Lightest Aluminum Frame

[CAAD8FRED]

Does anyone know what aluminum production frame is the lightest currently available?

[zinedrei]

caad may be among those in the top of the list

[robertbb]

Rose Xeon RS is/was claimed to have a frame weight of less than 1000 grams. Ultra-light 6066T6-Aluminium, triple-butted. Seem only available in a few extreme sizes now and there's been no replacement model at this weight (new model, Rose Pro SL is heaviern at 1,280). That's almost as much as a Colnago...

[Broady]

Caad12 is 1100 I believe. Bowman Palace R is 1130.

I've just got a Bowman, lovely frame.

[3Pio]

Caad12 is 1100 I believe. Bowman Palace R is 1130.

I've just got a Bowman, lovely frame.

Caad12 in 52 size and black colour is 1070 gm (deral hanger, cage bolts and seatpost clamp included). Same size, same hardware included in CNCTP colour is 90 gm heavier at 1160 gm

Sent from my Mi A2 using Tapatalk

[alcatraz]

Do light alloy frames often come with carbon forks?

A carbon fork is a cheap weight saving for the manufacturers. Would they do it or keep it all in aluminum (even though aluminum flexes more and compromises handling)?

Do people buy alloy frames because of safety or money concerns is what I'm asking I guess?

[3Pio]

Do light alloy frames often come with carbon forks?

A carbon fork is a cheap weight saving for the manufacturers. Would they do it or keep it all in aluminum (even though aluminum flexes more and compromises handling)?

Do people buy alloy frames because of safety or money concerns is what I'm asking I guess?

At case of CAAD12 there is complete carbon fork, including carbon stereer.. Front end is very stiff and handling is superb... Why i decide to buy alloy frame?

Wanted to have something different than i have so CAAD12 was perfect because in same time more different things then i have at once:

1. just a little smaller size then my C60 (stack 547, reach 383 on C60), while on CAAD12 in 52 (stack 536, reach 381)

This help me to check how will be going smaller size then i have and solve that dilemma

2. Different material then carbon

And i like it.. Feeling lively, feeling responsive

3. A bit different geometry in term of trail, wheelbase etc

Actually i like this faster handling, and is very fun to ride..

4. Cheap enough, and comfortable enough

I actually have 5-6 longer then 200 km rides allready.. I have the CAAD12 from January 2019, and allready have 7000 km on it...


5. Bike that i dont care too much (or as much as for C60), usefull for bad weather, going for holliday etc..


And guess what? I like caad12 that much that i bought one more spare

[rollinslow]

Do light alloy frames often come with carbon forks?

A carbon fork is a cheap weight saving for the manufacturers. Would they do it or keep it all in aluminum (even though aluminum flexes more and compromises handling)?

Do people buy alloy frames because of safety or money concerns is what I'm asking I guess?

FWIW, I have a Cervelo S1 in the stable and it is one of my all time favorite bikes if not favorite bike. I originally bought it because I thought it was the best bang for your dollar back then as it had full Ultegra and was aero. Now it is decked out nicer than 99% of the bikes on the road. The subsequent ride quality confirmed that a bike rides and performs as a sum of all of the components.

I would buy an alu frame again too. If an S Works Allez came around me that would be high on the list.

Oh and the S1 weighs 15lbs.

[RussellS]

Do light alloy frames often come with carbon forks?
Do people buy alloy frames because of safety or money concerns is what I'm asking I guess?

Almost all frames come with carbon forks today. Yes you can still find some steel frames that come with steel forks. But even that is not too common today. Carbon fiber is a cheap and easy way to make a fork. And it seems to work really well too. So why wouldn't you use carbon forks unless you just want to be different or be stylish.

As for why people buy alloy/aluminum frames instead of carbon, titanium, steel, price is likely the most important reason. Aluminum frames are as cheap as steel frames. Go to WalMart or your local Goodwill store, and you will see either very old 1970s steel bikes (Goodwill) or aluminum bikes (WalMart). Today China is making carbon bikes almost as cheap as aluminum bikes. But they are still higher priced. I bought a Redline aluminum touring frame/fork ten plus years ago for $1-200. Aluminum is cheap.

As for safety, maybe there is one in a thousand or ten thousand who claim and really believe metal frames are safer than carbon and buy them because of this. But its really just nonsense talk. Carbon might be more fragile and easier to damage. But its easy to damage aluminum frames too. You will see many aluminum bikes with dented top tubes and down tubes. The only legitimate safety concern is you can still use and ride a dented and maybe cracked aluminum frame but would not ride a busted carbon frame. Kind of like a car can have dented fenders and you still drive it. Cosmetic damage like dents to an aluminum frame can be ignored but almost any damage to a carbon frame cannot be ignored.

[LouisN]

The ones I know that are close to 1100g (M frame):

S-Works E5 Aerotec (no paint version)
Cannondale CAAD10
Jamis Icon Elite
Ridley Helium SLA

I had a Scattante Scandium frame that weigh 950 g but in XS size, and carbon rear triangle.

Louis

[Lewn777]

Do light alloy frames often come with carbon forks?

A carbon fork is a cheap weight saving for the manufacturers. Would they do it or keep it all in aluminum (even though aluminum flexes more and compromises handling)?

Do people buy alloy frames because of safety or money concerns is what I'm asking I guess?

-Alloy can be built very stiff, there are no more losses with it than carbon for hard riding especially around the BB as with the Allez Sprint.
-Alloy can be built to ride very comfortably as with the CAAD12.
-Alloy seems tougher and less able to be damaged than carbon fibre, which makes it better for crit racing, airline transport and indoor trainers.
-Alloy is usually cheaper than carbon fibre.
-Paint is relatively easy to remove from alloy frames, and they look great polished up so make good project bikes.
-It's still relatively easy to get a rim alloy bike to around 7kg.

Carbon forks are still an issue which makes me concerned about long term voids, delamination and other issues, but it's still the most logical choice for fork material.