as noted above, scanduim the trade-name is not the same as scanduim the material/element. these bikes are basically aluminum bikes.
the reason scandium ( trade-name ) bikes ride well is because they use less of it. the walls are thinner, so the frame ‘gives’ more in a minute sense. think of a thin-wall beer can, vs a thick-wall aluminum pipe of the same diameter. if you made a scandium ( trade-name ) frame with the same wall thickness and tube diameters as a non-scandium alloy aluminum frame it would ride exactly like the aluminum frame that it is.
Exactly right. That is why steel is such a smooth ride WRT aluminum. Steel frames are a fraction of the thickness of aluminum tubed frames.
I have a vintage steel frame and I don’t get why people swear by steel as a bike material (“steel is real”). Yes, the bikes feels so much more substantial in comparison to an alum frame. But my steel bike rides harsh; I feel every bump and pebble.
I have a vintage steel frame and I don’t get why people swear by steel as a bike material (“steel is real”). Yes, the bikes feels so much more substantial in comparison to an alum frame. But my steel bike rides harsh; I feel every bump and pebble.
Steel does last if cared for like frame saver
nice new bike you got
have some fun on her
I hope she gets you to ride more
"I have a vintage steel frame and I don’t get why people swear by steel as a bike material (“steel is real”). "
They do it because they don’t know what they are talking about. It’s pretty much the same as someone else posting about how great scandium bikes ride (hint, hint…)
It’s not the material, it’s the bike - the whole package. Claims like “Steel is real” and “Scandium bikes are great!” merely prove you don’t know much about bikes…
Wow, it sounds like all the master frame builders – Ernest Colnago, Ugo De Rosa, Eddy Merckx, Dario Pegoretti, etc. – should start building their frames out of metal sprinker pipe instead of wasting their energy on these bogus materials. Think of the cost savings
It’s not the material, it’s the bike - the whole package. Claims like “Steel is real” and “Scandium bikes are great!” merely prove you don’t know much about bikes…
"Scandium doesn’t do much for a bike that has as it’s main design criteria aerodynamics, as the manipulation of tube profiles that is largely responsible for the “Scandium Ride” is absent from these designs… "
Can’t agree with you here. Since the tube most responsible for the “scandium ride” is the top tube, it is perfectly appropriate for tri bikes (see Elite and Yaqui). Scandium has a higher strength to weight ratio, so an aero downtube made from scandium will be lighter than an equiv. tube made from 7000 series aluminum - with better weldability.
"Scandium has a higher strength to weight ratio, so an aero downtube made from scandium will be lighter than an equiv. tube made from 7000 series aluminum - with better weldability. "
only if it’s dimensionally different. If so, sure; but that won’t change the ride quality. “Weldability” will be different, you need to define “better” (and then discuss the other more difficult issues scandium construction raises - and this is *way *off topic…)
"Since the tube most responsible for the “scandium ride” is the top tube, it is perfectly appropriate for tri bikes "
So, I can assume from this that you have ridden bikes with a scandium TT and without, specifically tri-bikes? That you can actually show how the TT is “most responsible?”
Obviously, the TT is going to make some difference - but by the time you weld it up to the rest of an aero frame, given the large ST and DT dimensions, just how much difference do you think that’s actually going to be?
Funny thing: I just happen to own 2 identical tri bikes… well, identical except for the scandium TT on one, and the Easton Elite TT on the other. I much prefer the Easton TT bike - it’s a really cool british racing green. That makes much more difference than the scandium TT.
as a side note; I was test riding “identical” scandium and non-scandium frames for my bike sponsor this season (identical geometry and components, different tubeset.) The scandium tubeset we were testing was a new road set, dimensionally larger than the non-scandium version of the frame, with a greater degree of tube shaping/manipulation.
Gee - surprise, the scandium frame was significantly stiffer and less forgiving than the other. No magic, just physics.
I have a Salsa scandium MTB, it’s OK, not great. Heavy bike, but the price was right. I think the scandium thing in this case is just a marketing gimmick.
Ridley also makes some nice scandium frames - I think they use the dedacciai tubeset.
If you’re salsa scandium mtb is heavy, it is not the frame. I had one fully geared in a 22" (or whatever was the biggest) @ 21.0lbs… 0.5lbs lighter than my Trek 9.8 with the same group.
scandium makes fine bikes, so long as the builder knows what they are doing. my road bike is a merckx team sc, a scandium frame. its the best road bike ive ever had (ive ridden high end steel, ti, carbon). but its the best not because of the scandium, but because of the design. its a classic balls out euro race bike. which i like. its a far better bike than i am a rider.
material is way down the list of what makes a great bike great. tires i think are more important than whether the bike is ti, steel, or carbon.
Want to buy a scandium TT bike? Check out my bike:
This bike is a custom made Wilier made for Riccardo Forconi on Team Mercatone. This frame is made of Easton Scandium with carbon inserts in the seat tube, down tube, top tube and seat stays (similar to a Cannondale Six13). The frame is signed. Although used this bike is in excellent shape. Many of the parts are BRAND NEW with no kilometres on them. Instead of buying a Cervelo or Trek you could own a professional level frame made with care instead of a mass produced frame.
Ultegra Brakes - Brand New
Trouvativ Rouleur Carbon Cranks 175mm - Brand New
Dura-ace 9sp Shifters - Brand New
Profile Designs Air Wing Base Bar 42cm 31.8mm - used
Hed Clip-Lite Allow S-Bends Aero Bars - used
Oval Brake Levers - used
Ultegra Front Derailleur - used
Dura-ace Headset - used
Bontrager Select Tsem 110mm - used
105 Rear Derailleur - used
The frame has a 56.5 Top Tube c/c, seat tube is 52.0cm c/c and the head tube is 12.0cm.
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