How fragile are different bicycle frame materials, especially cannondale?

Question

I'm looking to buy a new bicycle, i think i'm going to get a cannondale and i've been researching frames and my options are aluminum, carbon, or alloy. It will be a road bike and everywhere i read i find warnings saying how fragile these bikes are, particularly the carbon and aluminum, that if the drop or anything it might dent or crack. I don't race a whole lot but i want something that i can have for a while but will also be very comfortable riding for long periods of time. Does anyone have good advice or experience with these frames and can tell me if these are huge factors that I should worry about or are the warnings just because it has happened a few times.

Answer 1

"Alloy" could apply to aluminium, steel, titanium, or any other combination of metals. No biggie.

In the real world, a quality bike made from any of the above will hold up fine to several years of hard riding, as long as you take proper care not to squish it, crunch it, bend it, crash it, or otherwise to anything but ride it.

Carbon gets griped on because if proper care isn't take, small cracks can develop that lead to big problems, or the tubes can be crushed in a clamp or by banging hard into something (like when handlebars whip around in a crash)

Aluminum gets damaged when it's bent at all - like in a crash, it doesn't take well to bending and unbending.

Steel and Ti are more resilient, but can also get beat up.

Answer 2

Your best friend (above) is a mechanical engineer?! I hope I never have to rely on anything he designs.

In fairness, I think he means that aluminum is stiffer than the other materials, not stronger. As a general rule, aluminum is 1/2 the weight of steel but only 1/3 the strength.

Of the materials you mention, steel is by far the strongest, then comes titanium, then aluminum, then carbon fiber WHEN IT COMES TO A BICYCLE FRAME... but I have another suggestion at the end...

I was on a Cannondale when a sudden catastrophic failure occured and would never recommend any aluminum frame to anyone.

Titanium is a very good frame material if you can get past the cost. It has a very low notch memory, so dents really don't affect it too much. There are widely varying qualities of Ti fraames and I haven't yet been able to determine a way to immediately tell good from better from best.

Hi zoot carbon fiber frames tend to be well thought out, but they are damaged relatively easily. If a fiber is compromised then the strength in that area is as well. Also, carbon ages. The "glue" that holds it together becomes fatigued with use and the structure becomes slowly unstable.

I ride steel frames so I'll keep my opinion out of this.

Now, my suggestion... think about a magnesium frame. Superlight and extremely strong. Once I get tired of steel I'll probably go to magnesium. Do a search for Paketa bicycles.

Answer 3

As far as aluminum frames are concerned, Cannondale has a well-deserved reputation fro making solid, strong and light bikes. I've seen a few catastrophic failures on aluminum frames but never a Cannondale. The worst I've seen on a C-dale is a dented tube (think beer can, just stronger). Aluminum C-dales are hand made in USA so quality is not an issue. Even the rough ride of aluminum has been minimized.

If you want a bike that is hard to damage, steel is the way to go although there are some superlight steels that have thin walls that dent easily.

If you want indestructible, titanium is the only choice. Heard many stories of race crashes involving badly hurt riders and intact titanium frames. Nice ride too.

Answer 4

Carbon frames are more fragile than aluminum or steel frames, but when it comes to everyday riding, you shouldn't worry about denting or cracking your frame. Some carbon frames may have a weight limit so if you are a clydesdale rider (200+ lbs) you may want to do some research into the specific frame to see if that is an issue. Most if not all the major manufacturers provide a lifetime warranty on the frame so if you do damage it, new frame!

Answer 5

Steel is the most durable. If you bend steel, then you can bend it back with little loss of strength. If you bend aluminum or titanium, you have a problem. Both metals are stronger than steel, but they are far less durable when damaged. And, carbon fiber cannot be repaired if damaged.

It is always a tradeoff between materials of construction (btw, brand has nothing to do with this - Cannondale, Giant, Lemond, etc. will make bikes from different materials). Steel can be a more springy ride, and Aluminum and titanium can be harsher. But, it also depends on wall thickness of the tubing and how the tubes are joined to characterize the ride.

I suggest riding a few bikes and determine for yourself what you like. I doubt you will have major problems with aluminum. If you have lots of disposable income, you might risk carbon fiber.

Answer 6

That is a great question. I have rarely ever seen a steel or aluminum frame run into trouble any only witnessed a small number of carbon fiber frames run into trouble. I personally don't like carbon fiber's ride. It feels to "spongy" to me. But that may just be me and how I ride.

Answer 7

Well, I have friends that have ridden Cannondales and I don't hear great things about them. I've heard the name CRACK N' FALE used many times. But I really can't say myself cause I haven't ridden one, not to say I wouldn't. They look like really nice frames, especially the Six13.
Maybe that's why they guarantee their frames for life??
I'm not big on titanium. It flexes more than steel.

Answer 8

i have a giant ocr3 for about a year now and nothing is wrong with it i've had some falls and nothing damaging the bike. cannondales are good strong bikes. i would go with a giant or a cannondale.

Answer 9

I would look STRONGLY at Cannondale's financial situation before I would buy their product and keep it for a while.

I have broken the rear chainstays off of one, and dented the toptube with my knee from a MILD crash.

I use to race on Cannondales exclusively - but, if it were my money, I would look at something else!

Magnesium by the way, is EXTREMELY CORROSIVE and does NOT weather well at all - realistic three year lifespan! - read here:

http://www.magnesium.com/w3/forum/read.php?thread=2044

Pound for pound Aluminum is stronger than steal - read here:

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/frame-materials.html

Answer 10

I found this ebay guide on Bicycles very interesting.