← Back to context

Comment by fluoridation

3 days ago

First, plastic frames are almost unheard of. There's been a few models here and there, but it's so brittle and it needs so much overdesign to compensate that it doesn't make sense over simple steel. Second, you have it entirely backwards. The lighter materials cost more, not less, because they're more difficult to work with and it's more difficult to get the same strength out of the frame while using less material. As you correctly point out, fewer atoms -> weaker structure. So designers how to work out the geometry to counteract that effect.

3 comments

fluoridation

Reply
wiether  3 days ago

> First, plastic frames are almost unheard of.

That's why I talked about "parts", not "frames".

Cheap pedals and cheap brake levers? Plastic.

> The lighter materials cost more, not less

Plastic is lighter and cheaper than steel and aluminium.

Carbon is lighter than steel and aluminium but much more expensive.

  • fluoridation  3 days ago

    I assumed you were talking about the frame, since you mentioned titanium and carbon fiber. Pedals out of those exist, but they're not exactly your run-of-the-mill materials, even on higher-end bikes. Honestly, carbon pedals sounds like a shitty idea. Controls pretty much stop at aluminum or even plastic in the case of shifters, since they don't take very big forces.