Bike Steel
Why are steel bike frames considered to be better in structure than carbon?
Like we all know that materials range in price like so- carbon aluminum and steel. and there is titanium somewhere near carbon.I'm actually what are the titanium bikes specifications and why are they so expensive, but lets get back to the question. So they say that steel frames absorb vibrations better and they make bikes slower when carbon is hard and just goes fast but bumpy. So the old dogs say that carbon sucks in durability-lasting only 5-10 years when steel last 40 years if kept good. So if we forget about the performance which of the 2 materials is better and could you please add sth about titanium because i have never even seen a titanium bike not to mention what are its specs?
special question for Bikeworks but try if you can do any better!
AND not to forget WE ARE NOT comparing performance-we all know that carbon is way better in that
Sorry about the delay in getting this answer done.
Lets first say that carbon fiber (CF) is not better in performance than steel. I will concede that it's different, not better. My current preference is actually magnesium right now but I'll not give up my steel bikes!
It's true that the CF COMPOSITE, IN THEORY, will not last as long as steel inasmuch that the epoxy that holds the stuff together tends to develop microcracks. The CF doesn't fail, the glue does. The problem is, when CF fails, it fails in a big way. I would never say that steel is more compliant than CF but if not laid up correctly it will result in a sloppy ride. Many of us can recall the early experiments with CF (ala Exxon Graftek) and Ti (Teledyne Ti). Lucky for us that the world wasn't as "sue crazy" as we are now. I recall during that same time I had a steel bike whose tubes were drawn so thin that you could squeeze them and watch them flex. That one didn't last long. I also have a few examples of the Lambert, a beautiful handbuilt 4130 frame with a cast aluminum fork, now called the "death fork"... every material has it's growing pains.
Here are some links about the "short and sweet" of the 3 materials you mention... go to the Archives and Esoterica section of http://thecheapbikeshop.com and click on the appropriate links.
I hope this helps a bit... there is just too much to comment on when it comes to frame materials.
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