4 ms·

Out of curiosity, why would you opt for a steel frame? Durability?

midoridensha 3y ago
There's a few reasons some people prefer steel. 1) You can weld it pretty easily, if your frame cracks. I guess this is nice if you're bikepacking through Nepal or something, but I don't really see the practicality for normal people. 2) It's cheap (well, not any more). 3) It's more flexible than aluminum, so some people prefer the way it rides. These days, I'd say #3 is the only really valid reason for most people. Steel bikes are generally heavier than aluminum however, but it is possible to get them close if you use a high-grade cromoly steel, but then that removes most of the cost advantage.
- chasontherobot 3y ago
  #1 matters if you want to own and ride a bike for a few decades, which used to be a relatively common thing.
  - midoridensha 3y ago
    I've seen no evidence that aluminum bikes don't last a few decades. Frame failure is not a common failure mode in bicycles.
    - wiredfool 3y ago
      I've had two frames fail with fatigue cracks at ~ 10k miles or less. One steel (at the chainstay bridge weld) and one aluminum (at the seat tube/bottom bracket weld).
- Xylakant 3y ago
  Not only can you weld steel, it also is more forgiving in the failure mode. Steel bends and the damage to the frame is better visible (and could be corrected, if you prefer so) while aluminum frames can develop hidden defects and catastrophically fail.
- Qwertious 3y ago
  #4: steel bikes have a lower carbon footprint than aluminium bikes.
  - gambiting 3y ago
    In like........any measurable way? I'm not being funny, I'm honestly curious.
    - smorrebrod 3y ago
      The lowtech magazine published this number¹: > Scientists have calculated the lifetime carbon emissions of a steel bike at 35 kg CO2, compared to 212 kg CO2 for an aluminum bicycle. [1] https://www.lowtechmagazine.com/2023/02/can-we-make-bicycles-sustainable-again.html https://www.lowtechmagazine.com/2023/02/can-we-make-bicycles...
      - gambiting 3y ago
        That's super interesting - it's a lot more than I would have thought it is. Metal is metal, right? Didn't think the difference would be so large.
        midoridensha 3y ago
        I'm not sure on all the particulars, but metals are not the same: some require more energy to work with or to refine than others. Steel (IIRC) needs a lot more energy to melt than aluminum, however I think aluminum requires more energy to extract from ore. Also, IIRC, aluminum needs more energy to weld just because it conducts electricity so much better, even though it has a lower melting point.
        smorrebrod 3y ago
        Contrary to iron, silver or gold, aluminium has to be chemically extracted. The mineral you extract aluminium from is bauxite. This chemical process was mastered so recently that the Washington Monument is tipped with it just to show off. Even then the tip is so small that you can barely see it with your own eyes, but you can see it in Spiderman :) https://thescienceof.org/spider-man-washington-monument/ https://thescienceof.org/spider-man-washington-monument/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPVzP2Jfdgs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPVzP2Jfdgs
aidenn0 3y ago
Durability is part of it, but mainly I prefer the way it rides.
haspok 3y ago
An interesting feature of steel frames is demonstrated by Surly frames: their rear end spacing is currently 145mm, which is neither 142 nor 148 (the standards). What they say is that because it is steel, you can bend it a couple of millimeters without any negative side-effects, the frame will tolerate it and will not break. So your frame can accommodate both sizes.
j-a-a-p 3y ago
From university I learned that aluminium and steel both have around the same weight to strength ratio. The fact they use aluminum for airplanes is that steel will become too thin and is therefor not stiff enough. I think for bikes the opposite matters, with aluminium at required strength you will get a very stiff frame.
deleted 3y ago
[deleted]

There's a few reasons some people prefer steel. 1) You can weld it pretty easily, if your frame cracks. I guess this is nice if you're bikepacking through Nepal or something, but I don't really see the practicality for normal people. 2) It's cheap (well, not any more). 3) It's more flexible than aluminum, so some people prefer the way it rides. These days, I'd say #3 is the only really valid reason for most people. Steel bikes are generally heavier than aluminum however, but it is possible to get them close if you use a high-grade cromoly steel, but then that removes most of the cost advantage.

chasontherobot 3y ago
#1 matters if you want to own and ride a bike for a few decades, which used to be a relatively common thing.
- midoridensha 3y ago
  I've seen no evidence that aluminum bikes don't last a few decades. Frame failure is not a common failure mode in bicycles.
  - wiredfool 3y ago
    I've had two frames fail with fatigue cracks at ~ 10k miles or less. One steel (at the chainstay bridge weld) and one aluminum (at the seat tube/bottom bracket weld).
Xylakant 3y ago
Not only can you weld steel, it also is more forgiving in the failure mode. Steel bends and the damage to the frame is better visible (and could be corrected, if you prefer so) while aluminum frames can develop hidden defects and catastrophically fail.
Qwertious 3y ago
#4: steel bikes have a lower carbon footprint than aluminium bikes.
- gambiting 3y ago
  In like........any measurable way? I'm not being funny, I'm honestly curious.
  - smorrebrod 3y ago
    The lowtech magazine published this number¹: > Scientists have calculated the lifetime carbon emissions of a steel bike at 35 kg CO2, compared to 212 kg CO2 for an aluminum bicycle. [1] https://www.lowtechmagazine.com/2023/02/can-we-make-bicycles-sustainable-again.html https://www.lowtechmagazine.com/2023/02/can-we-make-bicycles...
    - gambiting 3y ago
      That's super interesting - it's a lot more than I would have thought it is. Metal is metal, right? Didn't think the difference would be so large.
      - midoridensha 3y ago
        I'm not sure on all the particulars, but metals are not the same: some require more energy to work with or to refine than others. Steel (IIRC) needs a lot more energy to melt than aluminum, however I think aluminum requires more energy to extract from ore. Also, IIRC, aluminum needs more energy to weld just because it conducts electricity so much better, even though it has a lower melting point.
      - smorrebrod 3y ago
        Contrary to iron, silver or gold, aluminium has to be chemically extracted. The mineral you extract aluminium from is bauxite. This chemical process was mastered so recently that the Washington Monument is tipped with it just to show off. Even then the tip is so small that you can barely see it with your own eyes, but you can see it in Spiderman :) https://thescienceof.org/spider-man-washington-monument/ https://thescienceof.org/spider-man-washington-monument/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPVzP2Jfdgs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPVzP2Jfdgs

aidenn0 3y ago

Durability is part of it, but mainly I prefer the way it rides.

haspok 3y ago

An interesting feature of steel frames is demonstrated by Surly frames: their rear end spacing is currently 145mm, which is neither 142 nor 148 (the standards). What they say is that because it is steel, you can bend it a couple of millimeters without any negative side-effects, the frame will tolerate it and will not break. So your frame can accommodate both sizes.

j-a-a-p 3y ago

From university I learned that aluminium and steel both have around the same weight to strength ratio. The fact they use aluminum for airplanes is that steel will become too thin and is therefor not stiff enough. I think for bikes the opposite matters, with aluminium at required strength you will get a very stiff frame.

deleted 3y ago

[deleted]