Compare Carbon Aluminum Bike Frame

The transition smuggler aluminum frame sells for 1999 while the carbon version sells for 2999 a 1000 difference.

Compare carbon aluminum bike frame.

Aluminum mountain bike frames weigh around 1 pound more than comparable carbon frames. The primary difference between carbon and aluminum comes down to weight and ride quality. Sometimes the choice can come down to the material the bicycle frame is made from. That s a 1300 difference.

That begs the obvious question is a 1 5 pound weight saving worth the extra cash. It s worth noting that not all carbon fibre is equal and it s possible that a low grade carbon frame could weigh more than a high end aluminum frame. When considering bikes at an equal price point an aluminum bike will generally have a nicer component spec than a carbon bike. September 9 2020 by.

The aluminum santa cruz bronson frame sells for 1999 while the carbon cc version sells for 3299. The density of modern carbon fiber is about 1 9 g cm 3 compared to aluminum which has a density of about 2 3 g cm 3. The typical aluminum frame possesses a life expectancy of five to 10 years. There are four common materials used to build road bikes.

It s possible for aluminum frames to be built by machine but carbon fiber layup is still done by hand. A carbon bike is generally lighter than an aluminum equivalent. Bicycling bike frames biking carbon bike frame carbon fibre vs aluminum carbon fibre vs aluminum vs steel vs titanium cycling i love cycling. The components factor greatly into how well a bike performs.

It s a relatively light and stiff material and. A lower grade carbon for instance comes with plenty of fillers. Both carbon and aluminum come in different grades. 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.

Aluminum frames possess the shortest fatigue life of any material used to manufacture bicycle frames. Conversely carbon possesses the longest fatigue life. A carbon fibre frame will almost always be lighter than an aluminium equivalent and you ll only find carbon fibre bikes in the pro peloton in part because of the weight benefits. Carbon fiber frames are lighter than aluminum frames because the material is less dense.

However you should mark the word equivalent. 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.