Framing the Question: Our Aluminum Bike Survey

I’ve been riding and testing all different types of bikes since I started cycling for fun back in 2010, and much more so since I started reviewing bikes for the YouTube channel four years ago. Like many riders, my first bike was aluminum—a Trek Fuel EX 5 I picked up in 2011. Though I was largely drawn to the Fuel EX 5 because it was the most affordable full-suspension bike I could find, I was hooked. Consumerism, however, soon reared its ugly head, and the following year, I upgraded to the same bike in carbon: the Trek Fuel EX 9.8. Looking back, I’m not sure the frame material itself made a huge difference. The carbon bike was lighter, had better components, and coalesced into an altogether more enjoyable ride. But did I really need to spend nearly twice as much for the carbon frame? For answers to all that and more, let’s look at the results of our aluminum bike survey.

Framing the Question: Aluminum Bike Survey Context

Before we dive into the digits, it’s important to have some basis regarding common generalizations and characteristics of the four main frame materials.

Aluminum

Aluminum is known for being lightweight, budget-friendly, and is often considered a harsher, less comfortable ride due to its limited flex and lack of vibration-damping qualities. Still, many enjoy its stiffness and responsive nature. Added benefits include increased corrosion resistance and a wide variety of budget-focused options being available at any given time because of its relative lack of high-end popularity. The people’s material, if you will.

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Steel

Often more expensive than aluminum, steel is another popular frame material. Steel is known for providing a smooth, compliant ride because it has more give than aluminum. Its durability and more immediate repairability also makes it significantly heavier than its aluminum alloy counterpart, though this can be offset with high-quality tubesets like Reynolds 853 and Columbus Spirit. Generally, it’s considered more durable and reliable than most other frame materials. “Steel is real,” as they say.

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Carbon Fiber

Over the last decade, carbon fiber has come a long way. It’s highly tunable and versatile, allowing manufacturers to adjust thickness and stiffness in different areas of the frame, achieving an optimal strength-to-weight ratio not found on metal bikes. While prices have leveled out, carbon is still fairly expensive and can be difficult to repair if damaged.

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Titanium

Sometimes called the “magic bike material,” titanium blends the comfort and durability of alloy and carbon, offering the suppleness commonly associated with steel and the liveliness of carbon in a singular, lightweight, corrosion-resistant package. Though it’s typically more expensive than other materials, that cost can be justified by those who value performance and longevity.

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Ultimately, choosing one material over another often depends on personal preference and budget. While this overview is a good starting point, ride quality can vary significantly from bike to bike, depending on variables we will touch on soon.

Questions from the Aluminum Bike Survey

As stated, we asked our audience to answer four questions regarding their thoughts on frame material. Over 1,600 people participated, providing a healthy sampling of opinions.

Question 1: “Do you currently own an aluminum bike?”

A majority, 62%, said yes, while 38% said no, a sampling in accordance with our expectations given so many entry-level or more affordable bikes are aluminum. It also shows just how common it is for riders of any experience or skill level to own aluminum bikes. If that’s what it takes to get more folks on bikes, I’m all for it.

Question 2: “What’s your preferred frame material?”

Here’s where things got more interesting. Steel won out with over half the votes at 58%, followed by titanium at 19.9%, aluminum at 11.2%, and carbon close behind at 11%. It’s clear that metal bikes of any make are preferred, with there being a particular draw toward steel and titanium.

Question 3: “What’s the main reason you own or plan on buying an aluminum bike?”

Over half, 57.1%, said it’s because of the lower price. Another 22.7% like aluminum for its specific material qualities, while the remaining 20.2% cited aluminum’s lighter weight compared to steel. If nothing else, the overall perception of aluminum to our readership is that aluminum is (or should be) a more affordable option than other bikes available.

Question 4: How likely are you to buy an aluminum bike in the next year?

An overwhelming 58.9% said they are unlikely to buy one, 30.4% said there’s about a 50% chance, and 10.7% said they’re likely to purchase an aluminum frame. While 10% might not sound like a lot, that’s still around 171 people in our sample who are planning to buy a new aluminum bike.

While none of this is especially surprising, you can see a trend in our niche market. People clearly prefer metal bikes, with steel hitting a nice balance of price and durability. Part of that is likely aesthetics, as steel bikes often feature slender, streamlined tubes with colorful paint jobs. But aluminum still has a strong place in the market despite most folks thinking it’s strictly a budget bike material. The question is, can it be that bad if the majority of folks in our survey own one? While some of those bikes were a means into the cycling world, should we solely conceive of aluminum as a gateway material to lighter and more supple offerings? Or does it maintain enough versatility and distinct inherent quality to carve out its own market?

Aluminum’s Position in the Market

After speaking with several industry professionals and engineers, it became clear that while every bike is unique, we’ve developed something of a standardized approach to aluminum frames over the years. As bike industry engineer Sean Mailen put it, aluminum frames evolved from “wet noodles” to “lightweight, large-diameter, thin-walled tubes that dented easily and rode like they booked you an appointment with a chiropractor.” Today’s aluminum frames, however, have come a long way, offering a good balance of performance and comfort.

The biggest hurdle aluminum frames face is that they often feel stiffer than steel. Because aluminum isn’t as strong, it requires larger tubing to ensure it holds up to the same standard in destruction testing. The kicker is that larger tubing contributes to a stiffer, sometimes harsher ride. Steel, being inherently stronger, can use smaller tubes to achieve the same strength, which adds compliance and a smoother ride feel.

Of course, that’s not the full story. As Sean also points out, materials have different damping capacities, with steel being up to 100 times better at absorbing vibration than aluminum. While damping capacity influences ride feel, other factors—like tube shape, thickness, and length—often have an even greater impact.

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Another advantage Sean mentioned is aluminum’s versatility. More so than other metals, Aluminum is easily manipulated into various tube shapes through mechanical forming and hydroforming. When you combine the flexibility derived from unique tube shapes with aluminum’s lightweight properties and competitive price, it’s easy to see why it remains a sensible option for both manufacturers and consumers.

Reflecting on my experience, I wonder if upgrading from aluminum to carbon years ago was even necessary. The sum of the carbon bike’s higher-end parts certainly improved the ride in some ways, but did I really need to make the jump in frame material? Or better yet, could I feel the difference given my limited experience at the time? Probably not. As Sean notes, “Considering weight, strength, desired features, manufacturability, and sustainability, I think [aluminum] is the best material available. You have to do your homework, but you can make a lightweight bike that still rides very well.”

All in all, it might be fair to say there’s marketing fluff in the way different materials are portrayed. With regards to aluminum in particular, it may be that the industry hasn’t fully invested in modern aluminum’s potential. As the industry continues to pour research and development dollars into carbon manufacturing, it may be that carbon is better suited for finely tuning highly specific ride quality adjustments. As a matter of fact, our new Specialized Chisel review speaks to that very concept. Either way, I find this topic fascinating, and it raises questions about where aluminum bikes fit in today’s market.

Thanks to everyone who participated in the aluminum bike survey! If you didn’t get your say, what do you think about aluminum bikes? Do you own one, and will you be buying one in the future? Let us know in the conversation below!

Further Reading

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