frames will have three different wall thicknesses along the length of tube, still being at its thinnest in the middle. So the top tube will be thinner in the middle than it is at either end (at the head tube and by the seatpost). A plain gauge tube will have the same wall thickness throughout the length of the tube.Ī double butted tube will be slightly thinner in terms of wall thickness in the middle of the tube compared to the two ends. Butted tubes are often talked about but not everyone knows what that means. It is said that 6061 is a little lighter than 7005, though to the everyday rider we are not sure there is a huge difference.Īluminium frames can come with different wall thicknesses too. 6061 is considered the better of the two for being easier and cheaper to work with. Two most common types of aluminium used for bike frames are 60.
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Must-haves with all modern aluminium bikes are a decent full carbon fork and seatpost to help deflect that road buzz. Aluminium bike frames struggle to absorb vibration in the way that steel or carbon ones can. The best aluminium bikes benefit from good performance characteristics but the lower-end ones can still give the harsh ride that aluminium has always been criticised for. Sometimes it's the difference between owning a Shimano 105 bike or a Shimano Ultegra bike for the same money but with a different frame material. This also means a better end product with higher-grade componentry for a cheaper price. The best aluminium bikes are far superior to steel, titanium and lower models of carbon in terms of performance and stiffness so racing them doesn't present an issue.Īs for the price itself, compared to steel, titanium and carbon, aluminium is far cheaper and easier to obtain and mass produce, meaning the cost saving is passed on to the customer. The USP of aluminium is its performance for price. oardman SLR 8.6 at Halfords for £500 The ride of an aluminium frame Routine maintenance is made easier by the external cable routing, making this bike a good option for year round riding. What is nice about this frame, however, is the smooth welds at the seatstay and head tube joins, which really helps make the entry-level bike look like a mid-level machine. Read the reviews: Boardman Road Sport (previous model)īoardman SLR 8.6 is a 6061 alloy frame completed with a lightweight carbon fork and steerer. If you click on this then we may receive a small amount of money from the retailer when you purchase the item. With each product is a ‘Buy Now’ or ‘Best Deal’ link. Here’s our pick of the best aluminium bikes tested.
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If weakened by a crash or impact it can crack and fail and can't be repaired as easily as steel. However, even the best aluminium bikes will be vulnerable to failure over time.
When built into a bike aluminium tubes must be larger in diameter to offset this, but the aluminium bike will still be lighter than the steel one and just as stiff.Īluminium is much more resistant to corrosion and should, if properly looked after, last a long time. The technology has not stood still, meaning that the best aluminium bikes shouldn’t be totally disregarded.Īluminium is about half as strong and a third the weight of steel. However, consider that aluminium as a material far outweighs the sale of carbon and steel. Steel seems to hold this nostalgic memory of great, long, comfortable rides and bikes built by skilled frame builders who put their hearts and souls into their work.Īnd now, in the modern era, carbon-fibre is not only relatively wallet friendly but it can also be made much lighter than aluminium and with aerodynamically superior tube shapes. Before then every winning bike was made from steel and since 1999 every Tour has been won on carbon.Īluminium outweighs the sale of carbon and steelīefore I set off with why the best aluminium bikes should still hold a place in everyone’s heart, I agree it is hard to see past its ‘cheap and cheerful’ image. However, aluminium's time as the top material for road bikes was short lived: the Tour de France was only won from 1994 to 1998 on aluminium bikes. >Icons of Cycling: Sean Kelly's cobble-busting Vitus 979
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