Steel v. aluminium

[steveindenmark]

GA..you have come up with the old chestnut "what if you are in Mongolia and your alu frame breaks" How many of us will actually ever get there and if we do how many will break their frames? I think there is far more chance of wheels, racks and rohloff hubs going wrong before frames start snapping. Alu frames made by reputable touring bike makers have just as much chance of surviving, I would imagine.

 

[vernon]

GA..you have come up with the old chestnut "what if you are in Mongolia and your alu frame breaks" How many of us will actually ever get there and if we do how many will break their frames? I think there is far more chance of wheels, racks and rohloff hubs going wrong before frames start snapping. Alu frames made by reputable touring bike makers have just as much chance of surviving, I would imagine.

I've had two steel frames break on me. One in Chorley at 18:30 on a Friday night and a freak set of circumstances led to it being repaired in less than a couple of hours by Bill Nickson, the last British winner of the milk race.

The second frame breakage happen in Orleans and a weighing up of circumstances led me to abandoning the bike and buying an aluminium framed tourer from Decathlon. It delivered a ride at the comfort levels of the steel framed bikes and despite being heavier - it had front suspension with lock out facilities, was just as fast in touring mode.

A broken frame irrespective of material stops the game. Broken Rolhoffs tend to degrade to single speed making further progress possible.

 

[Gravity Aided]

GA..you have come up with the old chestnut "what if you are in Mongolia and your alu frame breaks" How many of us will actually ever get there and if we do how many will break their frames? I think there is far more chance of wheels, racks and rohloff hubs going wrong before frames start snapping. Alu frames made by reputable touring bike makers have just as much chance of surviving, I would imagine.

Actually, I think Drago was first to state it, but I agree with him, yes.