Steel vs Aluminum Bike Frames: Pros and Cons

Steel vs Aluminum Bike Frames: Pros and Cons

One of the most important considerations when choosing a bicycle frame is its material. This guide lists the pros and cons of steel vs. aluminum bike frames. We’ll compare weight, ride quality, handling, durability, cost, serviceability, longevity, and more. Hopefully this guide has helped you decide which frame material is best for your next bike.

Advantages of Steel Bicycle Frames

Steel frames are easy to repair – no matter what material you use, your bike frame will eventually fail after years or decades of use. Almost any welder can repair a steel frame. This feature is especially important for cyclists traveling through developing regions. Wherever you are, you can always find someone who knows how to weld steel. Even in small villages in developing countries. The welds might not look pretty, and the frame might not be as strong as it used to be, but it will get you back on the road. Even in developed countries, finding someone to weld aluminum frames can be a challenge.
A steel frame might be more comfortable – a comfortable bike offers some vertical compliance or flex. It’s not exactly stiff. This flex dampens vibrations and absorbs shocks from the road. This makes for a smoother and more comfortable ride. It doesn’t feel as harsh when you hit bumps or potholes. When riding rough gravel roads, you won’t experience arm fatigue as the frame absorbs some of the vibration. Many cyclists find steel frames more comfortable than aluminum frames because they flex more. Whether this is true is debatable. There’s evidence that frame material doesn’t matter when it comes to comfort. The tires and seatpost play a bigger role in the comfort of the bike. This does not account for fork flex. The steel forks flex vertically so much that you can see them moving over rough surfaces. This helps absorb shock and vibration and improves comfort. The aluminum fork is almost completely rigid.
Steel frames last longer – Steel doesn’t fatigue like aluminum. This means the frame can last longer without failing. The reason is that steel has a fatigue limit and aluminum does not. A steel frame can withstand stress below its fatigue limit indefinitely without the frame failing. A well-made steel bike frame can last a lifetime if you take care of it. Aluminum, on the other hand, has no fatigue limit. Even with a small amount of repeated stress, it will eventually fail. Of course, after enough years of abuse, any framework will fail.
Steel frames are more durable – Steel frames can take hits like other bike frame materials. Steel frames can be deeply scratched, dented, and even bent without losing structural integrity. In addition, steel can withstand sharper shocks than aluminum without breaking because steel is less brittle than aluminum. If you crash a steel bike, there’s a good chance it will survive. You don’t have to worry too much about overtightening the bolts and cracking the steel frame. For these reasons, steel frames are ideal for cyclists and commuters who need a strong and durable frame that can withstand years of abuse.
You can change the hub spacing on the steel frame – if you want to fit a slightly wider or narrower rear hub in the steel frame, you can bend the struts slightly to fit. This process is often referred to as a “cold setup”. You can easily move them 5-10mm in either direction without affecting the frame. This allows you to use a wider range of hubs when you need to upgrade or change wheels. For example, many older bikes have a rear hub spacing of 126mm. Many modern bikes use 135mm hubs. You can carefully unfold the old frame to fit the modern wheel. You can do the same thing with a steel fork. For more information, check out this guide.
Steel frames may be safer – steel and aluminum frames fail in different ways. Steel framing usually gives you some warning before catastrophic failure. It doesn’t fail suddenly and split in half. Instead, steel will slowly bend or crack. If you inspect the steel frame regularly and after a crash, you will get plenty of warnings that the frame is about to fail. If you find cracks, you can repair the frame. Aluminum, on the other hand, can fail catastrophically. Aluminum doesn’t bend, it cracks and breaks. You might be accelerating down a hill when your aluminum frame suddenly snaps in half and throws you to the ground. Of course, this type of frame glitch is very rare, but it can happen.
You can install an S&S coupler – If you plan to fly your bike, you may want to consider installing an S&S coupler at some point. These allow you to split the frame in two so you can fit the bike into an airline-accepted checked luggage size (62 inches). The goal here is to avoid the expensive oversized baggage fees that many airlines charge for bikes. S&S couplers can only be installed on steel and some titanium bicycle frames. They are not compatible with aluminum frames.
Steel is real – it’s the original bike frame material. In fact, it wasn’t the only option until the introduction of aluminum frames in the mid-’70s. People have been riding steel bikes for over a century. Many cyclists swear by the riding characteristics of a steel frame. Personally, I also like the look of the steel frame. I find small diameter round tubes more visually appealing than thick aluminum tubes.
 

Disadvantages of Steel Bike Frames

Steel frames are heavier – Steel is the heaviest bike frame material in use today. For example, a lightweight steel bike frame weighs about 4-5 pounds. A complete steel road bike weighs 20-22 pounds. A similar aluminum frame weighs about 3 pounds. A complete aluminum road bike weighs about 18 pounds. On average, steel bikes are 1-2 pounds heavier than aluminum bikes. Steel frames are heavier because steel is about 2.5 times denser than aluminum. If you want to measure every gram of weight on your bike, you may want to avoid steel frames. That said, steel frame tubes can be smaller and thinner than aluminum tubes because steel is stronger. This offsets some of the weight difference.
Steel frames are less efficient – for three reasons. First, steel is not as hard as aluminum. When you press hard on the pedals, the steel frame bends laterally. When the frame bends, energy is wasted bending the frame instead of driving you forward. The aluminum frame is stronger, so there is less energy loss. Second, the steel frame is heavier. Accelerating and maintaining speed with a heavier bike requires more energy. Third, steel frames are less aerodynamic because the tubes have to be round. This creates more wind resistance, which slows you down. Aluminum frame tubes can be formed into aerodynamic shapes that reduce drag. With a steel frame, you will burn more energy. This means you’ll ride slightly slower and cover less ground before getting tired.
Rust on Steel Frames – Steel is the only bike frame material that will corrode. If the steel frame gets rusted enough, it can weaken to the point that it is unsafe to ride. The part of the bike that is most likely to rust is inside the frame. To prevent this, you should use a rust inhibitor. Also, store your bike in a dry place. If you scrape some paint off the frame, seal it with some fresh paint or nail polish so it doesn’t start to rust. If your steel frame is already rusted, check out these rust removal tips from slocyclist.com to remove it before it gets too bad. Generally, surface rust is only cosmetic. If you live by the sea or in an area where the roads are salted in winter, you may want to stay away from steel frames. Salt will speed up the rusting process. Aluminum frames will corrode, but corrosion will not weaken the material.
Steel bikes are more expensive – steel bike frames are more expensive than aluminum ones. There are several possible reasons for this. The production time for the steel frame is slightly longer. They are handmade. Aluminum frames were originally introduced because they were cheaper to mass produce. Most processes can be automated by machines. This resulted in cheaper bikes. Steel frames also tend to be a bit high-end, so they cost more.
With a steel frame, you’ll ride slower and cover less ground – due to the frame’s flex, heavier weight, and poorer aerodynamics, you’ll likely ride a steel frame with a slightly slower average Ride at speed. For recreational riders, commuters and cyclists, speed doesn’t matter. For competitive riders, speed is important.
Steel is less technologically advanced – steel frames are made of simple round steel tubes welded together. Many models are butted to save weight. On the other hand, the aluminum and carbon frames use more advanced manufacturing techniques. They can be shaped for aerodynamics, and the thickness of the tubes can be optimized for better ride quality. If you’re the type of person who must have the best, most advanced gear, consider a carbon fiber or aluminum frame.

Advantages of Aluminum Bicycle Frames

Aluminum frames are lighter – On average, aluminum bikes are about 1-2 pounds lighter than comparable steel bikes. The reason aluminum is lighter in volume than steel is that it has a much lower density. Aluminum has a density of about 2.7 g/cm³, while steel has a density of about 8.05 g/cm3. This is about 1/3 the density of steel. Of course, that doesn’t mean that an aluminum frame is one-third the weight of a steel one. Because aluminum is not as strong as steel, more material must be used to make the frame strong enough to be durable. In other words, aluminum has a lower strength-to-weight ratio than steel. For example, most aluminum bicycle frame tubes are over 1.5 inches in diameter. Steel frame tubes are typically about 1 inch in diameter. Even with the extra material, aluminum bike frames are almost always lighter than steel. For recreational riders, weight really doesn’t matter. For a competitive rider, a few pounds is a big deal.
Cheaper- Manufacturers originally introduced aluminum frames because they were cheaper to produce than steel. Aluminum bike frames can easily be mass produced at the factory. Manufacturers automate much of the process. Fewer man hours are required to build an aluminum frame. If you’re on a budget, an aluminum frame is the best value for money. Most budget bikes use aluminum frames. You can see this when you go to the big box stores. For example, if you look at Walmart’s bikes, they are mostly aluminum.
More Efficient – Your bike frame needs to flex laterally when you pedal hard. When this happens, energy is wasted bending the frame instead of moving the bike forward. The aluminum frame provides torsional stiffness. They don’t twist when you pedal. This allows you to use energy more efficiently. On the other hand, when you pedal hard, the steel frame tends to flex a little and waste energy. The aluminum frame is also lighter in weight. Less energy is required to accelerate and maintain the speed of a lighter bike because you are moving less mass. Also, aluminum frames tend to be more aerodynamic than steel ones. The tube can be shaped in a way that reduces drag. A more efficient bike allows you to maintain a higher average speed and ride farther using less energy.
No rust – aluminum doesn’t rust. However, it does corrode. Strangely enough, this is beneficial to some extent. Aluminum forms aluminum oxide when it corrodes. This creates a thin film that protects the rest of the metal from further corrosion. Alumina is also much stronger than rust. This means your aluminum frame won’t weaken when it starts to corrode, nor will it corrode away over time. For more information, check out this interesting article on aluminum corrosion from Bicycle Universe.
Aluminum frames can be more aerodynamic – aluminum bike frames don’t have to be made of round tubes like steel frames. This gives frame builders the freedom to shape the fork blades and frame into an aerodynamic shape that reduces wind resistance. This increases efficiency and keeps your average speed high.
Aluminum Frames Are Faster – Most riders can maintain slightly higher average speeds with an aluminum frame due to the lighter weight, reduced frame flex and aerodynamic design.
Aluminum frames tend to look more modern – because the frame tubes can be molded into an aerodynamic shape, an aluminum frame will look more dynamic. You can also get elbows. Aluminum tubes are also thicker. Some cyclists prefer the more modern look of aluminum bike frames.

Disadvantages of Aluminum Bike Frames

Harder to fix – If your aluminum bike frame is cracked, you can’t hire a backyard welder to re-weld it back together like you can with a steel frame. Aluminum requires specialized equipment and expertise to weld. For example, when you weld an aluminum frame, you have to temper or heat treat the entire frame. If you skip this step, the soldering may not hold. For liability reasons, most frame builders won’t even attempt to repair a cracked aluminum frame. It’s too risky for them. Another problem is that it is difficult to determine the structural integrity of the aluminum frame after the crack has formed. Another part of the frame may also be compromised. To be on the safe side, if the aluminum frame is cracked, you should replace it.
Not too comfortable – some cyclists find aluminum frames harder to ride than steel ones. Allegedly, since the aluminum frame is so strong, it won’t dampen any shocks or vibrations. The aluminum frame transmits every bump in the road through the frame into your body. That said, aluminum frame technology has improved over the years. The hydroforming process allows manufacturers to vary the thickness of the aluminum tube. Where some flexibility is required, they can make the material thinner. This improves comfort. Indeed, the frame plays only a small role in the comfort of the bike. The high-volume tires and flexible seatpost absorb most of the shock and vibration. Comfortable seats and handlebars can also go a long way in improving comfort.
Aluminum frames don’t last long – aluminum bike frames fatigue faster than steel frames. In fact, aluminum frames have the shortest lifespan of all bicycle frame materials. On average, a premium aluminum frame will last 5-10 years or 10,000-30,000 miles before needing replacement. In contrast, a quality steel frame can last from 20 years to a lifetime if properly maintained. You’ll know your aluminum frame has reached the end of its useful life when a fatigue crack forms. At that point, it’s time to replace the frame. The reason aluminum frames don’t last as long as steel is because aluminum doesn’t have a fatigue limit, while steel does. Every time you put a load on an aluminum bike, the frame gets fatigued. Over time this builds up until the frame cracks. Steel frames only fatigue when the load reaches the fatigue limit. for this reason,
You can’t change the hub spacing – since aluminum is so stiff, you can’t flex the chainstays without damaging the frame. You can weaken or destroy metal. This means you can’t adjust the hub spacing like you can with a steel frame. This limits your wheel options when changing or upgrading wheels.
Aluminum frames can be more dangerous – aluminum frames can suddenly crack and fail without warning. Catastrophic failure of an aluminum frame can result in serious injury. Imagine bombing down a mountain at 30 miles per hour when your body suddenly splits in half underneath you. While this is unlikely, it is possible. Steel tends to crack more slowly and gives you more warning before it fails. To be on the safe side, you should check your bike frame regularly, regardless of the material. Look for cracks, dents or curls on all pipes and fittings. Pay special attention to the welds. Also, make sure the wheels are aligned. Hear the squeak of the frame and feel the change in ride quality. If you notice any damage, you may need a professional inspection of the frame to ensure a safe ride. If you are in doubt, repair or replace it.