Alloy frames: Anything new AND LIGHT from OEM manufacturers

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LouisN
Posts: 3510
Joined: Mon Feb 19, 2007 3:44 am
Location: Canada

by LouisN

I'm looking for some cheap (below $400) AND light framesets from OEM manufacturers. Like below 1200 g for a S-M.

Anything that came out lately ?

Seems like it's quiet on the "alloy side" of the bike frames planet... :noidea:

Haven't seen any Pro-lite or the like kind of frames, and most of the cheap frames are around 1400-1550 g and more ...

Louis :)

monkeyburger
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Joined: Mon Mar 26, 2012 2:45 pm
Location: Bali, Indonesia

by monkeyburger

LouisN,
I built up one of these last week to (temporarily) replace the Pro-Lite that is trying to kill me :unbelievable: (joking...a little) ;
Image
http://www.mosso.com.tw/products/road-frame/791TB7.php

It is available locally for about $300 with fork and headset.
The frame weight for a 53cm TT model is 1170g, The fork was 380g uncut and the headset has a very nicely machined (thin) upper and stem cap.
It is very comfortable although the stock fork is a bit flexible. Most importantly, It tracks well on the rough and slippery roads here and I can get 25s on it.
I've got an MTB and SS frame by the same company which are both fairly light. Regardless of price point all their stuff is very well painted, although unfortunately colored in an OEM-ish palette.

Perhaps not exactly in your neck of the woods, but alloy stuff is still out there.

Monkeyburger
...finding my inner Onoda-kun...

by Weenie


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CarpetFibre
Posts: 556
Joined: Thu Apr 01, 2010 10:24 am

by CarpetFibre

Louis, I don't know if this is really what you're looking for but look out on ebay for old Giant TCR aluminium frames. I recently built up a 52cm one for my Dad and I could hardly believe the weight. It was under 1100g including all the hangers and a headset. Fork wasn't that light though, ~400g if I remember rightly. It cost £80.

User Name
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Joined: Tue Jun 07, 2005 3:32 pm

by User Name

My 57.5 Pro Lite Bella is ~1375g, so I obviously wouldn't be surprised if the smaller ones were lighter.
This site says that the 52.5 is 1170g.
http://2011.pro-lite.net/index.php?opti ... &Itemid=76

It's not my siffest frame, but it's a pleasant, lively ride, and I race on it quite a bit

It's a safe guess that you've already considered a Caad, and I realize that's not what you asked, but you could do a lot worse than grabbing an old one.
My old 58 Caad8 is 1265g, which surprised me.

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LouisN
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Location: Canada

by LouisN

Thanks for the link monkeyburger. I can't seem to find the sizes available though...

I'm constantly watching for used TCR's and CAAD's, but it's for my 4' 9'' 1/2 twin daughters, so I need two XS or XXS frames (sizes 44 to 48).
Ideally 43-ish cm seat tube and maximum 50 cm top tube. Not exactly common sizes...

I don't want to put too much $$$ because I'll have to buy two bigger bikes, or frames in a year or two...

And "chinese carbon" is aroud $450. for a decent frameset. They're around 80 lbs each, so I'm not worried for durability or harshness...
A decent road race geometry is better, because they're mostly for criteriums, and skills games, so the bike has to be fast handling...hence the older CAAD's as favourites.

Louis :)

totoboa
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Joined: Thu Dec 13, 2012 4:24 am
Location: Sierra Foothills, California USA

by totoboa

Any one know what a Kinesis "hydroformed" 6061 alloy straight top tube road frame weighs ? Do I have to strip mine to find out ?

Bikes Dr and Bike Island no speake,ee. :mrgreen:

monkeyburger
Posts: 123
Joined: Mon Mar 26, 2012 2:45 pm
Location: Bali, Indonesia

by monkeyburger

Louis,
The road models that Mosso offers are available as 47cm c/t with 50cm tt, 50cm/53cm and sometimes a 52/54.5.

I had a quick look at some of my favorite cheap-bastard haunts and found the following:
Nashbar alloy frames are too long in the TT
Performance frames are too big and too heavy
Check Chainreaction Cycles. They offer free shipping and have a couple of Raleigh and Ridley frames that might work;
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Categories.aspx?CategoryID=589&SortBy=Price
Check out this frame at PlanetX Bikes (don't know about shipping);
Image
http://www.planet-x-bikes.co.uk/i/q/FRSABAL41/sab_r41_aluminium_frame

As a fellow Canadian I feel for you in this endeavour owing to the FABULOUS service we usually get from Canada Post :scared:

Lastly, Damn you Louis! I found another frame I don't need. I'm a sucker for this paint scheme...
Image
mrs.monkeyburger took one look at the screen and said, "no"...

Have a great whatever time it is there,
mb
...finding my inner Onoda-kun...

CarpetFibre
Posts: 556
Joined: Thu Apr 01, 2010 10:24 am

by CarpetFibre

The SAB frames come up a bit heavy. Also be a bit careful with the sizing on the Planet X website, we bought a SAB frame for my little brother and it came in massively bigger than we expected (53.5 effective top tube rather than the 50cm listed). The weight for the frame only was ~1500g I seem to remember.

Now we've got him a virtually unused Trek 1500 in 43cm. We bought the complete bike for £400 and sold all the components effectively making the frame free. It fits him absolutely perfectly and although the frame weighs 1400g, with some careful choices in components the build is only 6.5kg in total, for just over £1000. Lot of parts were bought new to get very specific sizes so the price could come down a lot if you're less fussy with parts sizes.

CarpetFibre
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by CarpetFibre

Posted this pic over in the kids road bike thread but here's the bike I was talking of:

Image

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bikerjulio
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Location: Welland, Ontario

by bikerjulio

Cinelli are still around, and sell framesets. Like this http://www.cinelli-usa.com/bicycles/experience
There's sometimes a buggy.
How many drivers does a buggy have?

One.

So let's just say I'm drivin' this buggy...
and if you fix your attitude you can ride along with me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GekiIMh4ZkM

HeluvaSkier
Posts: 191
Joined: Thu Sep 17, 2009 5:38 pm

by HeluvaSkier

I've been really into aluminum frames lately. I had a few carbon frames break due to crashing in races, and got really sick of it. On top of that a close family friend was actually killed when his carbon frame failed on a descent. Carbon is perfectly safe (not starting that argument), but that event gave me an uneasy feeling when descending. The only carbon frame I still own is my 13.9lb Neo Hyper (really sick bike), mainly because I can't bear to part with it, and the performance is incredible.

My other three bikes are a Giant TCR SL (2012 Taiwan version), a Pro-Lite Carrara, and a Velocite Selene. All alloy.
Giant TCR SL = WIN... amazing bike, stunning looks and performance, 15lbs with 50mm tubulars and SRAM Force; too bad we can't get these in the US
Pro-Lite Carrara = everyday bike; SRAM Rival & Reynolds Attacks; <16lbs
Velocite Selene = VERY STIFF; SRAM Force... 16.5lbs built with heavy components/wheels, but strangely doesn't feel "fast"; bombproof though

When searching for good alloy frames I put this list together; cataloging frames that I found during my search, although I left out some of the more boutique builders... not that I didn't consider them though (Tsunami, Spooky, Rock Lobster, etc).

Image

After riding quite a few alloy frames, the tapered head tubes offer noticeably better handling, so I only considered those; maybe naive but figured this was the "safe" route to go based on experience.

The Pro-Lite Carrara that I own comes in a 44cm frame (I ride the 49), and honestly it is the most comfortable of all my frames. I have it built with Assault Clinchers w/Pro4's, Ritchey Evo Curve Bars, SLK Stem, S950 BB30 Crank, e*13 BB, Tektro R741 brakes, SRAM Rival shifters, FD, RD, and SLR atop a P6 Carbon. At under 16lbs, it makes a great everyday bike... It gives up a bit to the TCR SL and Neo Hyper... and the Selene, is well, the Selene... about as unrefined as it gets, but damn it is durable and insanely stiff.

For inexpensive non-tapered frames, I'd look at Planet-X and Ribble as others have mentioned. They seem to have a great selection and great prices.

In the future, a Gualzetti Corsa with full Enve is on my list. When I'm independently wealthy, of course. Although, I think the TCR SL with the 1.5-1.25 HT is possibly the best alloy frame available right now... though haven't ridden the Canyon Ultimate AL.

tokyoturtle
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Joined: Mon Jun 10, 2013 8:34 am

by tokyoturtle

and the Selene, is well, the Selene... about as unrefined as it gets, but damn it is durable and insanely stiff.



I just got my Selene frame last week. Will be a multi-month project on the build, so not ridden it. You saying the ride is horribly harsh?

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elviento
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by elviento

Louis -- is this what you have in mind? :D

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LouisN
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by LouisN

What is it Elviento ?

Does it fit the requirements at the beginning of this post ?

Louis :)

by Weenie


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elviento
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by elviento

It's very very close. :D FYI -- 1200g is pretty hard to reach without some advanced engineering (or major loss in stiffness/strength). 7046 alloy coupled with a very cool welding technology gives you a reasonably light and very stiff frame -- just look at the width of the downtube.
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