Carbon Vs Aluminium Vs Titanium Vs Steel: Which Bike Frame Material Is Best?

Summary

This video script explores the choice of frame materials for bikes, comparing titanium, aluminum, steel, and carbon options from Ribble's CGR lineup. The script delves into the attributes, strengths, and costs of each material, highlighting their impact on ride quality, weight, and durability. The crew tests the bikes on various terrains, discussing their performance and personal preferences, ultimately emphasizing the importance of material choice in meeting individual cycling needs and preferences.

Takeaways

• 🚲 The video discusses the choice of bike frame materials, comparing titanium, aluminum, steel, and carbon fiber options.
• 🏭 Ribble, a bike manufacturer based in the north of England since 1897, offers a variety of frame materials with the same geometry but different material properties.
• 🌐 Aluminum is the most popular frame material in sales, accounting for 56%, possibly due to its affordability compared to other materials.
• 🔨 Aluminum frames have evolved from being harsh and flexible in the 70s and 80s to now offering varied stiffness properties through advanced construction techniques like hydroforming.
• 💎 Titanium is a luxurious and rare material known for its strength and corrosion resistance, but it requires significant skill and is more expensive to work with compared to aluminum.
• 🎖 Steel is traditional and robust, offering a balance of strength and comfort, with modern advancements like triple butting and heat treatment enhancing its performance.
• 🔬 Carbon fiber is lightweight, strong, and can be molded into various shapes for improved aerodynamics and comfort, making it the choice for professional cyclists.
• ⚖️ Weight is an important factor for many cyclists, with the carbon frame being the lightest and the steel frame being the heaviest among the options discussed.
• 💰 The cost varies significantly between materials, with aluminum being the most affordable and titanium being the most expensive.
• 🛣 The choice of frame material can affect the ride quality, with each material offering different levels of comfort, responsiveness, and durability.
• 🤔 The final decision on frame material is subjective and depends on personal preferences, intended use, and budget considerations.

Q & A

What is the main topic discussed in the video script?

The main topic discussed in the video script is the comparison of different bicycle frame materials: titanium, aluminium, steel, and carbon, and their respective attributes and strengths.

Which brand of bicycles is featured in the video script?

The brand featured in the video script is Ribble, a manufacturer based in the north of England with a history dating back to 1897.

What makes Ribble unique according to the script?

Ribble is unique because it offers a choice of components, custom color and paint options, and a choice of frame materials on their bikes, which is not commonly found in other brands.

What is the CGR in the context of the video script?

In the context of the video script, CGR stands for 'Cross Gravel Road', which is the platform of the bikes being discussed and tested.

What are the four frame materials of the bikes tested in the video?

The four frame materials of the bikes tested are titanium, aluminium, steel, and carbon.

Which frame material is the most popular according to sales statistics mentioned in the script?

According to the sales statistics mentioned in the script, aluminium is the most popular frame material, accounting for 56 percent of sales.

What is hydroforming and how does it relate to aluminium bike frames?

Hydroforming is a manufacturing process where tubes are manipulated into various shapes, allowing for different stiffness properties in different dimensions. It is used in the construction of aluminium bike frames to improve their performance and comfort.

Why is titanium considered a luxury material for bike frames?

Titanium is considered a luxury material for bike frames because it is rare, corrosion-resistant, ultra-strong, and requires a high level of skill and expertise to work with, making it more expensive and desirable.

What are the main characteristics of steel as a bike frame material?

Steel as a bike frame material is known for its tradition, strength, and ease of manufacturing. It is also appreciated for its ride quality, which is often described as having a 'zing' or a certain liveliness.

How does carbon as a frame material differ from the other materials discussed in the script?

Carbon as a frame material differs because it is lightweight, strong, and can be tuned and molded into various shapes. It also has the ability to be engineered for specific levels of compliance and comfort, making it a popular choice for performance-oriented cyclists.

What is the significance of the bike's weight in terms of performance and how does it affect the riding experience?

The bike's weight is significant in terms of performance as lighter bikes are generally easier to maneuver and accelerate, especially when climbing. However, heavier bikes may offer more stability and inertia, helping to maintain speed on rough terrains or when loaded with additional gear.

What factors contribute to the cost of different bike frame materials?

The cost of different bike frame materials is influenced by the cost of raw materials, the manufacturing process, and the complexity of working with each material. For example, carbon frames are more expensive due to the cost of molds and the labor-intensive process of laying up carbon fibers.

How does the choice of frame material affect the overall ride quality and comfort of a bike?

The choice of frame material affects the ride quality and comfort by influencing the bike's compliance, stiffness, and responsiveness. For instance, carbon frames can be engineered for specific levels of comfort and performance, while titanium offers a unique ride feel that some riders prefer.

What is the final decision made by each of the riders in the script regarding their preferred bike frame material, and why?

The final decisions made by the riders are as follows: one rider chooses titanium for its luxury feel and rarity, another prefers carbon for its performance and light weight, and the third rider would choose aluminium for its affordability and then invest in higher-end components.

Outlines

00:00

🚲 Exploring Bike Frame Material Choices

The script begins with a philosophical reflection on choices in life, using the metaphor of different paths leading to the same destination. It then transitions into a practical scenario of choosing between four bikes, each with a different frame material: titanium, aluminum, steel, and carbon. The bikes are from Ribble, a manufacturer with a long history dating back to 1897. The script introduces a visit to Ribble's concept store and an exploration of the attributes and strengths of each frame material, as well as the personal preferences of the riders involved in the video.

05:01

🔍 Deep Dive into Bike Frame Materials

This paragraph delves into the technical specifications and popularity of the different bike frame materials. Aluminum is revealed as the most popular choice, accounting for 56% of sales, possibly due to its cost-effectiveness. The discussion highlights the engineering and design considerations for each material, aiming to maintain comfort and feel without sacrificing the unique properties of titanium, steel, and carbon. The paragraph also touches on the historical development of aluminum bikes and the advancements in construction techniques that have improved their ride quality.

10:01

🌟 The Luxurious Appeal of Titanium and Steel

The script contrasts the luxurious and rare nature of titanium with the traditional and robust appeal of steel. Titanium is described as strong, corrosion-resistant, and requiring high skill to work with, making it a material of choice for lightweight, high-stress applications. Steel, on the other hand, is portrayed as a traditional material with a reputation for adventure, resilience, and reliability. The script also discusses the historical use of steel in bike manufacturing and its evolution over time.

15:02

🚴‍♂️ The Performance and Aesthetics of Carbon Bikes

This section focuses on the performance and aesthetics of carbon fiber bikes, which have become the choice of professional cyclists due to their lightweight, strong, and stiff properties. Carbon frames are discussed in terms of their tunability, allowing for the creation of unique shapes and the introduction of compliance and comfort into the design. The script dispels myths about carbon bikes lacking 'soul' and emphasizes the skill and labor-intensive process involved in crafting a carbon frame.

20:03

📊 Comparing Frame Weights and Material Robustness

The script presents a comparison of the weight of the different bike frames, with the carbon frame being the lightest and the steel frame being the heaviest. It discusses the implications of weight on performance, particularly on climbs and rough terrain. The paragraph also addresses myths about material strength and robustness, explaining that all materials are engineered to withstand stress and that carbon frames, while not dented like metal ones, are repairable and have a potentially longer lifespan.

25:03

🛣️ Ride Quality and the Impact of Frame Material

The final paragraph discusses the subjective experience of ride quality, which is influenced by the frame material but also by other components such as the seat post and tires. It highlights the comfort provided by carbon components on an aluminum frame and the stiffness felt in the bottom bracket of the titanium frame. The script also touches on the traditional 'zing' associated with steel bikes and the plush feel of carbon bikes, emphasizing the importance of personal preference in choosing a bike.

💰 The Cost Implications of Frame Material Choices

The script concludes with a discussion on the cost of the different frame materials, starting with the most affordable aluminum frame and moving up to the more expensive titanium. It explains that the cost differences are due to the raw materials and manufacturing processes involved. The paragraph ends with personal reflections from the riders on their preferred material based on performance, aesthetics, and budget considerations, inviting viewers to share their preferences in the comments.

Keywords

💡Bike Frame Materials

Bike frame materials refer to the different types of materials used to construct the frame of a bicycle, which significantly affects the bike's performance, weight, and ride quality. In the video, four distinct materials are discussed: titanium, aluminium, steel, and carbon. Each material has its unique attributes and is chosen based on the rider's preferences and intended use, such as off-road or on-road cycling.

💡Ribble

Ribble is a bicycle manufacturer based in the north of England with a history dating back to 1897. The company is highlighted in the video for offering a choice of frame materials, components, and custom color options on their bikes. Ribble's CGR (Cross Gravel Road) platform is featured, showcasing how different frame materials can cater to various riding styles and preferences.

💡Endurance Road Bikes

Endurance road bikes are designed for long-distance cycling with a focus on comfort and durability. The video mentions that Ribble offers a choice of frame materials for their endurance road bikes, allowing customers to select based on their performance needs and aesthetic preferences.

💡Gravel Bikes

Gravel bikes are a type of bicycle designed for mixed terrain, including paved and unpaved surfaces. The script discusses how gravel bikes have evolved and mentions the CGR platform by Ribble, which is designed to handle various terrains and is available in different frame materials.

💡Customization

Customization in the context of the video refers to the ability of customers to choose different components, colors, and frame materials for their bikes. Ribble is noted for offering extensive customization options, which is a key theme in the video as it explores how such choices can impact the bike's performance and the rider's experience.

💡Weight

Weight is a critical factor in bicycle performance, affecting how easy it is to maneuver, accelerate, and climb hills. The video script discusses the weight differences among bikes with different frame materials, noting that the carbon frame is the lightest, followed by titanium, aluminium, and steel.

💡Robustness

Robustness in the script refers to the strength and durability of the bike frames. It is discussed in the context of how different materials respond to stress and impacts. While all materials are robust, the script clarifies that metal frames may dent and bend under stress, whereas carbon frames, being a composite material, do not.

💡Ride Quality

Ride quality is a subjective measure of how comfortable and enjoyable a bike is to ride. The video emphasizes that ride quality is influenced by the frame material, with each offering a distinct feel. For example, aluminium is described as having improved comfort due to modern construction techniques, while titanium is considered luxurious and steel is traditional and robust.

💡Cost

Cost is discussed in relation to the different frame materials and their impact on the overall price of the bike. The video script outlines that aluminium is the most affordable option, followed by steel, carbon, and titanium, which is the most expensive due to its rarity and the complex manufacturing process.

💡Performance

Performance in the video refers to how well the bike handles various cycling conditions, such as climbing, acceleration, and rough terrain. The script explores how different frame materials affect performance, with carbon being favored for its lightweight and stiff properties, while steel offers a balance of weight and durability.

Highlights

Multiple paths can lead to the same goal, such as different bikes with various frame materials.

Ribble offers four types of bikes with different frame materials: titanium, aluminium, steel, and carbon.

Ribble has been manufacturing bike frames since 1897, showcasing a long history in the industry.

The brand provides a choice of components, custom color, and paint options, in addition to frame materials.

Aluminium is the most popular frame material, accounting for 56% of sales, likely due to its cost-effectiveness.

Frame material engineering aims to maintain comfort without sacrificing the unique properties of each material.

Advanced aluminium construction techniques, such as hydroforming and butting, have improved bike performance.

Titanium is a luxury material known for its strength, corrosion resistance, and the skill required to work with it.

Steel is a traditional bike material appreciated for its strength, durability, and ride quality.

Carbon fiber bikes are lightweight, strong, and can be molded into various shapes for improved aerodynamics and comfort.

The manufacturing process of carbon frames is costly due to the need for precise labor and expensive molds.

Weight is an important factor for many cyclists, with the carbon frame being the lightest and the steel the heaviest.

Robustness of a frame depends on material properties and engineering rather than the material itself.

Ride quality is subjective and varies based on individual feel and bike components.

Cost differences among the frames are influenced by raw material costs and the manufacturing process.

Personal preference plays a significant role in choosing a bike frame material, balancing performance, cost, and aesthetics.

Transcripts

in life there are often multiple ways to

get

to the same goal different paths that

lead to the same destination or

variations on a recipe that give you the

same dish

now often those choices are simple like

a comfortable armchair over a wooden

bench

or a cup of coffee over a cup of

bothering

but sometimes those choices are

bewildering they leave us floundering

unsure which way to turn next what if

you're presented with four different

armchairs

just with slightly different fabric or

four cups of coffee

just with a slightly different roast not

so easy then is it

and that is what we're faced with today

really i thought we were here to ride

bikes i've just lugged all four of these

into the middle of nowhere

yeah don't worry alex we are what we

have here

are four bikes that represent a choice

that many of us face

which frame material should you choose

now we've got four bikes here from the

same manufacturer ribble based on their

same do-it-all platform

the cgr the principal difference between

them

is in the frame material we've got

titanium we've got aluminium we've got

steel

and we've got carbon what are their

relative

attributes and strengths is one better

than another

[Music]

ribble got in touch with us to see if we

wanted to travel up

and pay them a visit ride some of their

bikes on their local roads

we said yes please now as a brand

they've been around for a long time

actually they've been based up here in

the north of england

building bike frames since 1897.

yes 1897. now a lot has changed since

then i mean gravel bikes have been

invented for a start

but they are still going from strength

to strength in fact

we're just going to visit them at their

new concept store

which is open in a pretty little town

called clitherow

it's surrounded by some awesome riding

[Applause]

oh we made it yeah check this out

[Music]

ribble is one of a few brands that

offers a choice of components

on your bike as well as custom color and

paint options

and in addition to that they offer a

choice of frame

materials and i can't really think of

another brand that offers

this much choice this is available on

their endurance road bikes as well as

their cross gravel road platform

the cgr and this gives us the perfect

opportunity to explore

the differences that different frame

materials actually makes

so who's riding which bike then easy

carbon

i'm going for that lighter stiffer more

aero

although that titanium one does look

incredible in fact that steel one as

well

oh it's very smart isn't it steel is

real yeah

but have you seen the price of this

aluminium one

absolute bargain i thought that might be

over the street but if do you mind

i'm a big fan of aluminium bikes do you

mind if i take that one i know it's the

most affordable

are we going are you going up any steep

climbs yeah we are actually yeah carmen

shotgun carbon

we've got the carbon all right i've

actually never ridden a titanium bike so

i'm going to go from that

but okay there there's only three of us

and there's four bikes here

um ah got a plan

oh

[Music]

uh anybody want to go for a bike ride

[Music]

but yeah guys no that is no yeah that's

jamie burrows

but back in the day when no british

cyclist really won anything

jamie bought the trend like he was under

23 world cup champion ended up on us

what he was lance armstrong's teammate

yeah

poor guy want to go jamie ready for a

bite right

yes please show us the way we'll do

[Music]

so before we take a closer look at the

tech specs of these bikes

which ones are most popular the sales

statistics have aluminium the most

popular

56 percent of sales titanium are still

both the same at 13 and then 18 for

carbon

so that's quite interesting actually

because that shows that aluminium is the

most popular

which could be down to the cost maybe a

bit cheaper than the others

but the other three materials are all

fairly comparable

so we already know that the geometry is

the same across all of the different

material frames

but when you sort of engineer and design

these frames

are you trying to make them feel the

same or you play into the strengths

of each sort of materials properties

yeah yeah obviously you've got to play

to the strength of these

materials properties i mean he's pretty

much just giving

the customer a choice of uh frame

material without sacrificing

uh comfort and feel on the bike yeah so

you can kind of advise them on the

strengths

of different properties and the

materials and then they've got that free

choice

that's right i'm pretty much down to

what kind of riding as well i mean

when we launched the cgi category

obviously as it says as the initial

stand for across gravel road

um you know we've had it for three years

now and initially gravel wasn't really

a big thing in the uk um and initial

sales were pretty much for

i'd say seen across commuting and

winter bikes yeah so ally was obviously

the logical choice

good clearance takes 45 mil tyres 50 mud

guards in there

and i think as gravel's come on yeah

we've seen uh

the other materials come on as well

[Music]

thank you

now whilst we're doing a bit of faffing

around i thought i'd talk you through

this my cgr al as we've just heard from

jamie

it's the most popular frame material in

this bike and for good reason but it

wasn't

always this way with aluminium when it

was first introduced to bikes in the 70s

and the 80s

it was very flexible and it had a

tendency to snap

not that that stopped sean kelly from

winning a bunch of races on it but it

wasn't

until we'd worked out how to weld it and

the benefits of vastly oversizing the

tubing

that it then started to gain popularity

but it still had a bad

rap legend has it was that it was so

harsh to ride and transmitted so much

buzz

that it would take hours after you've

got home for you to regain

feeling in your hands and also your

backside

but not anymore not by a long shot

construction techniques of aluminium

have moved into another

dimension now part of the reason those

early bikes were so harsh

was because the shape of the tubes were

just that they were tubes and so their

stiffness properties were constant

in every direction if you want a bike

that was stiff to pedal it was also

going to be stiff

vertically as well but thanks to heavy

investment in aluminium technology

principally in

asia we've got all sorts of different

construction techniques one of the big

ones is

hydroforming which is where the tubes

can be manipulated into all sorts of

different shapes

so the down tube here is clearly

d-shaped

so you can have stiffness properties

that vary in different dimensions

now add in an advanced knowledge of

butting which

is where the thickness of the tubes

varies along their length

meaning that parts of this bike could be

less than a millimeter thick

whilst others considerably more so now

what this means

is that the material which is naturally

very soft is able to keep this key

character trait

even when it's made into a bike but yet

still giving you a bike

that's stiff both in terms of pedaling

and also steering

if aluminium is the material of the

people then titanium

is very much the opposite a material

that oozes luxury

is rare it's corrosion resistant it's

ultra strong

and it requires an immense level of

skill and expertise to work with

when compared to aluminium titanium is

approximately 60

more dense yet roughly twice as strong

it has a particularly high yield

strength

and there's just no substitute for

titanium when it comes to applications

that require

high stress but also are required to be

lightweight

just 0.63 of the earth's crust

is made up from titanium any more than

that it doesn't occur naturally

and it has to be sort of mined and

processed from other materials and as

such

adds further to the sourcing and

production costs of titanium

and as well as being particularly tricky

to work with it has to be welded in an

oxygen

free environment forming it into tube

shapes is also

particularly tricky and costly and it

just takes a considerable amount of time

to craft a frame such as this what is it

with us humans and our desire and lust

to have such rare exotic and shiny

materials

[Music]

i've just borrowed jamie's bike for a

second to tell you about it

it's steel which is real phrase you're

as likely to have heard

from a grizzled old road rider as a

trendy young hipster

and for good reason because steel is

about as traditional as it gets for bite

materials

as we heard earlier on rebel have been

making bikes out of it since

1897 but it doesn't mean that it stood

still in its development now as you

probably know

steel is made almost entirely out of

iron which unlike titanium

is very abundant and it's also easy to

mine so the cost

of the raw material to the end user is

significantly reduced plus

it's also easier to work with i mean

this can be

butted and bent and brazed and welded

to its heart's content and still come

back for more

this bike which is the cgr725 is made

out of reynolds

725 that's right which is a tube set

that's triple butted

and heat treated the heat treatment

makes the steel particularly strong

and the butting means that the tube

thicknesses can vary

so you can get really thin tubes in

areas of low stress

which really draws out the kind of the

ride quality that you get from steel

that's sort of that zing

that it's famous for this tube set can

also be tig welded as well and you have

to look pretty close to see the worlds

on here because they are

super neat now steel might be denser

than titanium

but it is as strong although i suspect

that a lot of people that are buying

steel bikes

do so for more than just the performance

characteristics of all the frame

materials this one has more of a

reputation and a tradition than any of

the others

so it speaks of adventure and resilience

and robustness and reliability

a bike that can handle anything you

throw at it

except for perhaps salt water but of

course while steel might rust

when it's painted and it's treated

inside that's not anything you need to

worry about

[Music]

this is the rebel cgr sl carbon it's got

an absolutely mega spec we've got

zip 303 sram force etap

one by group set on there and the frame

set weighs just

a kilo now carbon right i mean i

probably don't need to tell you much

about carbon it's all the bike

industry's been going on about for the

last 20 years

that's for good reason i mean it's an

incredibly lightweight material it's

very strong

it's very stiff in fact it's well six

times less

dense than steel typically and typically

you know half

the density of aluminium but it's not

all just about being lightweight

carbon can be tunable and moldable and

that allows us

to create shapes that you just can't

create with steel titanium

or aluminium such as this aerodynamic

down tube or this really

really cool aerodynamic profile we've

got on the handlebar

but also by refining and tuning the

carbon layup and the

orientation of the fibres you can

introduce compliance and comfort into a

frame in a way that

you just can't with the other materials

that then combined with special shaping

allows

features such as the seat stays on this

bike to add increased comfort and it's

for these reasons

that carbon fiber bikes have become the

choice

the only choice of pro bike riders and

any performance orientated cyclists

despite this carbon frames do have their

critics with some people claiming they

lack

soul feeling or heart that they're just

cheap

molded and plasticky well this is just

pure ignorance it's a total myth

the number of hours that goes into

producing a carbon frame and the skilled

labor is

immense they all require lots of

individual

precise pieces of carbon fiber to be

intricately cut out and then

painstakingly laid up in a very precise

layer which is then placed into

very expensive molds and then after that

the frames are hand finished

in all the number of human hands-on

hours required to make a frame like this

is far far higher than that of any of

the other materials we have here today

[Music]

now this isn't a competition today or at

least not any more than usual

but it'd be wrong given that we've got

the opportunity not to put these bikes

head to head and we're going to start

with one of the big ones

weight definitely not the be all and end

all when it comes to buying a bike

but it's important to a lot of us

actually right now

it's really important to ask for because

we are dragging ourselves

up the trough of bowline if we ignore

the fork the group set and the component

options that are on these bikes of which

there are a

plethora of options we're left with just

a bare frame

and this is by far the lightest the sl

carbon frame

comes in at just over a kilo and when

you're

riding up a steep gradient like this

that lower weight really is noticeable

especially when you attack

and dance away from your mates of the

climb 450 grams behind carbon

is titanium using the most popular

titanium alloy

3al 2.5 vanadium this frame comes in

at a rather felt 1600 grams

not as light as its carbon brother but

considering its material properties and

its intended use of off-road as well as

on

that's impressive only 80 grams behind

titanium though

is our aluminium frame with a frame

weight of just

1 680 grams

bringing up the rear is the stoic steel

the heaviest of this bunch

this 725 reynolds frame comes in at 2

300 grams

that's twice the weight of the cgr

carbon and sure it takes a bit more to

get going but once you're up to speed

it's just going to keep on rolling plus

is speed necessarily the most

important thing not if you're going to

load this up with bike packing

bags galore

[Music]

right here jamie

no sorry you can't throw rocks just

thought

well i just want to demonstrate the

robustness and and strength and

durability of alex's titanium frame i

mean

definitely be able to take it wouldn't

it i don't know about that but i

definitely don't think you should

try throwing rocks at bikes certainly

not whilst jamie's here

that would be an interesting test

although rather wasteful and they've

been lots of myths in the bike industry

about what materials are

or what materials aren't particularly

strong but the reality of it is the

robustness of a frame

is down to a number of different things

you might hear phrases

such as tensile strength megapascals

weaves

or even yield strength but let's put

this myth to bed because

all of these materials are robust they

quite simply wouldn't make

it into production otherwise that's it

end of

where they differ is how they are

engineered and how this affects

their material properties and how they

respond to different stresses

in the case of steel titanium and

aluminium

alloy bikes they're engineered and

formed into a single consistent material

whereas carbon bikes are made from well

strands of stiff carbon fibers then in a

composite material with a flexible resin

what this means is the metal frames will

dent and

bend when put under undue stress whereas

carbon frames

simply won't and one of the classic weak

points of metal frames

are the areas that are under constant

stress such as where the down tube meets

the bottom bracket for example

and it's a potential area to highlight

that fatigue after many hundreds of

thousands of kilometers carbon fiber

doesn't suffer from the same fatigue

issues that alloys do meaning that well

in theory it has

a longer shelf life it can be more

susceptible

to big heavy impacts though especially

when you're dealing with super

lightweight carbon frames but bear in

mind

it is repairable the most important

thing about

robustness is weight and engineering

super light road bikes for example have

less material

and are far more susceptible to nox and

bangs although they are perfectly strong

enough in their

intended direction and it's the reason

why

do it all bikes like such as this are a

little bit heavier than standard road

bikes because they're

they're designed to withstand all sorts

of different punishments

take the cgr 725 for example that's

tough as old boots

right guys this is where me and my bike

are gonna excel

onto the rough stuff tires maybe mate

mostly the tyres

[Music]

i mean when you think about like the the

ten star strength of steel

versus that of titanium i mean it's kind

of no one i'm sorry guys but you know

nice right image of it i've got to go

now ah you got to go yeah family junior

beckons

okay mate well thank you so much for

showing us your roads and your bikes as

well that's been good

thanks so much yes see you next time

hope you make it back in time thank you

yeah when you consider the x-ray crystal

graphic structure of titanium

cumin lattice that it can actually form

that's you know incredibly wide

[Applause]

[Music]

okay guys we're not far from base now

we haven't talked about ride quality yet

that is one of the big ones it's also

impossible to quantify so this is all on

feel

can i get started my observation on this

one right

the most significant thing on this bike

in terms of comfort

is the carbon seat post okay and the

alloy rails on the saddle you can

visibly

see it flexing and it makes a huge

difference

so even though the frame is alloy the

fact that the fork is carbon and the

seat post is carbon

gives it a lot of comfort i thought that

was really interesting you know

that the frame was less important than i

perhaps thought it would be

well aficionados will tell you that

titanium has a certain zing to it

did you feel it i can't say that i felt

it so far i think that's partly down to

the fact that i've got

the same carbon seat post as you which

has got obviously a lot of compliance

built into it

same fork i've got the same carbon fork

as well and it's also partly down to

these

47 millimeter wide quite chunky tires

i've got here so i think that's

taking partly that away but what i can

say

is that out of the saddle climbing i can

feel the stiffness in the bottom bracket

area which

which is quite nice because it feels

quite good on the climbs yeah

yeah i mean having ridden over the years

like every single

type of frame material in various bikes

i'm just a massive fan of carbon and i

think as we mentioned earlier the

the fact that you can tune carbon you

can tune the layup and how you orientate

the fibres to build in compliance but

also you can

have any tube shape you like within

reason

and that can also massively improve the

comfort

and the ride quality as well so the seat

post great example on this bike

it's different from the round seat post

you have on your bikes we've got a d

shaped cross section this would be

really hard to engineer

into an alloy frame but you can do it

with carbon and these d-shaped

cross-sections they do offer

you know greater compliance and the

other features such as the seat stays as

well you know they can be engineered and

this bike's a great example of it

in a way that can give you much more

comfort and all around

car bikes just feel really plush they're

really nice absorbing that road buzz

they do and so far i

i borrowed your bike briefly and uh it

did feel very responsive admittedly it's

got a different build to this one you've

got zip303s wheels on there

which are very nice but it did it did

feel

like you can feel that reduced weight i

think and you can and you can feel that

stiffness

in the bottom bracket that does make it

just that little bit more

responsive whenever you accelerate on

like especially like a steep climb

it's perceptible isn't it you can feel

the difference with the light yeah a

nice light carbon machine

yeah now jamie was right we are

rabbiting on a lot here

but he's not here to talk about his

steel bike talking about weight

now of course that was the heavier one

and whilst it might have a bit of a

penalty going uphill yeah

as soon as it's going faster

particularly when it's rougher that

extra weight

actually is really good right that extra

inertia helps you maintain

that speed and interestingly i was

chatting to someone at the concept store

earlier one of the members of staff who

owned

that cgr 725 and he was saying he bought

it because

it was slightly less stiff than the

carbon frame he wanted a little bit more

movement a bit more life in that frame

yeah it's really important for us isn't

it yeah but also like

you know compliance like laterally you

know he wanted that extra life and

having an overly stiff bike isn't

necessarily the be on an end

certainly not in fact it's a good point

it's getting dark in it we really have

gone on should we

start coming back to base yeah yeah come

on cycle across

oh i'm gonna ride on the gravel

i can't clip in

he goes

[Laughter]

[Applause]

[Laughter]

cheers guys cheers that was a good ride

i'll come up again

to ride my push bike for sure now we've

ridden our bikes a lot today

there is one inescapable truth that we

haven't touched on yet

cost my aluminium bike

without doubt the winner here most

affordable bike

600 pounds for the frame and fork and

that's the same thought that you guys

have been riding on your more expensive

bikes as well

next comes the steel at 800 quid that's

a steal

that is a steal um and then after that

you got well carbon

at 1300 um and then actually top of the

tree is the titanium

at 1800. but the relative cost of the

different

frames is well it's because

of the cost of the raw materials but

also the manufacturing process

associated with those materials so

although carbon as a raw material is

relatively cheap the cost of

manufacturing it laying it up producing

those expensive molds

that is a very costly process yeah

now all of these bikes clearly they're

as capable as each other we've all gone

on the same ride we've all got big grins

on our faces

but whilst there's no winner here

which one easy tiger oh which one would

you

choose i'm going to stick with what i've

been riding all day i'm going to go with

the titanium

really i know like it's the most

expensive one but

there's something about it when you pick

it up it's got a sort of

just the feel of it is something special

and just knowing that you've got

an item of luxury that is a bit rarer

yeah that's that does it for me yeah

fair enough ollie titanium i agree it

has a nice tactile feel to it

yeah and if i was racing and you know

obsessed with performance like maybe

doing gravel racing whatever then yeah

the carbon definitely

without a doubt but for just all round

use having fun on a bike

adventures exploring an all-rounder

i'd like the titanium too well i wonder

where that's partly because

because it's new because we we're

blessed with riding carbon bikes day to

day

for me if money was an object i'd go for

the carbon bike 100

pure performance lightweight stiffness

compliance

yeah but if i had budget constraints

i'd definitely go with the aluminium one

and then spec

up the components so rather than getting

a carbon frame and then get more

affordable components i'd get an

aluminium frame

and then get more expensive components

you basically want all these wheels on

it

i basically want deep section carbon

wheels so it looks super cool and every

time i get

a garage i'm like yes i am riding that

and that is really important at the end

of day that you've got to love the look

of your bike

yeah i want my wheels on your bike as

well

yeah could have a little play around

later can we just switch them all around

let us know in the comment section down

below which frame material you choose

and why yeah and big thanks to ribble

today for

hosting us and letting us ride these

amazing bikes

yeah right food i think yeah come on

come on

give this video a big thumbs up if you

enjoyed it

that way is it yeah this way