The cost of a mountain bike frame is proportionate to its material, as well as the treatment that material has received. When it comes to mountain bikes, there are 5 types of materials used namely high tensile steel, chromoly steel, aluminum, titanium, and carbon fiber. Increasing the cost of the frame are tubing material treatments oversized diameters, butting, and heat treating.
High tensile steel Found in lower priced mountain bikes is this very durable alloy. More materials are needed to make it stiff enough for bicycle frames because it offers high carbon content and it’s less stiff than chromoly steel, and this in turn will make it heavier.
Trail bikes, city bikes, and entry level mountain bikes is where this relatively inexpensive material is used. Some bikes come in high tensile steel seat tube but others are chromoly seat tube.
Chromoly steel Chromoly, which is short for steel alloy, is best described by its major additives which are molybdenum and chromium. This framing material is the most refined and can give over 100 years of dependable service.
This material, depending on the type of heat treating and butting, can be found in bikes that costs $400-$1500 and even beyond that. The chromoly steel material offers very good durability and a compliant ride characteristic.
More about aluminum Refined the same way as chromoly is aluminum and this has been done for the past 15 years. Various alloys have been developed as well as butting, oversizing, and heat treatment. With dual suspension bikes, aluminum is the preferred material as it’s the stiffest and most cost effective.
Because aluminum is not as stiff as chromoly, it will crack first. 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.
More on titanium The prices for this material has come down over the last few years even though it’s somewhat exotic. It takes longer to weld the tubes to the frames that are made of titanium which is why they remain expensive.
Considered an alloy, it’s normally mixed with small amounts of aluminum and vanadium to give it better weldability and ride characteristics. Unlike chromoly, it’s more compliant and offers better corrosion and fatigue properties.
Your chosen material for your bike would depend on the style you use and where you ride. Almost all materials will last you for years, as long as you take care of your bike and treat the frame with some respect.
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