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

[jonnyboy666]

i started out as we all did with steel frames as this was the pricepoint i could afford, i then in the late 90's flipped between aluminium and steel, then settled on aluminium for performance reasons, then forayed into a mix of aluminium and carbon frames. i have ridden mostly aluminium frames in the last several years but recently went back to a modern steel frame when i got got my 07 clockwork, this was a nice change but was also a change in position which added to the more compliant feel of the frame.

basically i like steel frames as hardtails as i don't feel beat up by it on longer rides. i find aluminium good for overbuilt full suspension bikes. as far as titanium goes i recently bought my first ti frame, a 95 orange vitamin t2, the first thing i noticed was how flexy it was, initially i thought i was gonna hate it, and on the first ride i thought i did for a while!! that first ride was the "hell of the north cotswolds" but after a while i realised that the best way to ride it was like a soft tail, meaning sat down, if i get out of the sadlle to climb it isn't as efficient but after riding it quite alot now including mayhem i think it is a great material and i would consider buying a modern ti frame(if i could afford it!) although i imagine a modern ti frame would be stiffer in some areas to my 95 frame.

basically my attitude is a horses for courses one!

 

[Neil]

I've always preferred steel.

I've had an alloy framed bike (and for that matter, still got a cheap and nasty one for a hack bike).

Always saw ti as the holy grail where frame materials are concerned, not sure whether I still do. Sure, I get some of the potential advantages, but there are complications (threads).

The thing I like about steel frames - the feel, how the ones I've had seem to ride. As to the weight, well for most decent frames, I think you can build a reasonably light bike. Sure, you may well be always able to build a lighter alloy or ti framed bike, but some steel frames aren't overly lardy.

These days, the thing I most like about them is longevity. Which may sound odd, compared with alloy or ti. Sure, steel can rust - but also can be protected against rust. Steel is easliy repaired or modified. Whereas alloy frames aren't and can go brittle with age.

 

[legrandefromage]

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.

manhunter....

theres two versions of heat btw, one big bucks cinema and a less expensive version L.A Takedown).

Alu frames can be as hard as nails or like a whippet

Steel can be dead as a doornail or God's own bicycle

the one decent ti frame I had was disappointing but that was more to do with this 'suspension corrected' nonsense

 

[REKIBorter]

Having ridden steel, alu and ti frames from the same manufacturer I feel my opinion should be heard. It all depends on the tubeset. High end Tange steel is wonderful stuff. Forgiving, springy but also direct when it comes to steering and getting the power down. Easton Elite has enough flex to dispell the hard ride rumours. Sandvik ti has that magic carpet ride quality without the 'do I have a slow rear puncture?' feel that other ti frames can have. Stiff enough to get the power down and steer in a direct manner but forgiving enough to ride all day.

I datalog all my rides and 8/10 of all my personal bests were achieved when riding my 16 year old ti frame.

To sumarise; it depends on the quality of the tubes and who designed / built them.

 

[Benandemu]

With a wealth of experience riding Ti and steel, I rejected any Alloy frames unless they were linked to suspension.

It is a very interesting point to make that rider style will make the biggest differences in your opinion on these metals.

Steel frames are great to hammer and also compliant when sat on them all day. They give a nice zing to the road or trail, helping you feel what you need.

Titanium frames are quite different and require a adapted style to see their potential. We must note that there is a wide variety of manufacturers who use the stuff in various ways and guages. This does make a clear difference.
They can feel slow and sluggish with their feedback at low speeds, but wind them up on a piece of twisty singletrack and the kinetic energy transmitted through the frame just comes alive and it buzzes with life, demanding more and more speed from the rider. It will certainly soak up more trail buzz than steel, which is why they feel numb low down.
I suppose Ti frames are best when sat on, as they don't feel great out of the saddle.

Choice of bar and seatpost material is just a crucial to fine tune the ride. I love Ti bars with Ti frames, as the experience is enhanced.

Don't assume that good frames are stiff frames. Frames should be as compliant for the rider as much as they are efficent for the job. What is the point of an incredibly stiff bike that transfers every bit of energy when it drains the rider when using it. Flexibility is essential for transfer of stress throughout its structure. This is where same material frames can feel totally different from one another simply because of their actual size, tube diameter, wall thickness and angles.

 

[Huntso]

Think most of all its the geometry that makes for a nice handling frame, and the metal comes in a poor second.

Of the bikes I have owned my favourite is a 1993 Merlin, just the right size and feels dead right for me.Not sure about all this springy feeling stuff, but I still enjoy riding it, so that's good enough for me.

My next choice would be a M2 Stumpy, very stiff, but rewarded me with every pedal stroke I put into it and felt like it was on rails.

Had various steel frames, some were ok and one was the worst of them all, an early Orange Clockwork,how I hated that thing. Like trying to grapple with a slippery eel and the front felt like it had a mind of its own.

So my personal preference would be Ti, Alu and lastly Steel

No idea of the various metals properties, just my experience of riding them over the years.