Aluminum vs Steel?

[VeganBikeChick]

Thanks. I'll definitely have to try one out. It seems like all the LBS I've perused online have the Salsa's as made to order. Makes for a hard test ride....

[Velocivixen]

Gearing ratios will be more important for riding up hills than weight in my opinion (unless you're comparing your bike to a 45 pound Dutch style bike or something). My first recent bike was a 2011 Trek 7.3 FX WSD 19" with a triple up front and it's aluminum. I recently bought a 2011 52 Surly Cross Check with a compact double which is steel (Chro-moly), and it feels lighter than the aluminum Trek. As I considered various bike models I made gear ratio graph to compare. I wanted to be able to climb hills at least as easily as I was able to on my Trek. With my steel bike I lost my two easiest gears however I never used those anyway so it didn't matter. The steel of today is not as heavy as the steel used 30 years ago. Given that I would be more focused on the gearing. The Salsa website will tell you how many teeth are on the chainrings and sprockets on the rear cassette and Sheldon Brown has a gear ratio converter on his site. Or just go test ride a Casseroll and shift to the easiest gears and ride up a hill. That will tell you soon enough.

[KnottedYet]

My aluminum bike was heavier than my steel bike.

To get strength, aluminum tubes tend to have thicker walls and be larger diameter; which means they have to use more metal.

Generally they seem to pretty much even out steel vs aluminum, and I'd pay more attention to the components for weight.

Some people really have a preference as far as frame material, some can't tell the difference.

Frame material probably doesn't matter much in the great scheme of the universe, as long as you get on ride, ride, ride!

[VeganBikeChick]

Thanks, VV and Knotted. I definitely need to ride, ride, ride...and I want a bike that I want to do that with .

Bike shopping tomorrow!!

[Velocivixen]

@veganbikechick, early on in my search I test rode a Salsa Casseroll but it was too big for me and it was a small shop and they didn't have smaller ones, and they didn't seem interested in getting a smaller one in for me to ride. There were no other shops in town with smaller ones actually in stock. It is a lovely bike though. I think, all in all, just be open to various materials, gears, etc. and test ride. You'll find something that meets your needs. I'd love to know how it goes.

[KnottedYet]

Make sure to check Free Range Cycles and Counterbalance Cycles!

I still like Recycled Cycles, but the last 2 times I took my bike in the repairs were kind of poorly done. (I had them redone at Free Range.) Recycled has gotten a lot bigger and busier and quality may have started to slide.

ETA: By the way, the steel bike in my avatar weighs 2 lbs less than your REI Novara Carema... just sayin'

[Velocivixen]

I'm going to Free Range Cycles on Friday to check out a 7L Zimbale bag in person. Have walking and driving directions from hotel. It's only 2.4 mikes so it would be a nice walk. Going north over what looks like a bridge it has me going along a path instead of the street. Don't mean to hijack, but google walking is in Beta. Thoughts about this trail?