4 ms·
Generally speaking this stiffness is the result of the tube shapes necessary to achieve similar strength and stiffness of a steel frame while weighing less. A
by halbritt 8y ago
Generally speaking this stiffness is the result of the tube shapes necessary to achieve similar strength and stiffness of a steel frame while weighing less.
A perfect example of this is the Cannondale CAD3. It had a massive downtube and huge (straight) seat stays as well. It was extraordinarily stiff and terribly unpleasant to ride, for most. Cannondale improved that to some degree by using S-shaped seat stays on the CAAD4 making the frame a less-efficient conductor of vibrations.
Modern aluminum bikes use hydroformed tubes with optimized shapes and shouldn't really have these problems. Unless you're talking about something with an aluminum fork. That's just a cheap bike. Aluminum forks are terrible.
- specialist 8y ago"hydroformed tubes" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WpGsJKVhZY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WpGsJKVhZY Thank you. I kinda always wondered how bike frames were made. This is really cool.
- johnvanommen 8y agoIt's rare to see a fork that's NOT aluminum. Even "carbon forks" are typically aluminum forks covered in carbon. Source : I've shortened a lot of forks.
- halbritt 8y agoEh... Most steerer tubes are aluminum for exactly the reason that you've shortened a lot of forks. In the field, Joe Mechanic is less likely to screw up an aluminum steerer vs. a carbon one. As to what's rare, hell if I know. Aluminum forks are fairly common on low to mid-tier bikes and the cheap ones tend to suck.
- dsego 8y agoYes, I'm talking about a cheap frame with an aluminum fork.