Despite the adoption of new materials such as aluminum, titanium and carbon fiber in the past thirty years, steel may be about to make a comeback in racing bicycles thanks to advanced alloying and processing, resulting in astonishing material characteristics. A UK-based racing team has brought steel frames back into the professional bicycle racing circuit. These new frames utilize high-strength, molybdenum-alloyed maraging steel. This maraging steel gets its exceptional strength reaching 2,050 MPa from two mechanisms, the well-known martensite reaction and a precipitation-hardening reaction utilizing molybdenum. This strength is nearly three times that of the strongest aluminum used for bicycle frames, and the alloy's stiffness is three times that of aluminum. These properties make a wall thickness of less than 0.5 mm, even as low as 0.3 mm possible. Using less material means that, despite its higher density, steel can be used to produce a frame of similar weight as one in aluminum or titanium. Whilst a carbon fiber-reinforced plastic frame may be 15% lighter, it is widely recognised that it is less durable and will not provide the same 'ride quality' for the discerning cyclist. Costs vary depending on the quality of the frame, but it is fair to say that steel will generally be the least expensive, and titanium or fiber-reinforced plastic the most expensive option. Further, steel remains the material of choice for many other types of quality bicycles as well, such as mountain and city bikes where durability is of prime importance.


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    Title :

    Racing bikes - steel's great comeback?


    Additional title:

    Rennräder - ein großes Comeback des Stahls?


    Published in:

    MolyReview ; 1 ; 2-3


    Publication date :

    2014


    Size :

    2 Seiten, 2 Bilder


    Type of media :

    Article (Journal)


    Type of material :

    Print


    Language :

    English




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