Frame Material? Does it matter?

[lukecanna]

Hi Everyone,
I would like to start a discussion on frame materials.
For my most recent build i had been using a steel alloy frame and it seems to have held up for the last year, but for my new build the frame is made of "6061 Aluminium Alloy". Has anyone experienced breaks or creaks where the motor mounts with aluminium or aluminium alloy?
Thanks

 

[Spare_Parts]

My bike is an aluminum hyper crusier and it's held up fine for the past 5 months. It's a commuter bike that sees 50+ everyday.

 

[FNTPuck]

I like quality aluminum frames for the 2strokes and smaller motors like the 49cc HS since it is nice and light, but a low quality aluminum frame can be more prone to crack than a steel frame which is more forgiving for crappy welding and poor geometry. For the torquey larger 4strokes like the 79cc and 212 beasts, steel all the way. Not only is it stronger, but it is easy to weld to for the gussets and modifications you SHOULD be doing on a big 4stroke.

 

[Member 28982]

Wutever schwinn bikes are made of. Aluminum alloy I beleive. Because of the vibrations from these engines my frame broke in two spots near seat stay, one of the bars that come off of the rear wheel stay and the other side few months later and I JB welded it and it worked but then the chainstay part of the frame broke.
Make sure it's steel. Thats what a Margaritaville bike is made of and it's made by Bicycle Corporation of America.
Upload two pics to show you do not buy a Schwinn bicycle

 

[bike4life]

Yeah. If i were you, id prefer steel. Its inevitable that you will have to weld something like a jackshaft or whatever. And the inverters off amazon for $100 that run off 120 only put out DC and you need AC to weld aluminum. Unless you are blessed w/ a 240 50a service in your house where you can plug in a old buzz box which puts out AC. Though the nice thing is that aluminum wont rust. Plus i would think its harder to weld al than fe.

 

[Sumsloppymeet]

Stay away from Kent frames thats the only frame i had issues with was this one their liight weight aluminum blows

 

[crassius]

won't use aluminum for mine

 

[CrazyDan]

Steel for me. Aluminum work hardens from vibration, becomes brittle then snaps.

 

[LewieBike]

Older Hiten or CroMoly steel men's MTB's from the mid 80's to early 1990's in a old school diamond frame type. You will will not find any stronger bike frame.

My latest is a J.C. Higgins HiTen 1030 steel lugged men's 21" 3 speed. found at a garage sale. Made in Austria in 1958, it actually weighs and rides like a much more expensive Reynolds butted tube roadbike frame. With the stays and fork sized for EA3 1"&3/8" rims, It easily accepts MTB rims of up to 19~25MM and tires up to 1.95" with fenders.

 

[LewieBike]

Steel for me. Aluminum work hardens from vibration, becomes brittle then snaps.

The cheaper aluminum frames don't take well to the muffler/U-shackle clamps needed for larger down tubes and will buckle and (or) crack/fail if the clamp forces are not spread out with some sort of hard plastic buffer between the frame and shackle clamp.