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Periodic, more detailed inspection of your bicycle is important. How often this more detailed
inspection is needed depends upon you.
You, the rider/owner, have control and knowledge of how often you use your bike, how hard
you use it and where you use it. Because your dealer cannot track your use, you must take
responsibility for periodically bringing your bike to your dealer for inspection and service.
Your dealer will help you decide what frequency of inspection and service is appropriate for
how and where you use your bike.
For your safety, understanding and communication with your dealer, we urge you to read
this Appendix in its entirety. The materials used to make your bike determine how and how
frequently to inspect.
Ignoring this WARNING can lead to frame, fork or other component failure, which can result
in serious injury or death.
A. Understanding metals
Steel is the traditional material for building bicycle frames. It has good characteristics, but in
high performance bicycles, steel has been largely replaced by aluminum and some titanium. The
main factor driving this change is interest by cycling enthusiasts in lighter bicycles.
Properties of Metals
Please understand that there is no simple statement that can be made that characterizes
the use of different metals for bicycles. What is true is how the metal chosen is applied is
much more important than the material alone. One must look at the way the bike is designed,
tested, manufactured, supported along with the characteristics of the metal rather than seeking a
simplistic answer.
Metals vary widely in their resistance to corrosion. Steel must be protected or rust will
attack it. Aluminum and Titanium quickly develop an oxide film that protects the metal from
further corrosion. Both are therefore quite resistant to corrosion. Aluminum is not perfectly
corrosion resistant, and particular care must be used where it contacts other metals and galvanic
corrosion can occur.
Metals are comparatively ductile. Ductile means bending, buckling and stretching before
breaking. Generally speaking, of the common bicycle frame building materials steel is the most
ductile, titanium less ductile, followed by aluminum.
Metals vary in density. Density is weight per unit of material. Steel weighs 7.8 grams/cm3 (grams
per cubic centimeter), titanium 4.5 grams/ cm3, aluminum 2.75 grams/cm3. Contrast these
numbers with carbon fiber composite at 1.45 grams/cm3.
Summary of Contents for SCALERA 1
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