> Most of the 'cross bikes I see around are steel. Trek has an the Al XO-1, but have not seen one on
> the trail - just in your shop
Gunnar's,
Surly's,
> Ritchey's, Somas, etc. that I see around here are good ol' steel.
That's due to fashion, not function. The 'cross market is most definitely on the retro side
of things!
> > But a few minor dings in most aluminum frames aren't going to kill them.
>
> Define minor? Depends on severity and location.
Absolutely no different for a steel frame (and trust me, steel frames can most definitely be done
in; our customers bring us the proof!). If you build either one at the light end of what's possible,
you're going to have trouble if you don't take care of it and keep it from being bashed around. I've
actually seen a steel frame that was essentially destroyed because it fell against a rock just
exactly the wrong way, crumpling the top tube. No rider on it, it just fell over. Obviously, the
builder had figured that the top tube does little more than hold things in place, so he used
something with outrageously-thin walls. In normal use, it most likely wouldn't fail, but the world
is full of situations which go beyond normal use.
The point is that it's all in how the material is used. Since aluminum is so light, you can more
easily over-design it compared to a steel frame of the same weight. To get the same durability in
steel, the weight needs to be greater. At the far extreme would be the Schwinn Varisty, which I
guess you could use to prove the point that the strongest-possible frame would be made of steel
(16-gauge gas pipe tubing, actually).
> > If you were doing an unsupported tour in Bolivia, sure, you could have somebody weld the pieces
> > of a broken steel frame back together, maybe
some
> > place that does auto body repair, and stay on the road. But that
applies to
> > a really small subset of those buying bikes in the US, and even those planning to ride in
> > Bolivia aren't all that likely to have to worry
about
> > their frame breaking.
>
> Now we get to the crux of my response. The deal is, if someone is touring
in
> Bolivia they SHOULD be worried about field repairability. That should be one of the contingencies
> covered in planning. I have worked in parts of
South
> America and have been in places where broken transportation could mean abandoning your wheels and
> grabbing the nearest form of alternative
transport,
> or sitting in one place for weeks or months. That is the reason that not
only
> is my touring bike steel but so are the racks. Even though an event is unlikely does not mean it
> does not happen, and in some cases the
consequences
> of not planning for those exigencies can be dire and/or expensive. Plan, and overplan in
> these cases.
A reasonable person has to make a reasonable choice based upon their own concerns. But the example
of touring in Bolivia affects such a small number of people buying bikes that such factors really
shouldn't enter into the considerations most people include when comparing bikes. If I were cycling
in Bolivia, I'd personally be more concerned about wheels than my frame. Specifically, if I had to
buy a replacement wheel, could I find one in the correct axle width? If I had a cassette or
freewheel fail, would I be carrying a spare? Wheel issues are far more likely to be the cause of a
touring disaster than a busted frame.
--
--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
http://www.ChainReactionBicycles.com
"Rick Warner" <
[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> "Mike Jacoubowsky/Chain Reaction Bicycles" <
[email protected]> wrote
in message news:<
[email protected]>...
> > But a few minor dings in most aluminum frames aren't going to kill them.
>
> Define minor? Depends on severity and location.
>
> > With that in mind, I'd say that most aluminum cyclocross bikes are made
to
> > take one heck of a beating and keep on going.
>
> Most of the 'cross bikes I see around are steel. Trek has an the Al XO-1, but have not seen one on
> the trail - just in your shop
Gunnar's,
Surly's,
> Ritchey's, Somas, etc. that I see around here are good ol' steel.
>
> > If you were doing an unsupported tour in Bolivia, sure, you could have somebody weld the pieces
> > of a broken steel frame back together, maybe
some
> > place that does auto body repair, and stay on the road. But that
applies to
> > a really small subset of those buying bikes in the US, and even those planning to ride in
> > Bolivia aren't all that likely to have to worry
about
> > their frame breaking.
>
> Now we get to the crux of my response. The deal is, if someone is touring
in
> Bolivia they SHOULD be worried about field repairability. That should be one of the contingencies
> covered in planning. I have worked in parts of
South
> America and have been in places where broken transportation could mean abandoning your wheels and
> grabbing the nearest form of alternative
transport,
> or sitting in one place for weeks or months. That is the reason that not
only
> is my touring bike steel but so are the racks. Even though an event is unlikely does not mean it
> does not happen, and in some cases the
consequences
> of not planning for those exigencies can be dire and/or expensive. Plan, and overplan in
> these cases.
>
> - rick warner