What's the life-span of your average aluminium frame?

We know that steel lives longer (or so they say) but how long 'should' an ally frame last for?

=)

We know that steel lives longer (or so they say) but how long 'should' an ally frame last for?

=)

Where's my length of string..

I have a 18 year old alluminium Klein, frame is perfect.

Long enough. Any frame that lasts 5-10 years of hard riding is probably long enough. All this 'ultimate frame for life' stuff is a bit of a misnomer, unless you're a completely stagnant personality, with a static physiology.

Personally, my body's organic, my moods change, and my aluminium frames have outlasted 2 steel ones.

And I know plenty of people who bought steel for its 'repairability', but when tubes got damaged, took the opportunity to spice up their life with a complete new frame. And so it goes...

SINK: duplicate.

there are heaps of old cannondales knocking around, and all built in the days cannondale was nick named " crack and fail " forever would be my guess or maybe slightly less

Most aluminium forks are guaranteed for a year only (look at the small print on 'life-time' aluminium frame guarantees). Maybe aluminium frames have improved, and also it probably depends on how hard they are ridden - but aluminium work-hardens and age-hardens, when I used to race and had a friend who was a professional frame builder he said that the pro's would be given aluminium frames free to advertise them, would ride them for a year only, and then bin them.

I have verified that aluminium becomes brittle after time and use having snapped two elderly hose-clamps - for fire-fighting - important that they do not snap.

If I were lighter (but I am not), if I did not like to put some pressure on the pedals every now and then (but I do), and if aluminium did not have such a tinny feel and look to it (but it does), I would think about an aluminium frame .....

Everyone to their own, and life has many risks whatever.

had an old 1991 pace, rode it solidly, off and on road.....'till it got nicked last year.. :(

Zippie Most aluminium forks are guaranteed for a year only (look at the small print on 'life-time' aluminium frame guarantees). Maybe aluminium frames have improved, and also it probably depends on how hard they are ridden - but aluminium work-hardens and age-hardens, when I used to race and had a friend who was a professional frame builder he said that the pro's would be given aluminium frames free to advertise them, would ride them for a year only, and then bin them.

I have verified that aluminium becomes brittle after time and use having snapped two elderly hose-clamps - for fire-fighting - important that they do not snap.

If I were lighter (but I am not), if I did not like to put some pressure on the pedals every now and then (but I do), and if aluminium did not have such a tinny feel and look to it (but it does), I would think about an aluminium frame .....

Everyone to their own, and life has many risks whatever.

Take it from the dude who has broken more bikes than just about anyone in the world and who just got a pista concept, new alu frames can take a fucking beating. This shit is a beast.

Zippie Most aluminium forks are guaranteed for a year only (look at the small print on 'life-time' aluminium frame guarantees). Maybe aluminium frames have improved, and also it probably depends on how hard they are ridden - but aluminium work-hardens and age-hardens, when I used to race and had a friend who was a professional frame builder he said that the pro's would be given aluminium frames free to advertise them, would ride them for a year only, and then bin them.

I have verified that aluminium becomes brittle after time and use having snapped two elderly hose-clamps - for fire-fighting - important that they do not snap.

If I were lighter (but I am not), if I did not like to put some pressure on the pedals every now and then (but I do), and if aluminium did not have such a tinny feel and look to it (but it does), I would think about an aluminium frame .....

Everyone to their own, and life has many risks whatever.

I agree Al can fail catastrophically where steel will plastic deform over a longer term but to you should put things into context. The "pro's" are producing the around 7W/kG and are doing a heck of a lot of miles each year which is going to produce fatigue in any material .. including manganese-molybdenum medium carbon steel (531). If you was a sponsor would you want someone on last years frame ? it just doesn't make marketing sense .. Oh and the 'tinny' feel is probably the thin wall thinkness .. don't ever ping a Columbus Spirit framed top tube (goes from 0.5 to 0.38mm butted) it will put you off steel ..

'The Steel is Real' lobby does have its points, especially for comfort on long rides, and durability is important - per kG Al has a higher stiffness and strength to weight ratio until you get to 853. But it comes down to personal choice, how you intend to use your bike, your riding style and how long your going to keep the frame. Personally, for my frugal £ I like Al stiffness / weight and ride a 3 year old Al geared road bike and a 5 year old NOS (road based) Al Track frame both with no problems but I wouldn't say no to a Scapin or Pegoretti ..