A note on that Bianchi - there IS no 2.8lb Steel F&F in existence. Frame only, yes - that's about
what bleeding-edge tig-welded steel is these days. But the problem with getting steel that light is
the wall thicknesses have to be paper-thin. The latest UltraFoco Columbus downtubes for instance,
have diameter to wall thickness ratios of about 100:1. That's about twice what the rule of thumb is
for avoiding localized buckling, or "beer-canning". Heaven forbid your bike should fall over against
something, let alone be in a crash. Mike's numbers on reasonable weights are pretty good if you're
interested in reliability/durability; you can knock a bit off for small sizes, but not much. Best to
avoid steel if you simply must have a sub-three-pound frame and want it to last. Too close to
(beyond?) the edge...
SB
"Mike Jacoubowsky" <
[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> > I am looking for some reviews on the bianchi boron frame set. I have
heard
> > the comfort factor compared to Columbus or Reynolds is darn near the
same.
> > My question is how durable is it? It's very light frame/fork set (2.8
lbs)
> > makes me wonder...
>
> You have good reason to wonder. 2.8lbs is simply too light to build a
frame
> & fork and expect durability. You buy a frameset like that for only one reason- because you want
> the lightest bike in the neighborhood, and durability simply isn't an issue.
>
> In general (and generalizations always have exceptions), the lower limit
for
> very reliable (long-lasting) frames is as follows-
>
> Steel- 3.5 lbs Aluminum- 2.7 lbs Titanium- 3.0 lbs Carbon- 2.3 lbs (could be less, not enough
> experience to know)
>
> And those weights are for the frame alone! You're talking 2.8 lbs for
frame
> *and* fork. Anyone designing a frameset like that wasn't thinking about longevity. That may be
> perfectly reasonable for some people. But does it meet your own requirements?
>
> A company can build a heavier frame that's not durable, or it's possible
to
> push the limits with a good design and perhaps come in under those numbers
a
> bit. But as a general rule of thumb, they're pretty good.
>
> Please note that just because a given material can build a durable frame that weighs less than
> another material doesn't mean that it's better.
Just
> different. Each material has its own properties (strengths & weaknesses & design requirements)
> that affect the way someone will perceive the overall ride, not to mention appearance.
>
> --Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
http://www.ChainReactionBicycles.com
>
>
> "Eric R." <
[email protected]> wrote in message
news:TvJDa.264$%[email protected]...
> > I am looking for some reviews on the bianchi boron frame set. I have
heard
> > the comfort factor compared to Columbus or Reynolds is darn near the
same.
> > My question is how durable is it? It's very light frame/fork set (2.8
lbs)
> > makes me wonder...
> >
> > Thoughts, reviews
> >
> > Eric "Go climb a mountain (on a bike!!!)"
> >
>