Because alloy is most definitely not dead
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The Palace is the first frame from Kent-based Bowman Cycles
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High-end aluminium is an excellent choice if you want a light, stiff frame which won't break the bank
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Cannondale were the pioneers of high-end alloy and the CAAD10 is often considered the benchmark
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We've just put together our own Canyon Ultimate AL SLX - watch out for the full feature
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The Specialized S-Works Allez is one of the finest examples of high-end alloy
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Trek have expanded the Émonda family the aluminium ALR
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High-end aluminium is an excellent choice if you want a light, stiff frame which won't break the bank
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The Palace is the first frame from Kent-based Bowman Cycles
-
High-end aluminium is an excellent choice if you want a light, stiff frame which won't break the bank
Because alloy is most definitely not dead
While the combination of strength and low weight that carbon boasts means that it’s quite rightly the material of choice for top-end road bikes, that doesn’t mean that you can’t make a superb ride out of something else.
As Trek have shown with the release of the Émonda ALR, alloy bikes are far from done and there are still plenty out there that are competitive with carbon, and in some cases it’s definitely a smarter choice to opt for a high-end aluminium frameset rather than a lower end carbon one. Why? You can achieve comparable – or lower – weight, with bags of stiffness and an engaging ride quality, in an affordable package which may free up some cash to spend elsewhere on the bike.
Plus, even though carbon bikes are very strong, metal ones are less brittle. It might sound like a contradiction, but where a carbon bike might crack or even snap under impact, you can dent a metal frame and still ride it (depending on the severity, of course), and they’re much easier to fix/cheaper to have fixed. That makes high-end alloy frames a popular option for the cut-and-thrust of amateur racing.
With that in mind, we’ve picked out six of the best high-end aluminium frames on the market. Let’s crack on.
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