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What if an aluminum and a carbon frame had the same performance, strength, weight, and price?
26 Comments
- + 11
tikiblake
(Oct 20, 2017 at 13:36)
if they were the same there wouldn't be a need for two options. Aluminum is recyclable, carbon is ocean-fill and will drown dolphins. www.google.com/search?q=vaquita+dolphin&safe=off&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwix0uHPhoDXAhWKg1QKHWEiCM0Q_AUICigB&biw=1920&bih=955#imgrc=LlvdIRce1a4wyM:
- + 2
Carbon, steel, titanium all have a fatigue limit, whereas aluminum does not. That means any strain to aluminum, no matter how small, will eventually* break it. This is independent of its performance/strength/weight/price.
* it could take an unimaginable number of cycles for a small enough deflection, but it is still a real physical property of the material.
* it could take an unimaginable number of cycles for a small enough deflection, but it is still a real physical property of the material.
- + 1
From a riding point of view - they are theoretically the same, so no preference. The issues with the recycling argument for me are 1. I have never actually heard of it being done, 2. It is possible (though difficult) to recycle carbon, so following the same "what if" argument, then carbon recycling should become more common.
- + 1
Thats not true though, carbon fiber flexes creating a more supple ride, so it's not all just about weight. Also Carbon fiber may not be recyclable and use tons of epoxies to set but aluminum is absolutely one of the least environmentally friendly metals out there, lots of energy is required to produce it. Carbon is still the way to go, besides the fact that gram to gram carbon fiber is significantly stronger so this scenario would never happen
- + 1
@bigtymemcd: The question includes "same performance" so they've covered all the bases to make them effectively exactly the same in this hypothetical universe.
- + 2
@bemery: Ya I guess at that though this question is pointless. if two things are exactly identical why bother choosing? the question should really be "which material do you prefer the look of?"
- - 1
If you chose carbon in this particular scenario then you're not thinking about the environmental impacts of carbon fiber waste.
This should be 100% aluminum. (IMHO)
This should be 100% aluminum. (IMHO)
- + 1
@enduroelite: even if you can not recycle it to100%. You can not made out of that scrap a new frame who is good as rhw first one.
With aluminium it is easy and you could create the same thing with same strength. Also 100% recyclable.
With aluminium it is easy and you could create the same thing with same strength. Also 100% recyclable.