Aluminium frame life span

chorlton chimp

I have spotted a few references recently to Alu frames getting fatigued and possibly failing.

I just wanted to canvas peoples opinions/experiences with aluminium as a frame material and what sort of life expectancy you should expect before you chucking your frame in a skip.

I see plenty of aged Allezs and Dales on the roads so is it a big issue?

Lastly, how does carbon fare in comparison (as long as you only ride it in the dry of course)?

gazman428

My 98 fsr is still knocking around and I used it downhill for 10 yrs, my 2001 giant xcr is still in use by my brother after retiring it as my main bike 3 yrs ago and using it with 16 stone of me and my son in a child seat. He is also of similar weight and uses it hard at llangdegla and for family rides with a child seat.

my old tri bike is now my winter bike and thats a 2006 spesh, so I my opinion is that aluminum frames are fine if you buy a good one in the 1st place and look after it.

mr_evil

It's true that aluminium has poor fatigue properties, and is guaranteed to fail eventually. However, "eventually" can be a very long time, more than a century in some cases. I think the best advice would be to ride it until it breaks.

Carbon fibre is much more resistant to fatigue, but you really can't say how long a frame should last based on material alone.

andrewjoseph

my marin full suspension alu frame lasted me 5 years, got a warranty replacement. this lasted 3 years. i could probably ride this frame more, the crack under the weld on the downtube is tiny and probably nothing to worry about, but i don't trust it.

my alu boardman frame is 6 years old and seems fine.

smidsy

I have a 2005 CAAD and it is still absolutely fine and performing as intended.

Bobbinogs

My Alan Competition from '89 is still doing ok. In fact, going to be slamming it on a hillfest around Cheddar Gorge at the w/e and fatigue of the frame is not the fatigue concerning me!

keef66

I have a Racelight Tk that's now 6 years old, ridden year round in all weathers, and it's still in perfect condition.

My son has a cheap full sus Saracen MTB that was used mainly for hopping up and down kerbs on his paper rounds, and after 3 years I noticed it had developed a nasty looking crack behind the lower head tube.

Pot luck I think.

iPete

Both my frames are circa 2008, can't tell you how many miles the previous owners did but I've put plenty on and on horrid roads.

mrfpb

My Alu frame commuter (Ridgeback Speed) is going strong after 9 years (actually the frame set,seatpost and pannier rack are the only original parts left). More amazingly the seat post is perfectly straight despite towing children on trailgaters for those 9 years. I've used it for commuting, canal rides and some rough off road NCN routes.

racingcondor

Most frames are overbuilt enough that the fatigue life of the material is irrelevant. What will fail eventually due to fatigue though (especially on Alu or Ti) are the welds. I say especially Alu and Ti because of the relative difficulty welding them compared to steel. I know of frames that failed in 3-4 years and frames like the ones above that just keep going so it's really impossible to tell.

I'd recommend riding it until you spot hairline fracturing in the paint at a weld when you clean it and when you spot that, get it checked out. Last Alu frame I had failed after 3 1/2 years at the seat post - seat stay weld but it made a helpful creaking noise that let me know something was wrong.

Monty Dog

The problem with fatigue life was prevalent with some of the superlight alloys used about 12 years ago - e.g. Columbus Airplane, Deda U2 where very thin, heat-treated tubes were used to create 1kg frames. Most alloy frames produced today use a different grade which is more robust. I'd carry on riding unless your frame starts creaking or cracks.

ianspeare

Some interesting discussion here. I've been pondering whether carbon is really worth it for amateur riders or if it's a bit of a hype thing.

I've been looking at top end alu/alloy vs low end carbon. Would the money save be better spent on a stages power meter?

Monty Dog

Powermeter will only help your riding if you use it as part of a structured training plan - alternatively, it could tell you to a high degree of accuracy how unfit you are! ;-) There's no substitute for getting the hard miles in - last time I looked, no one had developed a power meter that turns the pedals for you.

ianspeare

Monty Dog wrote:

Powermeter will only help your riding if you use it as part of a structured training plan - alternatively, it could tell you to a high degree of accuracy how unfit you are! ;-) There's no substitute for getting the hard miles in - last time I looked, no one had developed a power meter that turns the pedals for you.

Well yes it'll only be a training tool. My question would be would you rather have high end alloy and power meter or carbon without?

mrfpb

I'd buy the aluminium frame plus my upgrade/gadget of choice. Which upgrade or gadget is another discusion entirely. If it's a power meter for you, then get a power meter. Even if you got the carbon frame you'd still want the gadget anyway!

mrfpb

Duplicate!

napoleond

I race on a £100 alloy frame (ribble). It's great!!

wilshawk

I have an Orbea alu frame, it comes with a lifetime guarantee and it does seem to be very well built although its quite heavy for an alu frame, so in making it stronger they also made it heavier.

I think its 'triple-butted' whatever that means. Also different models of bike may use different alloys so there are some variable factors in alu frame quality.