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Aluminium vs Steel Frame Bikes — The Ugly Truth Nobody Wants to Accept

CycleWorth

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How to save $8,991 on your next bike
And $2,920 every year after 👉🏼
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Resources & Links

Ritchey Road Logic Steel Frameset 🛒 Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F5CXKB76?...

Ritchey Ascent Steel Frameset 🛒 Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CYZYM7RZ?...

Surly Bridge Club Steel Frameset 🛒 Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FNT1H35B?...

Ergon CF Allroad Pro Carbon Seat Post 27.2mm 🛒 Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09QXNSTL9?...

Zipp Service Course SL Seatpost 27.2mm, 20mm Setback 🛒 Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08NPWFKXF?...

Ritchey Comp Carbon Zero Offset Seatpost 🛒 Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BWKBCF2M?...

Boeshield T-9 Rust & Corrosion Protection 🛒 Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001447PEK?...

Progold Steel Frame Protector Spray 🛒 Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008VQ9N6C?...

Teslong Articulating Borescope Inspection Camera 🛒 Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CJY5C9QX?...

Continental Grand Prix 5000 S TR Tubeless Road Tire 🛒 Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09HS48S1T?...

Vittoria Corsa Pro Speed Tubeless Road Tire 🛒 Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08KZRFYXF?...

Continental Race 28 700x25-32c Inner Tubes 🛒 Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09M4BX2HR?...

Silca Terra Bike Floor Pump 🛒 Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BMQSN9G4?...

Brooks England B17 Leather Saddle 🛒 Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004CZ715Q?...

Lizard Skins DSP V2 Handlebar Tape 🛒 Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07X5YJ2T7?...

Park Tool Ratcheting Click-Type Torque Wrench 🛒 Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0029LKYOU?...

Park Tool HXS-3 Stubby Hex Wrench Set 🛒 Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01DLM90AY?...

Park Tool PCS-10.3 Deluxe Home Mechanic Repair Stand 🛒 Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B097DZ9XRG?...

Klein Aluminium Frame 🛒 eBay (Best Deals): https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=...

SOURCES (linked):
Cannondale CAAD14 launch, prices and frame weights, BikeRadar: https://www.bikeradar.com/news/2026-c...
Reynolds 853 air-hardening steel, tensile strength and properties, Reynolds Technology: https://www.reynoldstechnology.biz/ma...
Why frame material is under 1% of vertical compliance (Bob Bundy, Tour Magazin and Damon Rinard data), CyclingAbout: https://www.cyclingabout.com/why-impo...
How Section 232 steel and aluminium tariffs are calculated on bikes, Bicycle Retailer and Industry News: https://www.bicycleretailer.com/opini...
Cannondale ST-500, 1983, the first Cannondale bicycle, road.cc: https://road.cc/content/feature/check...

FURTHER SOURCES
Bicycling Australia, "Retro Review: The Legendary Vitus 979" (1979 launch at the Salon du Cycle, 1.8 kg frame and fork, Sean Kelly, monthly frame replacement)
Wikipedia, "Klein Bicycle Corporation" (1977 large-diameter tubing patent, 6061, Chehalis, Trek acquisition 1995, Durethane paint cost, end of distribution 2007 and 2009)
Wikipedia, "ALAN" (founded 1972 by Falconi Lodovico, bonded aluminium tubes, 20 cyclo-cross world titles)
Wikipedia and Reynolds Technology, "Reynolds 531" (1935, manganese-molybdenum composition)
Reynolds Technology, "1995-1996: The Evolution of Steel with 853 and 631" (853 launch with LeMond, air hardening at the weld)
Wikipedia, "Columbus (company)" (founded 1919 by A.L. Colombo, Settala, Antonio Colombo from 1977, Cinelli)
Aluminium Guide, "Bicycle frame aluminium: 6061 and 7005 alloys" (310 and 350 MPa, T6 heat treatment cycles)

You can write me at: cycleworth@proton.me

CycleWorth is run by a cycling enthusiast and is intended for entertainment and informational purposes only. While every effort is made to ensure accuracy, specifications, prices, values, and historical information may change or contain errors.
All trademarks, brand names, and product names belong to their respective owners. Always do your own research before buying, modifying, repairing, or using any bicycle or cycling-related product.

20 Comments

@michaelchin3550 1 month ago

I have a steel bike from1990 and it is in pristine condition. I keep it indoors and it's in my bedroom. 36 years old with approximately 80,000 miles. My bike is priceless because of the great memories and how it kept me in shape both emotionally and physically. Life has been a beautiful ride. The aesthetics of my Colnago MasterLight with Shimano 7400 components cannot be matched.

@KingAreallyus 1 hour ago

I've never seen a steel bike frame rot out

@srdjanstevanovic3543 1 month ago

50 yesrs old steel, Swiss handmade, with shimano 500 group, still running, it is an object of beauty for me 😊

@waynehansen2464 1 month ago

1986 Colnago Master. Purchased in 2012 in new condition. My goto bike and still going strong.

@maciejnawrocki9505 1 day ago

21:47 Kross Esker 4.0 enters the chat

@ericminter445 1 month ago

I bought a Cannondale road bike in 85 for racing and my paper route. I put a lot of miles on it. I biked almost every day for years on that Cannondale. I went on RAGBRAI in 88 with it. It was a great bike. I'm 53 now and decided I'd get back into cycling. I was able to find my dream bike from back in the day a Gianni Motta Italian tri color frame. Fitted with vintage Campagnolo components, it's a dream come true. It's the epitome of over the top 80s Italian steel frame craftsmanship and I absolutely love it.

@brankog7 1 month ago

Nothing's ride like steel..❤

@salmirza 1 month ago

I've never bought a new bike, I usually ride dumped steel bikes, for a few months then give them away. Sadly where I am most bikers are casual riders, I think humans need to ride bikes more, both for their health and for the environment

@stevespanos75 1 month ago

I have a 1984 Pinarello Treviso still strong like a tank. Excellent ride quality. Eddie Merckx rode a Pinarello in the 1984 Tour De France. Turned down several offers to sell, but can't part with it. Love it.

@kenlyon8285 1 month ago

1979/80 DeRosa professional SL, SR, panto, Cinelli, Nisi, tubulars,
original owner, purchased new, approx 60k miles , original paint, stored indoors,
Still looks and rides as if it were a well maintained
one yr old bike.
My aluminum bike is a 2002 Cinelli Aliante Muscle fitted w/ Campy Centaur10 ,Protons & fenders, 20+k and never an issue either.

@vincenzodigrande2070 5 days ago

Specifically sought out steel bicycles for my family here in the Netherlands. My wife is on a Breezer, I am on a Pelago, one of my kids is on a Cinelli and the other on an older Giant touring triple butted beauty. All I have built up several times and I keep the inside of the tubes waxed, grease everything properly, I always put full length outer cables on them and the maintenance intervals are really looooooong. Mean time I see the industry first build any regular bicycle heavier and heavier, aluminium or not. Then put an electric motor on it. No wonder these have become so popular. Mean time I easily keep up with them and have no battery charging/lifespan stress. Neither does my bicycle die from a bit of rain. Long live progress....

@pentiuman 1 month ago

ALL my bikes are old, of aluminum and steels, and none have failed, ever. - That says more about the era they were built, than the metal type!

@rangipetur74 3 weeks ago

I've had the bottom bracket crack of my early 2000s aluminium hard tail Trek mountain bike crack after maybe 12-14 years of use.

@kevincampbell2032 3 weeks ago

I have a Miata curb hopper i bought in 1984. It is like a vintage Gibson. It became obsolete instantly. It is a MONSTER 😊

@user-x6f2e 1 month ago

Engineering and history — an excellent combo! Thanks.

@ronmorrell9809 1 month ago

After about 10 years, my 1967 Sears paperboy coaster brake bike broke at the rusty weld connecting seat tube to bottom bracket. My mod 1980s Steel Bridgestone. OM-1 had a crimped top tube from movers forcing it against the truck wall and wedging something else against the front tire. The other 4 bicycles were stolen.

@brianb2634 1 month ago

When I interviewed at Cannondale in 1983 Dave Graham told me he learned how to heat treat aluminum with little distortion at Electric Boat in Groton, Connecticut. I think you can only do small realignments after HT before significant damaging. I believe press fit BB were used many times before Klein. I think Lambert for one used press fit in their chromemoly frames in the 70's and Herse used them in the 40's. Aluminum frames appeared well before ALAN, they awere around in the 1890's.

@Mvcrash 1 month ago

One aluminum Trek from 2014, 4 from the early 70's with 531. Kept in a cool, dry basement. Enjoy each one.

@rubo1964 1 day ago

Have 1980 Raleigh TI ,2000 Trek AL 1000 put thousands of miles on both and no issues on both.I do like the steel better.

@alexanderlawson1649 1 month ago

I have had four 531 frames crack on me over the years. Three failed at the chainstay a few inches behind the BB, while one cracked on the down tube and at one of the rear ends. My current stable of Aluminium bikes(four) are all going well several being 20/25 years old. I also use a Surly LHT, 10yrs old and a classic steel Lemond, which both only get used in the summer, so corrosion is not an issue.