which has smoother ride carbon fiber or aluminum bike frame | EWIG

When it comes to choosing a new bike, there are several options when it comes to the frame material - steel, titanium, aluminium, carbon fibre - you can find very good bikes made out of any of these materials and each comes with it’s own specific qualities and advantages.However, more often than not, if you’re looking for either a standard China mountain bike, you’ll only need to decide between two - carbon fibre or aluminium. There isn’t really one ‘best’ material – but there is certainly a best for you, based upon your riding plans, requirement and budget.

Strength

Carbon fibre and aluminium are both very strong materials, otherwise it wouldn’t be possible to build bikes out of them! Carbon fibre sometimes has the reputation of not being particularly strong, however in reality, its strength to weight ratio is actually higher than steel. The way EWIG lays up the carbon in China bike factory ensures that strength is never compromised to save in other areas such as weight.

Aluminium can be a little more ‘forgiving’. It is often popular for cycling disciplines like crit racing, downhill and freeride mountain biking where there is a high likelihood of taking a tumble due the nature of the racing. It's possible for these types of frames to be put through certain impacts but still be strong enough to continue using. However, we would stress that any impact to a carbon or aluminium frame should be inspected by an experienced mechanic before being ridden again.

Here at EWIG carbon electric bike manufactures , we offer a 2 years Frame Warranty on all our bikes, so whatever bike you’re riding, you can ride in total confidence.

Stiffness

An essential property for any good bike frame material is for it to be stiff. A stiff material will ensure all the power you’re putting into the pedals will transfer to the back wheel and propel you forward. A frame that isn’t stiff will flex and some of your power will be lost within the frame.

How stiff a frame is comes down to how it is manufactured. Manufacturers can make an aluminium frame stiffer by adding material in specific places or using specific tube shapes, but due to the properties of aluminium (as a metal) this can be a difficult process and there is a limit to what can be done. When it comes to carbon fibre however, it has the advantage of being far easier to ‘tune’. By changing the carbon layup or just the direction the carbon strands are laid, specific ride characteristics can be achieved. It can be made stiff in one specific direction or just in one specific spot.

Compliance

Compliance, or comfort, is linked closely with stiffness.Due to the nature of aluminium and the fact it has to be welded and butted at joints, many people find aluminium less compliant than carbon but for certain riders aluminium is still best. For example, aluminium is often used as a winter bike for road riders and is the go to choice for commuters. However, as we’ve said above, because carbon fibre frames can be layered in very specific ways, engineers are able to tune the frame to be stiff and comfortable. By layering fibres of carbon in a specific pattern, the frame can be laterally stiff and vertically compliant which is ideal for a bicycle. Furthermore, carbon tends to dampen vibration better than aluminium, simply because of its material properties adding to the comfort aspect.

Weight

For many riders, the weight of the bike is the primary concern. Having a lightweight bike makes climbing easier and can make the bike easier to manoeuvre. Whilst it’s possible to make a light bike out of either material, when it comes to weight, carbon definitely has the advantage. A carbon fibre frame will almost always be lighter than an aluminium equivalent and you’ll only find carbon fibre bikes in the pro peloton,in part because of the weight benefits.

Final summary

So from above, carbon frame bikes will be better. Carbon being one of the most optimizable materials is used in some of the best bikes, Formula One and planes. It’s light, stiff, springy and stealthy. The problem is that not all Carbon is created equal and just the name tag does not guarantee that it’s better than other frame materials such as aluminum.The choice between aluminum and carbon is not so straight forward. Low-end bikes made using cheap carbon frames are not necessarily better than aluminum frame bikes. Just because a bike uses a carbon frame does not mean it’s as good as bikes that are optimized and use quality carbon. In fact, low-end carbon frames have some undesirable characteristics associated with them such as a wooden and dead feeling.

There are many choices out there, but we are all firm believers in the power of carbon. While it may lighten your wallet, it will also lighten your ride. We think that the cost difference is negligible compared to the performance boost and weight savings. It's not just a matter of lighter, it's a matter of stronger and better ride characteristics and we think if you have the means to afford a carbon bike, do it.