We are in an interesting time as far as bicycles are concerned as you have rise in popularity of the newest technologies and retro, no frills machines. While we all would like to have a garage full of bikes for every type of riding this isn't practical for most people. When you are looking for a new bike, the frame material is one of the most important decisions you have to make. This will dictate the weight, durability, ride quality and price range.

While there are some exotic materials that are in limited use, I'll limit this to the most common you will see on both mainstream and custom bikes.

Steel

Steel is a material that you see in really cheap bikes or mid to high end ones, depending on the quality of the tubing used. For the sake of this article I'm going to focus on the better quality cromoly steel you will get on a bike from a bike shop. A steel frame is the heaviest of the material options but still light enough to build up light bike. A steel frame will be about a 1/2 lb heavier than a comparable aluminum frame so the overall weight penalty isn't too high. What makes steel attractive is it's durability and ride quality. A well made steel frame has an infinite fatigue life which is why you see 30 year old bikes still kicking around in good shape. It also takes the dings and is harder to dent than aluminum. This durability makes for a good option for commuting, touring and bikes for jumping. Steel can rust if left untreated but will minimal up keep it is easy to keep the tubes from rusting. Touch up any scratches in the paint and periodically spray the inside of the frame with a oil or wax spray.

carbon bicycle rim

carbon mountain bike rim

carbon road bike rim