Just looking for an argument this morning Jobbo?Jobbo wrote: ↑Tue Jun 15, 2021 10:08 amCastings are brittle. Not sure it's that stiff or repairable either - not like steel.Rich B wrote: ↑Tue Jun 15, 2021 9:51 amAlu is a great material for bike frames - light, strong, cheap, stiff, repairable, not too brittle, etc....Jobbo wrote: ↑Tue Jun 15, 2021 9:46 am
Absolutely right - I do wonder what a cromoly framed MTB would be like if anyone made one now.
Frame design should suit the material it's made from. I'm not a massive fan of aluminium; CF is just a more appropriate material since you can make a frame stiff and strong without adding lots of wall thickness.
That Santa Cruz video breaking alu and CF frames was an interesting comparison.
There's a reason that all high end mtb frames were made from Alu until cf became more mainstream, it was the best compromise of all the factors at the time. CF is better in a lot of ways but it's still very pricey compared to alu and while the Santa Cruz video was interesting they're putting forces through the frame that ware way beyond what most people would expect. Personally alu is still the best compromise of how I like the bike to feel and how much I'm willing to pay.