Hi-tensile steel frame
- Thread starter Ben1981
- Start date
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It's about as far down the ladder of steels as it's possible to get. It's not as strong as cro mo, so more of it is required, in the examples I've seen it's also a rolled plate rather than a manufactured tube, so it has no butting. The one example I've ridden had non of that springy steel feel that makes a good frame. though it's all subjective. When you think how cheap a double butted cro mo tube set would have cost the manufacturer, I think they would have spent the extra few quid if they wanted to build a decent frame.
Having said that, I'm sure people ride thousands of miles every year on such frames. If for some reason that's all you can get, it'll be loads better than nothing but if possible I'd look for a better frame.
Having said that, I'm sure people ride thousands of miles every year on such frames. If for some reason that's all you can get, it'll be loads better than nothing but if possible I'd look for a better frame.
Gravity Aided
Legendary Member
- Location
- Land of Lincoln
Cro-Mo is definitely better, and with the number of them made, you should be able to find one for a good price. You'll pay more for it, but you don't need to buy a bicycle as often as most things. Most of what I ride daily is 25 years or older. Don't overlook used bicycles, in case that's an option.
Davidc
Guru
- Location
- Somerset UK
AFAIK high tensile steel is good quality 'bog-standard' carbon steel, where chro mo is stronger and more flexible, so less is needed so components can be made lighter.
Titanium
Guru
- Location
- Penarth, South Wales.
Hi-tensile will do the job OK, it's just that cro-mo would (probably) give a nicer livelier ride, because the tube walls can be made thinner. So cro-mo should also be lighter.
It's not quite a foregone conclusion though. Some cro-mo frames can be kind of heavy and 'dead'.
For example, a year ago I bought a recent model Raleigh Royal as a bare frame+forks. I do think it's quite a nice bicycle, but blimey the bare frame is kind of heavy feeling.
It's not quite a foregone conclusion though. Some cro-mo frames can be kind of heavy and 'dead'.
For example, a year ago I bought a recent model Raleigh Royal as a bare frame+forks. I do think it's quite a nice bicycle, but blimey the bare frame is kind of heavy feeling.
Cycleops
Legendary Member
- Location
- Accra, Ghana
Not many tourers these days are made from high tensile steel, in fact I cant think of any. Plain gauge steel tubing is only found in cheaper models. Tourers or any other bike come to that will either be cro-mo of some sort or aluminium. What is your reason for asking?
