How does it work
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When buying a mountain bike, you are spoilt for choice: should it be a carbon frame or the aluminium version? Most riders who compete in the World Cup or the Enduro World Series opt for carbon - although of course exceptions prove the rule in this case too. Nevertheless, it would be a gross oversimplification - and perhaps even wrong - to claim that carbon is superior to aluminium. In the following, we take a look at the advantages and disadvantages of these two materials.
ALUMINIUM
Mountain bike frames are not made of pure aluminium, but of a mixture of 95 to 98 % aluminium and other metals, the so-called aluminium alloy. Mountain bikes are usually made of 6061 aluminium, although many companies use a different name for this material.
CARBON
It wasn't so long ago that mountain bikes made of carbon fibre were a real rarity, partly because they had a reputation for not being particularly stable. How times change! In the meantime, the technology has matured so much that carbon bikes can easily keep up with most aluminium bikes in terms of stability. The price has also changed a lot, although you still have to pay a little more for a carbon frame than for an aluminium frame.
It is not easy to define the specific properties of carbon because there are many different ways in which the carbon fibres are woven together. But this much can be said: due to its excellent mouldability, carbon has enabled frame builders to produce previously unthinkable frame designs. So if you ever come across a particularly exotic frame on the trail, you can assume that it is most likely made of carbon.
Caution is advised with counterfeit carbon products, which usually do not meet current industry standards. We have heard many horror stories of poorly made fakes that have broken out from under people's butts and caused serious injuries. So always buy your carbon parts from a trusted dealer. And if you find a carbon kit on the internet with a suspiciously low price, you should probably leave it alone.
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