Although carbon fiber is preferred by the market today, steel bicycles resist and are perfectly functional for the bike to work, for randonnée and for ultracycling events.
Steel has always been the most used material for making bicycle frames because it is shock-resistant and stress-induced due to the use of the bike.
Let’s see some of the TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS OF THE STEEL:
- Density – or weight per unit of volume. In this sense, steel is the worst material because it has a very high density.
- Stiffness – however, its degree of stiffness, or deformation resistance, is the highest , even better than titanium.
- Resistance – a key feature of a bicycle frame because it is constantly under pressure. Steel exceeds the resistance test by showing itself the best material.
- Corrosion – Steel is naturally subjected to corrosion by oxygen, so it creats the rust. To prevent this natural process from starting, use a special paint on the frame.
You notice therefore that the steel bicycles are heavier than of the aluminum sisters or carbon, but much more resistant and durable over time. Buying a steel frame could therefore be the best solution if you need a bike that is “forever”.
In detail, WHY TO CHOOSE STEEL:
- It is cheap – prices vary depending on the type of steel used and its quality, but generally steel bicycles do not have a high cost. A mechanical workshop has everything it takes to work on steel, which greatly reduces production costs compared to carbon bikes.
- It doesn’t break suddenly – In the event of accidents or bad falls from the bike, the steel frame bends or scratches and the damage is immediately visible. For carbon bikes, however, the damage remains limited to internal fibers, but due to continuous stress the injury enlarging leading to the sudden breakage of the frame.
- No torque wrench is required – The torque wrench is recommended but not indispensable as in the case of carbon.
- It’s easy to repair – Finding yourselves around the world with a problem with the frame, in case of steel it will certainly be easier to find a workshop that can fix it.