10 Reasons To Consider Aluminium Over Carbon For Your Next Bike
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- Äas pĆidĂĄn 2. 06. 2024
- The best bike frames are made from carbon fibre. Or are they? Certainly the pros ride carbon because it's stiff, lightweight and can be made into aerodynamic shapes, but is it always better than the alternatives?
Alloy frames have come an awfully long way in recent years in terms of materials and production methods, meaning that at most price points you're better off buying them over carbon. While price is one advantage, Ollie takes us through some common misconceptions in the debate about alloy vs carbon frames, and gives us a few reasons you might prefer alloy.
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Which material do you prefer, carbon or alloy? Let us know in the comments đ
Yeah both my XC bike and roady are alloy đ
STEEL (well steel is an ALLOY right?)
I would consider aluminium for a TT or trail bike, but for any road bike/cx or xc, I'd go for carbon.
Also, my alu commuter bike cost more than my car at the time, which was a 1997 Golf mkIII. âŹ1000 for the bike, and âŹ700 for the car.
Neither the one, nor the other.
STEEL.
Retromodern steel, in fact. (Columbus Gilco and Brain).
After having two aluminium alloy frames and a seatpost broken on me, there is no turning back.
Shiny Alloy for peripherals and wheels only.
I think carbon bikes do look better as everything's seamless but for the performance/price ratio definitely aluminium.
The only reason I need: It's cheaper
And the back up reason: I'm broke
I'm so sophisticated that I chose a 40 year old steel frame
I am in the same boat along with being cheap.
As an 80kg guy that wanted to buy a fatbike for the 20km average speed and the capability of carrying backpacks (my usual load of 5-10kg depending on would I buy grocery or not) when commuting back home from dormitory near University, the 200dollar worth starter all stock one is enough for me. Well atleast enough until graduation and finding a stable enough job during this pandemic. I don't need to be a sophisticated guy that aims for a carbon bike. I just needed a good enough bike.
@@stuvademakaroner9607 then I guess you're even more broke than me if that's what you got. I'm pretty sure I bought an aluminium one and it costed me 200USD if I convert our poor currency to your almighty one.
I'm a realist. I ride fot fun and exercise. I get all that from my old aluminum Cannondale that didn't cost a king's ransom. I'm also cheap and broke. As for that 1 pound or so weight difference, I can do myself a favor by losing about 10 pounds anf come out way ahead!
Honestly, the most important part of the video was correcting the pronunciation
Yeah maybe if you're an English Teacher but really most of us don't care.
As I stated in another thread, it's rich that the Bri'ish are getting upset that North Americans don't pronounce the I in aluminium. Except, over here we spell it aluminum. đ€
Later in the video he told the camera man to "Shu' up." It's "Shut up" thank you very much. đ
@MRGRUMPY53 Listen again at 0:33
@MRGRUMPY53 itâs aluminum.
@@morganwilliams2863 We beat you in a war, so "English" is ours now.
Finally! I knew it all along! Iâve put 12,000 miles on my aluminum road bike and love it. It handles great. Itâs just not worth the extra thousand bucks for about a pound and a half. The components make the bike and if you arenât going to be racing up mountains that little bit isnât going to make a difference. If we are riding for fitness, maybe heavier is better in the long run.
@Ferry Gunadi I have both. Actually 3 bikes. And going to buy new bike. Why not? All bikes are sexyđ
Steel is real
@@sirehan1002 for real men!
@@sirehan1002 my long haul trucker will out live me, by a long way
aluminium*
Just bought a Specialized Allez with rim brakes and Shimano 105. I couldnât be happier. đŽââïžđ
Cost?
@@cloak057 Allez Elite with rim brakes at list price $1,500 USD (no mark up) then I installed a Shimano 105 crankset for about $250. It shifts better than the Specialized crankset, plus I needed a short crank arm anyway. Luckily my local store had one in stock. Looks nice in green.
Fortune to you for actually finding one in stock!
đ€ i use same exact bike and set up!đ€
I love how Ollie is an actual phD in Chemistry! He may not be the fastest presenter but I love how geeky he can be and by far my favourite one. Cheers from Mexico!
I changed the playback speed to 1.5 xso he's just as fast as the fastest.
I bet Ollie is the fastest presenter up a grade. Have you seen videos of him in hill climbing competitions? He's really good.
great review !. in my opinion the carbon frame is light to ride but "heavy" on the mind (you can imagine while riding, jumping but your mind was worried about cracking).
otherwise the aluminum frame is a bit heavy to ride, but "light" on mind...(no worry about anything) đ
so i choosed aluminum series 7.
Light to ride, heavy on the mind. Perfectly put, thank you!
My first true road bike and what I still ride is Aluminium. It was about $1400 new and it's super light weight and strong.
Damn! $1400 is a rip off already
â Weight is overrated â music to my ears!
laughs next to my 80s steelie road bike
You mean 'Overated' as the title screen says? đ€Ł
He's got a point. You're talking about a 300g difference in frame weight. If I REALLY needed that weight saving, I'd get it off my gut for no cost. đ
Very true. I shed 100 pounds in the last year. My CAAD10 is more bike than I'd ever need, especially at 18 lb with c24 wheels. That said, I have a hankering for a carbon aero bike with deep section wheels
the carbon with gutted 300g still wins:)
if you need 300g weight difference, skip dinner,.....
also cyclist used to be quite flexible whit drill,...
Amen!
Carbon still rides less harshly than aluminium.
Just built a 5.5kg caad10. Letâs go!
I have a 10.5 kg aluminum B'twin Triban 3. The one with the carbon fork. I picked it from decathlon about 5-6 years ago for ÂŁ300 quid and it's still going strong. I've had a reletivly big crash on it and I just picked it up and put the chain back on and used some t-cut on the scratches. I dont race so I don't need a 4-5 grand bike, I ride for fitness so I'm ok with the 8 gears as it puts my body out the comfort zone on the many climbs I have here in Scotland and I can certainly keep up with someone on a much more expensive bike through sheer fitness. Half the reason a lot of cyclist are still overweight in my opinion is that they are trying to make their exercise too easy. If it wasn't for this bike I could never have afforded to get into road riding enjoyably
You already typed the gbp symbol but British always wrote quid in addition to it as slang
6061, 4Lyfe! As an American I appreciate the explanation of the pronunciation of 'aluminum'. Laughed so hard I almost had to go to 'the' hospital.
Currently ride with an alumunium frame from Mosso taiwan. Mosso 792pro. 7046 alu, frame weight 1,25kg. The Stiffness & Ride quality is spot on. Better choice than Chinese low end carbon frame.
I have Emonda ALR 5 over 5 years now and I wouldn't change it. Just upgraded to full Ultegra R8000 and new wheels (from racing quattro's to Vision Trimax 35 after just over 15000km)
I would like to see a video comparing carbon vs titanium frames or bikes. And even a ride test and the production process... would be nice!
Love that the Ribble CGR AL featured in this, it has been a wonderful bike for me this last year đđŸ
I agree with everything said. Still want carbon.
@@robbiddlecombe8392 just get a carbon fork then
@@wjkkwjkf2980 i have a carbon frame, seatpost, handlebar, and seat, but still prefer aluminium fork. I hear waaaay more carbon fork failure stories than carbon frame failures, and you rarely hear about aluminium fork failures. Before people say that carbon fork failure risk is negligible if you use proper torque specs: yes, using my torque wrench i use proper torque specs on everything but i still prefer aluminium forks.
@Brother Paul define "better". Better at what, strength to weight ratio?
I'd rather ride aluminium frames than steel frames. Been riding aluminium frames for 20 years, just a recent convert to carbon.
@Brother Paul My 1985 Chromoly bike is still working perfectly. Let's see their carbon fiber bike after 35 years.
One crash and it will be gone. My Aluminum Bike weights less than most newer carbon bikes from canyon and a like, it also already survived 3 crashes with cars with only one shift eye being a little bent.
I have a Ridley carbon bike but previously had an aluminium frame which met my needs totally - so this is a good topic !
What worries me about Carbon is recycling ( pardon the pun ) so you are correct -once again a great point !
Maybe you could explore the ecological impact of carbon frames in some future video ?
Thanks for the video guys. I'm looking forward to change my entry level bike and I'm trying to decide between a better specs aluminum frame or a low specs carbon one!đđŸ
An old Italiano here...who LOVES my 2008 Specialized AL/CF Roubaix. As much as Italia beating England tonight! :-)
Tonight, all Italian cycling men will be riding a far-softer saddle than Fizik ever built. Oohhh yeaahhh.... Haaa
Very well done video. I raced pro in the 1980s on custom made steel bikes. Yes carbon tubes glued into aluminum lugs were available, and aluminum was available, but we all raced with steel. Aluminum then was Canondale and Klein, carbon tubes were just weird and I was not one to use any new technology. So I used steel bikes made to my specifications with Campagnolo Super Record. Tried by me and 1000s of other racers for decades, these bikes were dependable and sprint strong.
But I never liked the bottom bracket flex of steel, even with heavy double butting at the bottom bracket end we get so much flex that sprinting and out of saddle climbing flexed the crank and the front derailleur would rub the chain. Aluminum back then got a very bad rep for being harsh riding. Even today I would not buy a bike with an aluminum fork. So after about 20 years of aluminum frame design and material refinement we get a better bike than steel with aluminum ...just make sure you are getting a steel fork with that aluminum frame!!
So today I continue to ride aluminum frame/steel fork road bikes or aluminum off road bikes with lockout front suspension. I did own a full suspension aluminum bike once, but never again, fat tires of 3 or more inches in width @15psi is the perfect off road bike with no suspension. I have never had a need for carbon, titanium or steel since those old race days. Weight of the bike on my rides alone is inconsequential, even though I live where 4 mountain ranges meet and climbing steep (7 to 19%) and long (10miles) is a way of life here.
Longevity is always a question to me with carbon and titanium, I get about 25,000 miles from steel and aluminum before a frame cracks, don't know if the other materials are better than this. Today my bikes are strong and cheap, I buy $400.00 mountain bikes and convert to the road with heavy duty wheels, 2 inch heavy duty tires, slime tubes, bar ends, aero bars, rear rack and trunk, clipless pedals. Riding has never been so good for me, strong dependable bikes, 8 of them all set up differently for road, off-road, commuting, town chores, fitness, training, transportation of kayak and myself to wilderness. Oh Happy Days...
bmc alr one of the most underrated bike at the moment...
Best alloys : Caad 12/Caad 10/Caad 13/Specialized Allez Sprint/Trek Emonda Alr,Bmc Alr and some others :)
Also giant tcr slr (can be made below 7kg with pedals and cages)
@@roborovski008 yes aluminium.
Those bikes may be or are built in China in factories that make the same frames for other, "lesser" brands. "Open" frames relate to Al as well as carbon. What it comes down to is what was totally missing from the video: the snobbery of name brands/frame material. Some people like to think because they're paying more for a frame due to brand/material, they're getting a better product. Not the case. I have a Al frame that is high end alloy, heat treated, butted and multi-shaped, smooth welds and built in the same factory using the same methods as some of the "top end" Al bikes you mention. My bike also has a combination of Ultegra and 105 components, not Sora and Claris because I didn't pay the marketing tax of popular brands. Know your frames, not brand. And besides, it seems it always needs repeating...it's not the bike!
You need to get off the USA brand marketing train. The higher price you're paying is not for better products, you're paying for the brand name and their marketing budget
@@esstee9595 what frame do you have?
Allez Sprint for the win! Saw a video today about what would you build up for 8k to be a good race bike and one of the two specd an Allez Sprint frame, especially if you use rim brakes the weight difference is almost non existent from a carbon disc bike. Also the Sprint geometry is as aggressive as the Venge and is actually stiffer...
Two more things in aluminumâs favor: Carbon is a lot more sensitive to torque spec and damage to over torquing.
And the dreaded carbon creaks.
Expecting for a solo / long hauling rides with no worries of wrong torque number by what my hands do đ
Yeah. Those effin carbon creeksđ
Aluminium is not impervious to overtorquing damage, either. And creaks... well, aluminium can and sometimes does seize. Or creak, for that matter. It all depends.
@@LeoInterHyenaem but less than carbon
Very interesting video. I love my aluminium frames Orro Terra G. Have to admit that I didnât set out to buy an aluminium frame, it just suited my budget and the bike fitted perfectly but now I have had it two years it suit my requirements perfectly.
I'm considering the same bike. What kind of bottom bracket does the aluminum Orro Terra G come with? I can't find that listed anywhere online. I'm hoping it's threaded
I love my Trek 1500 aluminum frame, that Iâve completely rebuilt with carbon goodies! Also stripped all the paint off it for an incredible polish able look! Saved some weight there too.đ
Excellent presentation, man. I liked it very much. I learned things today!
I know this vid is a year old, but had to offer this. A friend on his Canyon had a simple low-speed crash and snapped his seat stay in half. A few days ago, I was struck by a car while riding my Caad 12. ( Car passed me and then turned across my wheel) I straightened the bars and rode home. I might need some new bar-tape. Even my Hunt Alloy wheels are still straight! If that's not enough, the Caad12 is currently 15.5 lbs! Ultegra mech, rim brake, carbon bars & post. 10,000 miles on it and counting.
Love my 2018 Caad12 105 rim with Reynolds AR41âs
I prefer steel... because, well, probably because Iâm a twat as it turns out ... BUT I love the idea of a resurgence in Aluminium, given the tidal wave towards carbon. In saying that, one of my favourite bikes in one of the first Giant CADEX frames. My deal breaker is horizontal top tube. Has to be horizontal.
Me too, steel is real. Just purchased my steel gravel bike.
Same here, steel gravel bike đ
My steel bike is a hand-me-down from my dad, it's over 20 years old now and the frame is still kicking
with regular maintenance and switching worn out parts steel frames are for an eternity compared to some other materials
It's not the lightest yes, but the best durability you can find imo.
I used to own a cheapo Reynolds 520 frame and it was awesome. Mind you, it was chromoly (sp?) but still on the steel side of things and it was great. I now ride a Triban (aluminium) and it rides great. I also owned a Chinese no name aluminum frame for a while and it was so harsh I thought alu was like that. Aluminium can be quite comfortable if the frame is done right.
Steel for gravel and my road is a Kenisis Alu disc.... It's all about the metal.
great video! another valid point regarding weight savings would be if you looked first at losing weight personally instead of buying a lighter bike -- ie if you could lose 3 pounds would be the same as buying a bike that is 3 pounds lighter.
Removing the front wheel before loading into the trunk of a car can also remove a couple of pounds off the lift. I am thinking of how much easier it is to load the Specialized Crossroads 2.0 into our 2010 Prius with the rear seats folded down by first removing its front wheel so only about 29.5lbs to lift, then put the front wheel and tire in with it, vs the 38lbs mountain bike it replaced. So about 6.5lbs lower lifting mass but very noticeably easier to lift off angle.
Going poo & pee before riding can remove your GVW while riding by a few pounds.
Wearing low mass tight aero clothing can reduce body inducing aero drag by 15% & clothing mass by 50%, improving performance way more than a slightly low mass bike.
Aluminum bikes are more durable, more resilient, tougher, fault tolerant, crashworthy, less fragile, more useful, more practical and less expensive than carbon bikes. Aluminum also highly recyclable, where carbon fiber is not!
I own cannondale caad 10. What a great frame and ride quality! I still ride a Reynolds 853 frameset which still prefer.
A superbly produced video. The presenter is so eloquent. It appears as if he is not reading a script....or is he just really clever at making it appear that way.
The video prompted me to look up ollieâs cv. He does actually hold. PhD in chemistry!
David Nightingale He's a bright boy. If he get's any cleverer, he'll start learning Physics ;)
If you give your aluminium bike to second hand it's literally "recycling"
It's just used by someone else until it's broken. Instead of you using it until it's broken. That's not recycling.
@@manuelelzer2310 you wouldn't get it
@@riyanhashemjamy3091 true
@@manuelelzer2310 re-Cycling
And a good aluminum bike with last a really long time.
The best video I've seen on this channel (and they were all well worth watching). Thank you.
S-Works Allez is my current bike of choice and itâs awesome. 6.9kg and super smooth. As good as the Tarmacâs and Vengeâs Iâve also owned.
Thanks for this vid Ollie. I was, as you know, in two minds as to which material was best for bike frames but you have swung me over to Aluminium........đ€Łđ€Łđ€Ł. Seriously though, from a manufacturers' perspective, Ally frames can be replicated consistently and reliably and with far less staff training. Once the tooling is set up, and the initial operator training, you are good to go. The first frame made on a Monday morning will be as good quality as the last one made on a Friday afternoon. I would not want to pay ÂŁ8000 for a carbon bike frame that was formed on a Friday afternoon lol. 'cos humans. đ
Those are really good points! You should make a post or video!
GCN: aluminium or carbon?
me with a steel frame bike:
My bike weighs 25kg haha
Me too!!
Built up an 80s 531 frame recently and it's a hair lighter than my alu frame / carbon fork main bike, was gutted and overjoyed at the same time.
Up
Everything said here about aluminum is true of steel.
Being of advanced years and having an engineering background, I couldn't agree more. Thought With the previzo that a top end Carbon bike something special to ride. My oldish Giant TCR is a hybrid is quite stiff and very responsive, while my S-Works Venge McLaren (also oldish now) is so much faster. It just is, and my time trial time proove it. My mtb is aluminum for the reasons you mentioned, and while I suffer a little more on the hills, I have witnessed the durability (reliability) first hand. Excellent explanation by the way.
My commuter bike is aluminium, my good bike is carbon. The commuter is also used during the Irish winter in the wet. Works perfectly for me and I love both bikes (Canyon Endurace AL and Canyon Ultimate CF SLX). Big kudos for the aluminium clarification - I should tell my students to listen to the first minute of this video.
My bike may entry level, but 9.97 kg is plenty light for my purposes! Now, I adore hill climbing, but Iâm not out to break records other than personal ones, so a good aluminum frame and carbon fork is quite enough for me! Iâd probably only upgrade solely to get less jumps in between gears and thus smoother shifting, and even then, to an aluminum bike because Iâm no spending the money to get a decent carbon bike.
My current and previous bikes were both alloy, and they were, and are, absolutely brilliant. Carbon may be spectacular when it comes to stiffness and lightness, but it comes with an equally spectacular price premium. So while I may give an envious glance from time to time at carbon bikes with their electronic groupsets, I'm more than happy to gut it out on my alloy frames with the Groupset of the People.
Many modern AL frames are electronic compatible. In fact, Cannondale actually sold a CAAD10 Black Inc in 2013 with Ultegra Di2 and Specialized sold an Allez S-Works with Dura Ace Di2 a few years later. You're running 105...excellent groupset that can deliver the goods as well as any of the costlier groupset.
This is why automakers starter using aluminum long before carbon fiber in BMW i3 and i8 as the first examples of carbon fiber in medium volume production automotive vehicles sold worldwide. The aluminum intensive Ford F150 more than 600lbs lower mass than the mostly steel conventional F150 and gets way better fuel economy.
Very much liked the short excurs into chemistry! Aluminium ftwđđ»
From Canada ..and with 2000$ the cannondale topstone 105 was the best bike I could afford..I rode a more expensive bike as well..not much of a difference but also the fact that you become used to road your own bike..I really happy and agree with everything that was mentions in the video! Kudos to you if you have money for a carbon bike âŠ
The best bike for an average person is an aluminum frame bike with high end drivetrain and carbon wheels and accesories
ALUMINIIIIIUM!!
That's how I like to build mine, at least I don't have to baby the frameset.
I'm not pro .I'm not rich so aluminum better for me.allez sprint going up and downđđđŒ
Totally agree. I have a raw (rawfied by me) merida ride 400 with ultegra r8000, fullcrum nites and thomson comps. Less than 8 kg
@@brunocyclist that looks like an EDM DJ name
As a pedant, your opening diatribe was music to my ears! :)
The discoverer of Al was Sir Humphry Davys, an Englishman who called it first Alumium and then Aluminum. The scientific establishment of the time chose to rename it to Aluminium. Oersted didn't discover Al, he was the first to figure out how to extract the metal from ore.
"The IUPAC has determined either spelling is correct and acceptable. However, the accepted spelling in North America is aluminum, while the accepted spelling just about everywhere else is aluminium." - ThoughtCo
@@stephenwatkins7592 the story is even longer than that!
Davy called it "alumium" first (used in an 1808 paper), then changed his mind to "alumine" in a lecture he gave in 1809, which was published in 1810. He created "aluminum" in 1812 but by then, another scientist, who has seen his lecture, had popularised aluminium which was widely accepted as the same naming format as other Davy discoveries like potassium and sodium. What seems to have happened is the use of aluminum went to the US (Webster has it in his first dictionary of 1828) rather than the commonly accepted aluminium. It only actually became a fixed standard in 1990 by the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry
@@Gobtik and it wouldn't be the only "um" rather than "ium". We have:
Fe - Ferrum
Sn - Stannum
Pb - Plumbum
He way have wanted to follow the pattern of those metals.
@@Gobtik Both versions being officially recognized and fully accepted. I'm sure that throws ignorant twits into a tizzy. But both are inferior to ALUMIUM anyway. Shorter = superior.
@@phnelson033 Let's just call it "Al"
7.07 and 9.30 minutes is my new bike in that colourway with flat bars, delivery August 15th. Can't wait.
I am a proud aluminum rider! Iâve crashed more times than I have ever hoped for and broke a lot of parts but the one thing that never failed me is my aluminium frame.
I have several carbon road bikes but just this week i took my aluminum caad9 out for a road ride because my carbon bikes needed some work. The caad9 has ultegra 11sp now and I was very surprised the bike felt more comfortable than my carbon bikes even despite having a poor set of wheels. Thinking I should upgrade the wheels and sell the carbon bikes.
Most German speakers abbreviate it to just "Alu", eliminating any pronunciation discussion ;-)
Yah!
How'd you pronounce that?
@@baronvonhoughton a long a then a lu like in Marylu. A-lu
@@baronvonhoughton Flat germanic A like the first A in Abba (the band), "lu" like "lue" in "blue" but a rather short "u".
@New Gamboge "Cola-Dose" for an aluminium bike frame? Well if it's red with white round-ish text ...
I admire this gentleman! The way he speaks is interesting but more intriguing is his interest in facts and the research he puts into achieving this information! I have heard âAluminiumâ spoken about, many times and I just thought âAluminumâ was being mispronounced. So, being informed of the correct method to refer to this alloy is most appreciated! I love these videos! I presently own an Aluminum bike and a Carbon Fiber one. I was on the fence because to me, the Aluminium seemed more comfortable, whereas many people said the opposite, Carbon Fiber would be! Carbon seems stiff to me and I donât know! I rode alloy bikes my whole life. I rode, mostly Aluminium and Titanium. I prefer the Aluminium bikes of today, as a colleague of mine pointed out that todayâs technological advancements have created, thinner-walled, more compliant, comfortable Aluminium frames. I agree. My Cannondale R3000 was a beautiful but punishing frame to ride! My Specialized Aluminum frame is more comfortable, 20 years later. Carbon is nice, fast and light but Iâm still unconvinced!
My carbon mtn bike frame (3 yrs old) broke in two places last Oct. I was not even going crazy downhill. I went with Aluminium frame with all upgrade components. So far so good!
Everything still working fine a year later I'm willing to bet!.. I love my carbon components, but they're kinda replaceable, the frame though?...I want that to take a beating and bounce back.. road bikes I'd have a carbon frame gravel too anything else I want 'loominum.
I tried to tell you, stay out of those places!
Probably a hairline crack that got worse over time. Thatâs the problem with carbon, the cracks manifests. Metal alloy doesnât die to different chemical structure
Love the "Aluminium" clarification at the outset. Game, set, match - Ollie for the win!
He actually does have PhD in chemistry. Never knew!
And clearly not in linguistics.
Incorrect. No game, set or match to begin with. Both are accepted versions officially. Should be ALUMIUM though...it's superior to either.
Ollie just made a whole video about going 30 âmilesâ per hour, which Iâll bet doesnât please the international scientific authorities. If I asked my neighbor to borrow some âaluminiumâ foil theyâd stare at me as if Iâd said the temperature in centigrade.
Heck, it just took me three tries to get âaluminiumâ past the spellcheck on my tablet! đ
It's not actually that simple, though. Though a Danish chemist was the first to successfully produce the metal, it had been named over a decade earlier by a British chemist, who initially referred to it as "alumium" in his early papers, but eventually settled on "aluminum" in his books.
And while the IUPAC adopted aluminium as the standard spelling in 1990, it added aluminum as an acceptable variant in 1993.
I go Ti , just gets prettier as it ages
Me too, been real fun as my fork, cassette, chain (of course), and rims/hubs have all worn out this past year, coinciding with the huge jump in prices. At least my frame will probably outlast me.
Love my 2017 CAAD12. Got to where it weighs 17.5 lbs with pedals. It's a beast. The frame is a timeless beauty and truly something to admire and marvel at.
Caad 13 is even better
I got my 2009 Cannodale CAAD 9, weighs less than 7.5kg with carbon wheels, seat and post. White with red labels, it is a head turner, as it is the last of its kind.
Good video đ. Very informative, and to the point.
Love my Allez Sprint. Cool pulling up to local Critériums and seeing 5 more, too.
My Allez Sprint has big ol dent in the seatstay. Been crashed several times. The only thing I sweat about is the carbon fork.
@@404nobrakes Iâm more scared of the seatpost cracking, the fork can be replaced far easier Iâd imagine than a Venge seatpost
If you wanna freak out less, buy Aluminium. Most Al frames are like just less than .5kg heavier...
i always thought it wasnt just about the weight, but instead about the ride feel and vibration dampening properties of carbon...?
@@StevenHartono ride feel gotta be great on those 5k frames. But I just dont like worrying about rub marks and scratches. All depends on your style of life I guess.
Agree. The carbon version of my go-to Al bike is 500g lighter, but costs almost US$1000 more. (Not that you can get either one until summer 2022...)
@@sventice $1000 to save 500 grams? LOL
I have a Tarmac SL7 (incredible bike), but the Allez Sprint is still the best Bang for Buck bike you can get.. is very aggressive though, so may not be the best Daily Rider that's all. When frame sets start becoming more readily available, I'll definelty be getting myself one.
My first road bike was a Trek 2300. It's a composite bike with lugged carbon on the top tube, seat tube, and down tube and aluminum everywhere else. I don't know which of the two materials made it bad or good, I just know I loved that bike for a couple of years, quarks and all.
that bike had horrible lateral stiffness in the bottom bracket. I don't know anyone who enjoyed riding that bike except maybe someone going 15 mph for one hour in a park.
0:39 We call them magnesium and natrium, as they were originally named.
Iâm curious to understand âhow do I spot top-end aluminium and/or cheap carbon?â
price
@@user-hs2hd7wp9g price â quality
Top-end aluminium frames: Smooth welds. Tube hydroforming. Sensible appearance (sloping top tube, etc.).
Low-end aluminium frames: crude, ugly, obvious welds. Little or no hydroforming. Ugly, awkward overall shape. A hideous wedge, crudely welded under the head tube / down tube junction for extra "support", to compensate for the lack of budget for R&D.
A few examples of quality aluminium bikes:
- LiteVille 4-ONE Mk1
- Trek Ămonda ALR 5 Disc
- KOGA Colmaro
- Cannondale TopStone Al
- Evans Cycles Pinnacle Arkose
The most obvious examples of đ© aluminium bikes are supermarket bikes.
i have had my GT Elite Carbon bike now for a year. Its a gravel bike but works great on road has well, not fitted any slick road tyres on it yet but it can take from 27 to 34mm tyres it came with 32mm gravel tyres. Also the thing with the GT the sit post is made of fibreglass it has 20/30mm travel so acts has suspension AWESOME off road. It cost me NEW ÂŁ1800. Which I don't think bad for what I got. Hopefully years of riding on/off rd. :) & no cracks in frame But insured for that anyway. I have to say my mates Ally bike tear drop shape when lifting it is lighter than mine but that is due to my tyres & think Hydraulic Disc brakes, if I slimmed sown my bike it would weight near the same has his because frame alone is light than 1KG bag of sugar . :) ENJOY ya Shows at GCN and Ollie does come out with some great stuff even if the weight don't count it does sometimes LOL đČđČđČđČ
Very happy with my aluminum road bike - and this video confirms what i was thinking when I made that decision.
I love how you backed up absolutely everything đđ I'm happy with my Trek Domane AL5. Yes it weighs 10.4kg, but it handles the UK's destroyed roads beautifully! 32mm tires for the win.
Got the emonda alr5. My first bike. Great machine. Yeah Iâll probably get a ridiculously expensive carbon bike one day. But for now the emonda alr5 suits me just great
@@theRealDavidn I also have a trek alr, that i have built up from the frameset, it have a ultegra groubset, 50mm deep wheels and weighs just 7.5 kg.
No need for carbon.
Ditto AL4
10kg 32mm crew reporting in!
Are the roads that bad. I guess traffic volume does it. Some roads like that in NZ too. 32mm tires sound good
This is one of the best GCN videos ever.
This video was just enough to move me towards purchasing an aluminum bike. I was looking for a gravel bike with some average size wheels. At some point weight seemed to be the main factor between the 2 materials, considering the wheels would anyway absorb most vibrations... There's some very good quality aluminim bikes out there, that are simply more durable, easier to transport, more weatherproof and as good looking as some carbon bikes. I'm very happy with my hydroformed aluminium Bianchi Impulso Allroad, which weighs 9.6kg without pedals. Endurance saddle, redshift stem, 3bars pressure and it rides super smooth on and off road. I could have saved 1kg (maybe less) by spending 1500 more, definitely not worth it. Ah and I can fix it with basic tools in my garage, no need of torque wrenches. Also I can slam it on the bike holder and grab it on my shoulders without thinking I'll crack it...
I have two Trek Alpha Aluminum Bikes; One Road, one mountain. I have been riding them for 20 years. Love 'em. I also have an older Cervelo Soloist Team CSC Aero, last year of the Aluminum frames. Dura ace and also 20ish years old. Keep your Carbon, these are tough through all of my riding, all of my crashing.
Thanks Ollie...I learned about the fragility of Carbon the hard way ! A woman slammed a door into mine at a coffee shop , and broke the seat stay in 2 places . Yeah...I've had it repaired. It was expensive , and hard to find shops that do this . I've got 3 bikes , and only the one carbon , which I honestly don't ride that often . Peace...Aluminium is cool
The only reason I'm not getting one.
@@diegoeleazar9154 and a good one. I had no idea
Cannondaleâs CAAD10 was a ridiculously nice frame. The handling was telepathic and would put smile on your face.
I have a CAAD 9, handmade from USA handles perfectly downhill N uphill.
Received my new Ribble CGR AL yesterday, with carbon seat post and carbon handlebars. Have yet to have a ride on it. Sadly could only afford Tiagra group set, but hey I'm not a pro. Fitted lights, computer and saddle bag this morning, so now looking forward to my first ride.
Iâve just ordered (last week) a Ribble AL Disk with 105âs, Ksyrium wheels, Schwalbe pro one tyres, carbon seat post for delivery May/June next year. I was going to order the carbon frame R872 but delivery was quoted as November 2022 eek! To be honest Iâm happy with my choice and donât think there be a lot in it especially for someone with my riding ability and age! đđđ
The carbon frame of my brother's bike was cut in two. By a small incident. For many, the cost aspect becomes important.
Iâll tell you what, Oli. Iâll ride an aluminium bike when you do đ
THANKS for trying to educate people per the correct pronunciation of aluminuminuminum. I gave up and just moved to using the prior gibberish when referring to the metal. Kudos to Dr. Ollie with the maths lesson. I learn a lot from most of your ramblings. My experience is; my aluminuminuminum bike's 'flex' makes it a bit more forgivable on uneven pavements in the USA. I also love my carbon fibre, but I feel every bump in the tarmac when I ride it.
I have a Trek 1.5 compact alpha. Aluminium frame with fairly basic entry level group set etc. I changed out the original wheels for some expensive ones and it transformed the bike.
Hahaha that cut to Ollie in a lab coat got me
Haven't tried an alum frame lately, but going from my 2004 Fuji Roubaix (AL) to 2016 Fuji SL (Carbon), was a huge difference in handling, acceleration and comfort. But still have special fondness for my very old Holdsworth 521 frame
Thanks for the video. Reasoned and sensible.
Helpful. Thank you!
Educational and entertaining. Thanks Ollie!! Nicely done.
Nearly all the "for parts" frames sold cheap are carbon. Once it broke, its premium price suddenly vanishes. And I guess most folks don't want to ride a repaired CF frame. Its like buying a written off car that's been repaired: yes it's cheap, but can you trust it?
Carbon repairs, if done properly are even more solid than the original product. It's also so much more sustainable than trashing it, for some potential additional grams. It has been done for years in the nautic industry. Few years back I had a Canyon Strive CF frame fixed on the bottom bracket area. I've been racing it on Mountain of Hell, Enduro races and bike parks for 2 years then sold it. It's still riding strong 6 years later. So yeah; you can trust it, and no you can't fix an aluminium frame the same way.
@@BastienChanot I disagree. While carbon repair is magnificent in its own right, it can't and shouldn't be "more" solid than the original product. Depending on the carbon fiber's original structure, the repair should be of the same exact quality-- nothing more, nothing less. The reason being is if the structure on that surface area you patched is different from the original, there will be an inconsistency in stress distribution and may even weaken the component as a whole.
@@BastienChanot carbon is a shit material. Once crashed trash it
@@krugz_ I agree, on paper. Now in real life most cabon bikes, or components in general are rated for a 125kg system with aggressive use / acceleration / stress that most of us never reach. And in real life an imperfect - by nature - repair mostly allow for a full use of the component for many additional years; something that can't be said for aluminium. Of course AL has a LOT going for it like recycling that carbon don't. Just saying that it's THAT more important to consider carbon repair before trashing it because that shit is toxic as hell for the environment.
@@Nivacromcolumbus you should google "carbon repair", that's some work of art
excellent video, many thanks
Great video! I have a lowly TCR (Carbon) and a Contend AR1 (Aluminium), and I love them both - apart from, of course, the geometry, I can't tell much difference. AR1 feels, in certain situations, even better.
My Cannondale aluminum frame is 25 years old, with a few dents, scratches and gouges it's still going strong. I am utterly convinced the carbon equivalent would fail within the first 10 years
Aluminium
@@WildernessMusic_GentleSerene you're right, but I'm not sure why you respond to my message, which was a not so serious correction of the usage of the name 'Aluminum'.
All frames fail with stress and mileage. Two steel and two aluminum bikes I pushed to far (too many miles) failed on the road, fortunately the frame though cracked was able to limp home. Now when a bike has 25,000 miles on it, I retire it, and buy a new one. Carbon I never tested because it is expensive and useless for a recreational rider. ( I ride a thousand miles a month, train intensely, and am a 200 pound body builder highly skilled at cycling, road professionally in the mid 1980s before full time weight lifting ).
Depends on how you treat your bikes. 2003 Aluminum Specialized - I broke it. 2005 Carbon Specialized Roubaix - still have and is now my daughters bike. 2011 Trek Madone 6.5 - still ride it and it has about 50k miles on it. I suppose if I was crashing or getting hit by cars all the time, none would last all that long.
@@vancelray Also depends on rider weight, skill level, strength/power, road conditions, terrain, level of training, whether sprint training is used. 25,000 miles is the most I have a gotten from a frame, aluminum or steel.
Finally somebody explores the hype of carbon fiber bicycles. For your average rider aluminium is the perfect frame material. Steel ( my Breezer Venturi) & titanium also have their place in the world of cycling. For a lot of bike riders it is often a matter of price.
Well, best of the best bikes are carbon,... if you need it,... for me personaly? Aluminium si good enouth,...
@@marianmarkovic5881 At what price & durability?
When I decided it was time for N+1 I started looking at Carbon, but was quickly convinced that Aluminium would better suit my needs. Chose the frame, drove 200m round trip for a test ride... but delivery offered for a new one of my chosen model was January 2022. Meanwhile I got a new Carbon frame with slightly imperfect paint, but spot on geometry for ÂŁ350 less than the aluminium one. Just waiting a couple more components and finishing off the cabling, wrapping the bars and I should be riding it before the month is out.
My 1st bike ever was a allez sport.. then I had a trek madone sl6 and it was a amazing bike dont get me wrong but it was a bit too aggressive geometry for me. Sold it and been look at trek domane sl5 but honestly I'm getting drawn back to another specialized allez but this time a sprint comp. Amazing bike ,good price and the riding i do around NYC im afraid for carbon in regards to potholes or accidents in this concrete jungle
Loving my CAAD12, amazing ride quality and ofcourse an amazing looking frame
Agreed! When a frame is as good as the Caad12 who needs carbon!
I love my caad12. Truly an all rounder
Caad13 after having carbon. Won't go back.
Same here. Caad12 after BMC carbon.
I have a caad9. Is it night and day as fast as weight, stiffness and comfort? Caad11 vs 12 vs 13?
I have a carbon, aluminum and a steel bike, my favorite by far to ride is the 40 yr
old Italian steel one.
Of course. And as it should be. Steel is king.
@@t.c.9838 depends on the terrain, my 13kg Genesis steel gravel frame doesn't enjoy the hilly roads where I live.
You still need a titanium frame. :-)
The next video can be why steel is better then aluminum
love my Columbus tube, Campy CIOCC from the 80s
I built up a Trek Emonda ALR rim brake bike a few years ago - weighs 15 pounds on the nose (a disc brake version would prob be at least a pound heavier), handles great and feels good/snappy/lively.
Love this makes me feel good about my Trek Domane AL4!!
Thank you for this. I bought a Trek Domane AL5 last summer for under $2000 USD and I couldn't be happier. Aluminum frame, 105 groups...it's the bike of the people! The tires are 700x32 and at 70-75 psi it's quite a comfortable ride!
I bought the same bike and it is ze bike. You put carbon wheel on that and your flying my friend
Liking the feel of your bike is #1, price and materials shape geometry #2...the bike you like is the bike you ride!! All the rest is just word theory into a hurricane!!
Did you test ride the sl5?
@@MrSnazzy682 I great rode the Emonda in carbon. And I've ridden other carbon bikes over the past few years. Clearly it's a subjective thing, but I just don't like the experience. And I've never heard or read anyone else identify a certain "sound" of metal vs non-metal bikes, but: carbon bikes "sound funny". Plus I think they feel "dead" or "flat". I don't know how else to explain it. When I ride steel - I just feel like I'm more "part of the bike" . I'm not sure I can accurately describe the feelings any more than that. And for the money - it's not worth it to spend maybe 2x the $ to enjoy my ride less. And if money were no option, I'd just have a frame builder make me a steel bike - which they can do for less kg than carbon.
@@richardwitt8248 ok thanks for your insight
Caad12 rim is the best aluminium bike money could buy
I had a Klein Rascal aluminum bike (that's 25 years ago) and that was then state of the art and it drove fantastically. Today I have a high-end carbon enduro bike, Mondraker Foxy RR, which I also like very much. But I drove an aluminum bike from Liteville in the spring and that puts everything in the shade. Very clear. The next bike is an aluminum bike.
Can you review your top picks for top end aluminum bikes for this year and of all time?
I agree with this from experience. Try riding a Cannondale CAAD 10/12/13. It's an eye opener. I went from AL to carbon and back to AL. I only do Dura Ace builds, so cost isn't my reason for doing this.
Why do You went back to alloy frame?
@@Pablo_Coach I rode carbon for eleven years. My last carbon bike, before I switched to AL, was 2011 Felt F1. That bike set me back $12k. I rode CAAD10 and was amazed at how well it performed. In 2013, I was in a bike accident that had me off the bIke for almost a year. Once I was cleared, I had a 2014 CAAD10 frame built like the top level Black Inc model, but with Dura Ace 9000 and Mavic Cosmic SLS wheels. I loved it so much, I bought a second one in 2015. Similar build, but with Hollowgram SiSL2 crankset and Mavic Ultimate wheels. In 2020, I decided to buy a SS Evo HM Dura Ace- a carbon bike. I was not that impressed with disc brakes. It stopped me very well, but so do Dura Ace rim brakes. I live in So. Cal, and I rarely ride in the rain, plus we rarely get it. In fact most cyclists don't ride in the rain. As for descending, there is a technique for that. Or, go with alloy brake track rim brake wheels . Then you won't have an issue.
Been doing it for years without issue to my carbon wheels.I sold the SS Evo and am currently building a CAAD12 Black Inc frameset I found NOS. Looking forward to riding it. The SS Evo HM didn't ride that much smoother than my CAAD10s. There was a noticeable difference on rough roads, but not that much. In fact, the CAADs felt more responsive IMO. As a seasoned crit racer, high end modern AL just works for me. High end carbon is exceptional, but most people aren't riding bikes with 5-figure price tags. More often than not, it's riding carbon for the sake of carbon. I race, do century rides, etc. My CAADs deliver and I don't feel any more tired than on carbon. The stigma the industry has given to AL is that it is inferior to carbon. That's just not the case. Most people who start with AL and move to carbon start with entry level bikes. That means.lower quality wheels and tires, plus entry level components elsewhere. Throw some higher end components on an AL frame and the difference is night and day. AL is still a great material.
@@terbennett thank You for answer, I understand Your reasons. What do You think about steel frames with sporty geometry?
@@Pablo_Coach Steel needs no intro. A performance steel bike is killer! You won't be disappointed. In 2016, a buddy of mine built a Fairdale Goodship frameset and built it with a Dura Ace 9000 and midlevel wheels. Bike weighed 16 lbs....for steel! The only carbon outside the Dura Ace parts were the Enve fork the frameset came with the seatpost and the midlevel wheels.
@@terbennett so You prefer steel over Carbon ?
Olie the nerd you are.. jus love u for the way u present things . Amazing clarity u give throught ur hours of effort behind the scene.
Sometimes unnecessary đ€Ș but we love u anyway.. keep it up đđ
haha! thanks pal!
Love the semi-rant Dr B!