Alu bandwagon going mainstream?

Moonbiker
Moonbiker Posts: 1,706
edited November 2016 in Road buying advice
Even PX have jumped on it now.
Aluminium frames seem to be having a renaissance, many cyclists are drawn to them for the strong value for money they offer and their ability to tackle mid-range carbon frames in the performance stakes.

http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/DBCLNECSHO ... tegra-6800

Comments

  • kingrollo
    kingrollo Posts: 3,198
    They said the same about steel when Alu came to the fore.
  • alan_sherman
    alan_sherman Posts: 1,157
    I suspect the low pound combined with cheap aluminum are the main drivers. Plus some people don't like teh idea of carbon for a gravel bike!
  • dinyull
    dinyull Posts: 2,979
    alan sherman wrote:
    I suspect the low pound combined with cheap aluminum are the main drivers. Plus some people don't like teh idea of carbon for a gravel bike!

    Am I missing something, it's not a gravel bike?

    I know it's PX so it'll be massively reduced soon, but seems quite expensive to me. CAAD12 can be had for cheaper, albeit 105 and not Ultegra, and it won't have anywhere near the R&D as it'll be a cheap generic frame from china.
  • alan_sherman
    alan_sherman Posts: 1,157
    I was talking about a general trend back towards aluminium. Especially at the cycle to work price point.
  • kingrollo
    kingrollo Posts: 3,198
    alan sherman wrote:
    I was talking about a general trend back towards aluminium. Especially at the cycle to work price point.

    Wheres the evidence for this ?
  • ayjaycee
    ayjaycee Posts: 1,277
    Well, if those well known straight talking salesman at Planet X say so, it must be true! That said, I wouldn't want to be pedalling the thing when the 'dynamics' became 'explosive' as it says will happen in the brief description to the right of the picture - it might get painful.
    Seriously, I don't know whether it's the colour scheme or what but I actually think that's quite a nice looking bike.
    Cannondale Synapse Carbon Ultegra
    Kinesis Racelight 4S
    Specialized Allez Elite (Frame/Forks for sale)
    Specialized Crosstrail Comp Disk (For sale)
  • buckmulligan
    buckmulligan Posts: 1,031
    kingrollo wrote:
    alan sherman wrote:
    I was talking about a general trend back towards aluminium. Especially at the cycle to work price point.

    Wheres the evidence for this ?

    Where's the evidence that it ever trended away from aluminium at that price point?
  • imposter2.0
    imposter2.0 Posts: 12,028
    Moonbiker wrote:
    Even PX have jumped on it now.
    Aluminium frames seem to be having a renaissance, many cyclists are drawn to them for the strong value for money they offer and their ability to tackle mid-range carbon frames in the performance stakes.

    http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/DBCLNECSHO ... tegra-6800

    You should never assume that 'brochure-speak' is based on anything factual.
  • bompington
    bompington Posts: 7,674
    BuckMulligan wrote:
    kingrollo wrote:
    alan sherman wrote:
    I was talking about a general trend back towards aluminium. Especially at the cycle to work price point.

    Wheres the evidence for this ?

    Where's the evidence that it ever trended away from aluminium at that price point?
    Err, wobbling past your door underneath half a million MAMILS?

    I have no idea whatsoever what the actual statistics are, but I would guess that a very high proportion of £1K bikes sold in the UK in the last 10 years have been carbon. Whichever way you look at it sales of carbon bikes must have grown, which would mean a trend away from alloy, no?
  • keef66
    keef66 Posts: 13,123
    I think there was a headlong rush to carbon for the masses as the prices came down, but now there's also the resurgence of quality alloy frames which can be better than the cheaper carbon offerings. Cannondale for example have kept the faith with the CAAD and the Alu Synapse.
  • warrior4life
    warrior4life Posts: 925
    Looks like the first drop of a couple of prototype frames seeing as though there are just 2.

    Personally I think they look great.
    I don't think there's any alloy come back, most of the big brands have produced expensive alloy frames over the last few years.
    Giant, Cannondale, Trek, Specialized. There doesn't seem to be any big push, its just another material option.

    A sub 1kg alloy frame is very hard to make, I can only think of Wilier and Prinicipia off the top of my head.
  • Bobbinogs
    Bobbinogs Posts: 4,841
    I have an Allez E5 frame (2011) and that weighs something like 1200g and is matched with a really good Spesh carbon fork. The whole frameset cost me £200 off fleabay. I have put a lot of miles on the bike (built up with a 9 speed Tiagra/105/Ultegra mix) and, with the smoothweld technology, it looks great and rides well. Just shows what is possible with aluminium.

    However, I would say that most of the chaps who I ride with in the club have a summer bike make of carbon so it is hard to argue that it hasn't become the goto choice for those who ride seriously. This time of year though the alu bikes (in the CTW price bracket) seem to come out but the speed of the rides doesn't drop too much in decent weather.
  • kirkee
    kirkee Posts: 369
    Modern hydroformed alloy frames even ones from 5 plus years ago make decent bikes. Iv never owned a full carbon bike so I dont need convincing, likewise I couldnt say how fantastic or otherwise full carbon bikes are. A resurgence in alloy may make people wonder what the fuss about carbon was all about? But thats only possible if you currently ride a carbon frame to compare them to.
    I still think that most consumers who are not concerned overly with prices will buy carbon, as it will still be assumed to be the better material as thats what the pros ride.
    Caveat - I buy and ride cheap, however, I reserve the right to advise on expensive kit that I have never actually used and possibly never will
  • wotnoshoeseh
    wotnoshoeseh Posts: 531
    ayjaycee wrote:
    Seriously, I don't know whether it's the colour scheme or what but I actually think that's quite a nice looking bike.

    Have to agree - there's something very nice about that bike.
  • Brian B
    Brian B Posts: 2,071
    I would agree that there is a general trend back to Alu but for a lot of people I know its usually their second bike that they will ride when the weather is a bit crap.

    I have never really went away as my second bike has always been an Alu frame - bought another alu bike from Rose last year and got a great deal - decent frame and full Ultegra groupset for just over a grand. I like the feel of bike and its not too heavy either.

    I've now completely went away from carbon and my good bike is a Ti frame and although it's geared towards the racier end of the market it still smooth to ride and takes away a lot of the road buzz that I had with my carbon frames. My Alu frame seems to also take out a little of the road buzz.

    I would go further and say that there is now a general trend back towards metal frames in general.
    Brian B.
  • kingrollo
    kingrollo Posts: 3,198
    Brian B wrote:
    I would agree that there is a general trend back to Alu but for a lot of people I know its usually their second bike that they will ride when the weather is a bit crap.

    I have never really went away as my second bike has always been an Alu frame - bought another alu bike from Rose last year and got a great deal - decent frame and full Ultegra groupset for just over a grand. I like the feel of bike and its not too heavy either.

    I've now completely went away from carbon and my good bike is a Ti frame and although it's geared towards the racier end of the market it still smooth to ride and takes away a lot of the road buzz that I had with my carbon frames. My Alu frame seems to also take out a little of the road buzz.

    I would go further and say that there is now a general trend back towards metal frames in general.

    Thats fine as opinion.

    But if TI was cheap I would buy one ! - Would people still buy Alu is carbon was the same price ?

    As you say people (with exceptions) choose Alu as a winter bike - or if they don't want to pay a premuim for a similar spec carbon bike.
    Im just not seeing that people are ditching carbon and going back to Alu - not in any great numbers anyway....
  • fat daddy
    fat daddy Posts: 2,605
    my commuter and MTBS are all Alu .... they take a LOT more abuse from the elements, mud, river crossings and perpetual rain before they start creaking in annoying places.

    I replaced the BB on my Meta once due to it feeling lumpy took it off and there was more mud in there than grease .... compare that to the S-works that will creak unless you grease it in total dust tigh "clean room" wearing those plastic overalls

    I love Carbon, the sound, the feel, but if the bike it to perform in bad conditions, its got to be Alu just to keep it quiet !
  • Bobbinogs
    Bobbinogs Posts: 4,841
    kingrollo wrote:
    ...
    I'm just not seeing that people are ditching carbon and going back to Alu - not in any great numbers anyway....

    I would definitely agree with that. As per my comment above, I ride in a very popular club (325 members, many of whom ride regularly) and the vast majority of those in the middle/faster groups are now riding carbon in the summer, aluminium in the winter (and I suspect the aluminium dominance in the winter is generally because the older 'best' bikes were aluminium but have now been relegated to winter duties, rather than bought specifically for the task...although there are a number of those too).
  • Bobbinogs
    Bobbinogs Posts: 4,841
    fat daddy wrote:
    ...
    I love Carbon, the sound, the feel, but if the bike it to perform in bad conditions, its got to be Alu just to keep it quiet !

    I think that says more about PF than anything else!

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