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Framing Materials

The cost of a mountain bike frame is proportionate toits material, as well as the treatment that materialhas received. Currently, there are five types ofmaterial used in mountain bikes - high tensile steel,chromoly steel, aluminum, titanium, and carbon fiber. Oversized diameters, heat treating, and butting are tubing material treatments that will increase thecost of a frame as well.

High tensile steelThis is a very durable alloy that's found in lowerpriced mountain bikes. It offers a high carbon contentwhich makes it less stiff than chromoly steel, so more materials are needed to make it stiff enough forbicycle frames, which will in turn make it that muchheavier.

Relatively inexpensive to produce, you'll find this material in trail bikes, city bikes, and even entrylevel mountain bikes. There are some bikes that comewith a chromoly seat tube, while the rest is hightensile steel.

Chromoly steelShort for steel alloy, chromoly is best described byits major additives - chromium and molybdenum. Thisis probably the most refined framing material, givingover 100 years of dependable service.

Depending on the type of heat treating and butting, you can find this material in bikes as low as 400dollars all the way up to 1,500 and beyond. The chromoly steel material offers very good durability and a compliant ride characteristic.

AluminumFor the past 15 years, aluminum has been refined inpretty much the same way as chromoly. There have been various alloys developed, as well as heat treatment, oversizing, and butting. With dual suspension bikes, aluminum is the preferred materialas it's the stiffest and most cost effective.

Aluminum is stiffer than chromoly, and therefore itwill crack before chromoly. Of course, this dependson how you ride and how much abuse you give the frame.The advantages of aluminum is that the frame is verylight and very stiff through oversizing or butting.

TitaniumEven thought it's somewhat exotic, the prices for this material have come down over the last few years.Frames made of titanium remain expensive because ittakes longer to weld the tubes to the frame.

Titanium is considered an alloy, normally mixed withsmall amounts of vanadium and aluminum to give it better weldability and ride characteristics. Morecompliant than chromoly, it offers better fatigueand corrosion properties.

The material you choose for your bike, all dependson where you ride and what style you use. Almostall materials will last you for years, as long asyou take care of your bike and treat the frame withsome respect.

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