5 SELECT A FRAME MATERIAL

Aluminium (in various alloys) is the most commonly-used material, because it offers a good balance of strength, weight and cost. Chromoly steel is a popular choice with smaller boutique brands, not only because it’s widely available and easy to work with, but also because you can achieve comparable strength to an alloy frame using thinner-walled and smaller-diameter tubes, resulting in a desirable amount of bumpabsorbing ‘compliance’ (flex). This is particularly applicable to hardtails. Titanium does the same with less of a weight penalty, but expect to pay upwards of £1,000 for a Ti frame. ‘Carbon’ has long been one of the buzz words used to ‘upsell’ to bike buyers. To some extent this is justified, because carbon fibre gives designers near-limitless control over frame shapes and ride characteristics, as well as the potential to build incredibly light and strong chassis. Cheaper carbon frames aren’t necessarily laid up with the same care and attention to detail, though. Also, be aware that at lower price points, brands will often spec mid-range or even budget kit to prevent the complete bike from looking too expensive compared to the next (aluminium) model down. A better-specced alloy bike will almost always ride better than a carbon frame with cheap parts.