I’ll start this by saying, as a bike novice, I’m definitely not the end all expert on frame materials (and I’m only speaking for road bikes…I’ll leave you MTB people to Mike). So moving on, I’m no expert but I have listened to Mike debate (at length) the pro/cons of each material on his search for the “perfect” bike. He has now settled on steel as his favorite, but I personally far prefer my aluminum Cannondale Capo (pictured above) with a carbon fork. Which is to say, choosing a frame material is a very personal decision and you shouldn’t just trust your local bike mechanic or best friend who loves bikes, to know what is right for you. Read bike reviews, ask opinions, talk it up but make sure to RIDE each type before making a decision as they all have a different feel. So here are a few characteristics for the three main frame materials (Mike wants me to include titanium but I’ll leave that for him, I think it’s more a frame type for bike addicts like him).

- Steel –
Not all steel is created equally, so make sure you’re looking at a high grade (Mike is practically bouncing in his chair wanting to talk about this in depth, so I’ll let him cover the grades in his post) steel. Also, steel can be pretty heavy so there are different methods of slimming that weight down. We’re not talking Wal-mart bikes here…those are, as we say in the Kelly household, “absolute rubbish”. But with that weight comes durability, stability and a soft ride. Mike can pedal his steel bike in comfort over far rougher road than I can with my aluminum frame. Whereas I’m clenching my teeth and white knuckling the bar, he sails right by with a smile. But he becomes a wuss in the rain, worried about potential rust on his baby while mine wipes down with nary a worry. Plus, if you like a super responsive ride, where you can twitch your pinkie to turn, then steel isn’t for you. Mike says “steel feels alive”, well, I think steel feels like it’s asleep under you.

In short, steel is a great frame material if you want to be able to ride on rough roads comfortably, if you’re a larger rider who needs a durable material (carbon can crack under heavier cyclists), or if you like to beat up your bikes (e.g. throwing them in the back of your car). Or obviously, if you just like the way steel looks (often the paint jobs are more stylish or retro than racy and the thin tubes have a certain elegance to them).

- Aluminum –
This is the material you will end up with if you dislike steel and can’t afford carbon. There is a huge variation in styles and price points. From full aluminum frames to aluminum frames with carbon forks/seat posts and then almost full carbon with a few aluminum pieces, there’s something for every budget. Aluminum is light weight, tougher than carbon, cheaper to produce and provides a stiff, responsive ride. This is a plus if you love to fly around tight turns or blow past your ride buddies on heavier bikes but it’ll cost you on rougher pavement or times when your response is a little sluggish (like after a happy hour, not that I’m speaking from experience or anything). It’s not quite as durable as the steel bikes and can dent if you’re too rough with it but on the whole, it’s the perfect middle man in the great frame debate. The more carbon on your bike, the softer it will ride (those road vibrations will melt away before jolting you) but the pricier it will be.

In short, I love my bike but have had a few moments where I wished it wasn’t quite as rigid (a pebble road being one of them). But when it comes time to upgrade (meaning when my wallet can afford it), I’m not sure if I’ll splurge on full carbon or if I’ll go with another aluminum/carbon blend. You’ll see why below.

- Carbon –
Carbon seems to be the frame choice for avid road cyclists. It’s fast, it’s responsive, it’s smooth, it looks ultra sexy, it’s light. But it’s also fragile, fragile, fragile. And definitely on the pricey end of the bike scale. If you crash your bike, unlike with steel or aluminum that might just pick up a dent or scratch, the carbon can pretty much shatter. I get the sense that carbon bike owners learn to be neurotic about little scratches that most of us would just shrug off…because it could be the end of their ride. So I don’t know about you, but at this point in my biking career, I love drooling over carbon bikes and dream of the day I’ll be clipped in, outfitted in awesome bike gear, blazing down a beautiful road on my full carbon bike…but I’m not there yet.

In short, if you can afford it and are aware of the risks and fragility of this material, go for it. From what I hear, it’s a smooth, smooth ride.

If you’re in the market for a new bike, check out your local bike shop, ask your community bike groups about used bikes for sale, stop by garage sales and browse Craigslist/ebay/etc. You might even luck into a sweet hand-me-down carbon road bike!  Hope this was helpful to my fellow novices and to the bike addicts that can poke holes in my breakdown, keep an eye out for Mike’s post and then poke holes in that one! Or add your thoughts in the comments for us beginners to learn from.