Carbon Fiber Vs Aluminum Bike Frame

Uv damage is essentially non existent to reputable brand s carbon frames.

Carbon fiber vs aluminum bike frame.

Most bamboo bikes are made by starting with strong bamboo poles then binding the joints together with fiber and resin. Unlike aluminum the production of carbon bikes is labor intensive and requires specialized molds and machinery. In truth if we tested the strength of the same frame built from carbon and aluminum you would see that carbon fiber frames are much stronger per pound in terms of both stress tests and impact tests. Well like comfort aesthetics are quite subjective and in any case beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder.

It s a relatively light and stiff material and generally cheaper to produce than carbon. Most bike frames will be made of either steel titanium aluminum or carbon fiber steel and titanium are the most popular options for custom and handmade bike building. Having said that bamboo is a legitimate bike frame material. Carbon bikes are more expensive than aluminum bikes.

The vast majority of modern bikes however will be made from aluminum or carbon fiber. At the same time aluminium framed bikes are enjoying a huge resurgence and for good reason. In general carbon fiber frames are lighter than aluminum frames. Luckily damage to carbon frames can usually be repaired whereas re welding or patching a cracked aluminum frame is not safe.

A well built lightweight aluminum frame could weigh less than an inexpensive carbon frame. Aluminium was the leader when it came to frame material before carbon become more accessible. While carbon has continued to evolve the rate of progress feels like it s slowed in recent years. 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.

In order to create lightweight frames tube thickness is varied throughout the length of the tube. These joints are similar to carbon fiber. These are kind of a novelty at this point. The quality of the frame will ultimately determine weight.

There are four common materials used to build road bikes. For more info check out my carbon fiber vs aluminum frame guide.