|
| |
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Why we use STEEL
Why we think steel is better…..
We at Suburban Cycles believe that steel gives a better riding and more durable
hardtail frame when compared to aluminum.
We believe that aluminum has its place in full-suspension designs. The front and
rear suspension takes up much of the impact that would otherwise go to the
rider, so the tubes can be stiffer.
We think steel makes a better bike. You can feel it carve corners, you can dent
it, and it will last.
We try to use some of the properties of steel to our advantage. The flex of a
steel frame can be used to make for a more stable ride. More impacts are
absorbed by the frame instead of being transmitted to the rider like aluminum.
This helps to maintain control and lessens rider fatigue.
For example, take your average East Coast slalom/dual course. It may be smooth
for the first few runs (if it wasn’t built on a ski hill on top of fist-size
tufts of grass). After those first few practice runs, there will be a good line,
but it will quickly become rutted and littered with braking bumps on both the
straights and in the corners. Any little bit of the chattering that the bike can
take away helps to maintain control and keep speed. In the corners, even on a
flat surface, the rear wheel on an aluminum bike may chatter and break loose.
With a steel bike, the flex in the frame helps to keep the rear wheel on the
ground and in some cases allow the front and rear triangle to flex in opposite
directions giving a kind of 2-wheel steering. This is much like what happens
when on a pair of skis or snowboard: the camber and flex allow the board to
follow the ground and remain in constant contact with the ground in order to
turn.
Steel gives a better and livelier feel because it flexes more than aluminum. If
a steel frame is designed and built properly, it can snap out of the gate as
good as an aluminum bike. You can pre-load the frame and take advantage of the
flex to store energy for a split second and then release it to propel you up and
out of the gate.
Steel is also more dent resistant. Whether you send your bike off a jump or it
falls over against the workstand in the shop, it is less likely to be
catastrophic than with a coke-can thin aluminum frame. If it is damaged,
individual tubes can be replaced.
Steel is more fatigue resistant. By the nature of its composition, steel has a
better fatigue life than aluminum. It can be subjected to more back-and-forth
motion or repeated stresses than aluminum before it breaks.
A rider needs to find a bike and be comfortable on it to ride well. Our bike
will last longer so you don’t have to change bikes every season and get used to
a new one. Look for us at races in 2004 and ride one of our personal team bikes
on the course and see if you can tell the difference….
|
DESIGNED AND
BUILT IN THE USA
WEBSITE DESIGNED BY FACTORYBOY GRAPHICS