steel vs ali vs titanium, pro's and cons of each??

[jax13]

as someone who has ridden a fair few bikes over the years but never done any competitive riding or properly hard / technical downhill stuff could someone explain the benefits of each frame type to me.

I have owned ali & steel in the past, my gringo is ali and i do like it, i've just bought a steel bianchi which I am yet to ride but am sure i will find it just as 'bicycle-esque'

I understand the basic principles of ali being lighter than steel but not quite as strong so needs slightly bigger tubing, titanium being the best of both words etc. but for the other things, what does a steel frame do in the real world that an ali or Ti won't? (apart from rust!!)

 

[xerxes]

Sheldon says: http://www.sheldonbrown.com/frame-materials.html

 

[Harryburgundy]

In my most humble and not very experienced opinion....the argument for/against any type of frame material is almost bogus. Some frames just ride really nicely...despite the frame material. They may not be the lightest, or most expensive or most desirable... but ride light and ride well.
Apart from the benefit of longevity, I'm not convinced Ti is the wonder frame. I have had a few...some have been good, one I found completely wooden in feel (Litespeed).
M2 aluminium frames are superb...but I remember an early Canondale I had was hard as.
For me...steel almost always gives a nice ride...good steel of course and a good design.
Tuppence worth

 

[Snaffs]

I think a lot of the steel v everything else debate might be valid with road bikes, but on an MTB the tyre pressure/size is going to make more difference to feel. With suspension it must be an even harder call.

BUT, I know the 1990 Raleigh I just bought is much more comfortable on the 15 mile off-road commute than the 2009 alloy Scott hybrid I had. I even put the same wheels on the Scott to make sure it wasn't those. Sold the Scott. The 501 'gaspipe' Raleigh is better for me.

 

[jax13]

just read that sheldon page and it explains it all pretty damn well! a good read.

as mr burgundy said and i assumed, its probably more to do with dimensions of the design than the material that makes frames feel different.

 

[Splatter Paint]

Steel: Cheap (generally), forgiving to ride, but heavy.
Aluminum: Cheap, light, very rigid.
Titanium: Expensive, flexy (in my experience), not as nice to ride as a good steel frame. Utterly beautiful though.

For comparison some frames I've owned:

1992 Orange Prestige, steel (19") - 2kg, £50 (used)

2005 Kona Cinder Cone, aluminium (19") - 1.8kg £58 (used)

2007 Van Nicholas Zion, titanium (18") - 1.6kg £600 (new)

I enjoyed the Prestige the most, the Cinder Cone replaced the Van Nich as I didn't like the flex and the Prestige because I wanted to run a 4" travel fork. I've just bought a steel Marin frame that can take the fork now

SP

 

[orange71]

^^^what HB said. In my (2 frames) experience of titanium I have been disappointed. One was a cheap frame the other a top end.

Aluminium just too stiff for my liking.

Steel is just right - but only with the right frame.

For me anyway

 

[ededwards]

Sorry to come at a slight angle, but I'm wondering whether the less than stellar experience with ti frames described above is due to media enhanced expectations that can't be met in the real world - "wonder material", "magic carpet ride" etc.?

This is not to challenge your experiences - you've been clearly underwhelmed - but it is a thought. A tenuous comparison is with Michael Mann's 'Heat'. I was a huge fan of 'Manhunter' and the reviews looked great but when I saw 'Heat' in the cinema I was seriously disappointed. Having watched it repeatedly in the intervening years I'd put it in the handful of my favourite films and am convinced that my initial reaction was due to totally unrealistic expectations - no film could be possibly live up to the ideal of 'Heat' that I had in my mind.

Do I have a point here? Possibly not and apologies for going off topic.

 

[barry2017]

^^what he said^^

I think people expect too much from their bikes.

Ultra lightweight, yet so strong it'll still be being used in 100 years. Stable and comfortable, yet at the same time utterly responsive.

It's best to just have one bike that really fits you and you can ride well. Beyond that, everything else is marketing.

 

[Tazio]

My bike is aluminium and weighs bugger all. It handles incredibly and is "twitchy" in a good way. And right now on highly inflated slicks on potholed city streets is slowly but surely pulverising my spine. I'm planning a SS or limited bike for commuting soon and I think I'll be going steel for it.

I love the handling and lightness of the ali but I can feel the stiffness which comes straight up the seatpost, though I have cro-mo rigid forks and would swear I can fwwl the difference at the front end.