Scandium Frame - What is the quality/durability?

[jayjay beater]

I just bought a Lapierre Scandium Frameset, it's the FD JEUX team frame. It's super light, but I was wondering if anyone knows anything about the durability of this material since it's pretty new. I understand it's a lighter form of aluminum and very stiff. The frame is all Scandium. I weigh 127lbs, and am a fairly strong rider. Should I watch the miles I put on this frame?
Thanks in advance to anyone who has info on this.

 

[boudreaux]

Originally posted by jayjay beater
I just bought a Lapierre Scandium Frameset, it's the FD JEUX team frame. It's super light, but I was wondering if anyone knows anything about the durability of this material since it's pretty new. I understand it's a lighter form of aluminum and very stiff. The frame is all Scandium. I weigh 127lbs, and am a fairly strong rider. Should I watch the miles I put on this frame?
Thanks in advance to anyone who has info on this.

Sc is a minor component in the alloy. It insreases stength and allows for thinner tubes. Some Sc frames are not so light,as it depends on the tubeset and builder.There are potential durability issues with any superlight stuff. Bikes are made to ride and enjoy.If you want to worrry,sell it or hang it in the garage.

 

[jayjay beater]

Originally posted by boudreaux
Sc is a minor component in the alloy. It insreases stength and allows for thinner tubes. Some Sc frames are not so light,as it depends on the tubeset and builder.There are potential durability issues with any superlight stuff. Bikes are made to ride and enjoy.If you want to worrry,sell it or hang it in the garage.

Thanks!
I'll ride the hell out of it!
I guess it's safe to assume it's the same durability as any regular aluminum?

 

[Kez Deale]

I think from memory, Felt use Scandiumin their frames. Either that or Raceline do.

It's mined in Russia, and it's just forced into the alloy mixture in small ammounts. As boudreaux said, it does increase the strength, but it can increase the frame weight aswell.

 

[supergrill]

Actually Sc does not directly enhance the strength of the alloy. What it does do is improve the weldability of aluminum alloys. This therefore should theoretically allow the workable joining of higher strength alloys that otherwise would require heavy butting. Easton puts their spin on it here:

http://64.233.167.104/search?q=cach...ndium.pdf+scandium+weldability&hl=en&ie=UTF-8[/url]

 

[boudreaux]

Originally posted by supergrill
Actually Sc does not directly enhance the strength of the alloy. What it does do is improve the weldability of aluminum alloys. This therefore should theoretically allow the workable joining of higher strength alloys that otherwise would require heavy butting. Easton puts their spin on it here:

http://64.233.167.104/search?q=cach...ndium.pdf+scandium+weldability&hl=en&ie=UTF-8[/url]

Correct enough in that it not necessarily a direct enhancement,but Easdon does play the strength card when they say they started with a new alloy of exeptional strength and then added Sc to enhance other properties and rolled it all into a tubeset that could be bult to smaller diameter, and have greater compliance.

 

[mjw_byrne]

127 lbs is very light. Unless you regularly ride the bike across really nasty surfaces, I'd say you have nothing to worry about.

 

[shokhead12]

127 pounds,i could only dream. I'd just worry about a good wheelset. Forget about the frame.