Steel Vs Aluminum For a Touring Bike
One of the current debates about touring bikes is whether an
aluminum or steel frame is a better choice. In the end, it comes down to
personal choice. Aluminum is more rigid, which some people prefer.
Steel flexes, which leads to a more comfortable ride for many.However - we also need to consider ease of repair should something happen to your bike. Welding aluminum requires specialized equipment that you will most likely only find in large cities. Steel is more easily repaired and you should be able to find someone who can weld your bike in any small town throughout the world.
Some people say this is all a moot point - when was the last time you had your bike welded anyway? The chances of something happening to your bike that would require welding are very small. One argument is that you will not be able to find someone to properly weld a frame back together in any case. Should your frame completely break in two, you will need a new frame, so it makes no difference if you are riding a steel or aluminum bike.
A more likely scenario is that something small will happen to your bike. Perhaps you'll break a braze-on or some other small, critical part. If that happens, you could be stranded with an aluminum bike, but will be able to get a steel bike repaired quite easily.
When I was riding in India many years ago I was loading my bike on a bus when I broke a braze-on that held my brake cable in place. As luck would have it, I was riding a steel bike and was able to find a welder in the tiny town we happened to be in. That weld is still holding even today. Had my bike been aluminum, I'm not sure what would have happened - it could have been the end of the tour for me.
So we come back to the original question: which is better for touring? If you plan to ride around the USA where you have an easy out, it makes absolutely no difference whatsoever. Ride whatever you feel most comfortable on. If you plan to ride around the world, I would recommend going with steel just for the off chance that you break a braze-on or other small part. If your entire frame fails, get a new one sent out.
Nany Sathre-Vogel has been bicycle touring
for more than 20 years now and has gained plenty of wisdom during those
years. You can take advantage of her experience for planning your bicycle tour.
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