Alu - butted or non-butted?

Robi45

Bit of a niche question this, and maybe covered elsewhere in the forum.but I would be interested to hear views.... what are the riding characteristics/differences between a butted alu frame and non butted heat treated one? Does heat treated/double butted/triple butted etc make much difference, apart from a few grams weight saving?

For an average road rider like me, can you tell the difference out on the road? The reason, i have non butted alu frame and am wondering how much it is worth upgrading groupset etc.

topdude

I would say "butting" is mainly about weight reduction, thinner walled tube where strength is not so critical, thicker walled tube at the joints where stress is higher.
Maybe an alloy frame with "butted" tubes is a little more flexible and comfy as plain alloy tubing is generally quite stiff. I doubt the difference is that noticeable though.
If your current frame is a good fit and you like it then why not upgrade the components.
If you want a step up in comfort go for a steel or titanium frame

careful

I agree with all that TOPDUDE said. Butting also helps to overcome the problems in welding thin-wall tubing (make it thicker where the welds are and make the rest thinner & lighter). A weight saving of maybe 10-20% on the frame - typically something like 200g.