Carbon Vs Aluminum Bike Frame Mtb

Most bike frames will be made of either steel titanium aluminum or carbon fiber steel and titanium are the most popular options for custom and handmade bike building.

Carbon vs aluminum bike frame mtb.

Most of the bikes ridden at world cup enduro world series level will be carbon although it isn t ubiquitous but it would be simplistic and maybe even wrong to say that carbon is objectively better. That begs the obvious question is a 1 5 pound weight saving worth the extra cash. The vast majority of modern bikes however will be made from aluminum or carbon fiber. Let s take a look at the advantages and disadvantages of each material.

Mountain bike frames made of carbon are certainly more expensive than aluminium ones but for example carbon wheels can be almost 7 times more expensive than their alloy equivalents. They are actually aluminum alloy frames made using various alloys of aluminum. Sometimes the choice can come down to the material the bicycle frame is made from. Steel is an alloy titanium frames are already mentioned above.

Conversely carbon possesses the longest fatigue life. Carbon comes in stiffer than aluminium so if you want a razor sharp ultra responsive ride then it s the best choice especially if you re a cross country racer. The aluminum santa cruz bronson frame sells for 1999 while the carbon cc version sells for 3299. Aluminum frames possess the shortest fatigue life of any material used to manufacture bicycle frames.

Having said that bamboo is a legitimate bike frame material. These are kind of a novelty at this point. Ride quality is more noticeable on road frames than mountain frames with vibrations being damped by carbon more so than aluminum. There are two main frame materials you will encounter when deciding to buy a mountain bike carbon and aluminium.

Carbon frames are usually a bit lighter than aluminum up to a pound for mountain frames and up to a half pound on road frames. Heat pressing drilling demolding de flashing finishing etc. The typical aluminum frame possesses a life expectancy of five to 10 years. For more info check out my carbon fiber vs aluminum frame guide.

Most bamboo bikes are made by starting with strong bamboo poles then binding the joints together with fiber and resin. These joints are similar to carbon fiber. Steel aluminium titanium and carbon fibre and the material can influence the ride and purpose of the bike so it s good to know the key differences before you make a decision. But for enduro trail and downhill.

The transition smuggler aluminum frame sells for 1999 while the carbon version sells for 2999 a 1000 difference. Most manufacturers provide a lifetime warranty on carbon frames.