Are aluminum bikes a lot easier to ride since they're so lightweight?

I don’t know if they’re easier to ride but I would say yes, due to aluminium being the most lightest metal. It would also mean the bike is a lot faster.

Yes they’re a bit easier to ride.

Honestly though, unless you’re getting a super-light weight bike (which they don’t sell at Wal-mart), then the difference is going to be pretty much unnoticeable going from Aluminum to any other metal.

For something like that gear ratio is more important than weight.

@tedd You mean unless you spend over $700 u won’t notice any difference?? Oh, great…

I have a hybrid Schwinn that is too heavy.I like a lightweight bike like the 10 speed I gave away….yes,I think lighter bikes are better.Beach cruisers are too slow and cumbersome.

I would not invest in a bike from Walmart…get a quality bike if you want to feel the difference. I have a Fuji lightweight 10 speed I inherited from the A-hole who rode it while ransacking cars on my street and got busted by the cops who left the bike on my front lawn. It is a dream to ride compared to my Schwinn hybrid and half the weight.

I wish I could bring a cattle scale to walmart. But then, I dont have a cattle scale.

@Cruiser well , thanks but I really want a bike with pedal brakes. I wonder if they make REAL CHEAP aluminum bikes with pedal brakes or whatever they’re called.

@lucillelucillelucille I don’t care how slow it is. I just want to be able to pedal it ten feet then go collapse in the recliner from exhaustion. I do like the wide tires.

Better to buy a good used bike of a good brand (like Trek, for example) than a piece of junk from WalMart- at least if you want to enjoy riding your bike and not have it fall apart while you are riding it. And it also pays to get fitted for the bike, especially, again, if you want to ride a lot. You won’t get that at WalMart either!

Almost no one makes pedal brakes anymore; they really are considered low-end, or for kid’s bikes. Why do you want them? They aren’t as good or safe as modern brakes.

For a decent bike, the biggest drawback of aluminum is that it transmits vibrations more than some other materials. My bike(a Novara Forza hybrid from REI), is aluminum and I definitely feel it when riding over rough surfaces!

I don’t really know how good the quality is for those Walmart bikes, though I can still give you some insight based on my engineering background.

You should always go for a lighter weighing bike. The reason is energy. When you ride a heavy bike, you will have to use more energy (from your body) to drive that bike and therefore get tired quicker.

So basically, you provide the fuel that drives the bike. And the heavier the bike is, the more fuel it will consume.

Generally, aluminum is 35–45% lighter than steel. And the frame constitutes majority of the bikes weight. So it is the most part of the bike that you want to be lighter.

Hope this helps. Let me know if you have any other questions :)

@Prototype

A lot of the higher-end bikes these days do use lightweight steel alloys; they are considered very desirable because of their more comfortable ride.

@Aster The lighter weight affords speed with less effort and less exhaustion.Go for the lighter bike :)

There are plenty of affordable bikes at your local bike store. If you buy it at Wal-mart, it will be put together by a Wal-mart employee, not by a bicycle mechanic. That difference in itself will save you enough headaches to make it worthwhile to buy from a bike store.

Aluminum frames are lighter, but are also less rigid, meaning they may exaggerate the flexing of the frame by heavier riders and from standing on the pedals. To compensate, larger diameter tubes are used on aluminum bikes, but the bike will still be lighter than steel. But your comfort on a particular bike will only be known if you test ride it. Once again, go to a local bike shop that wants you to be happy with what you buy.

@crisw You may enjoy your ride more on a lightweight steel bike given their overall properties. Though, you still have to keep weight into consideration.

@Aster Really there is no thing such as a perfect material. It’s all relative to what you want your ride to be like (also your wallet!). So really think about cost, weight, vibration…etc and you will find a bunch of rides that may give you what you want.

As for Walmart, well, I can guarantee you that quality is the least of their concerns. It may be the cheapest on the market, but the poorest in terms of quality. If you compare any two products by Walmart and any other manufacturer, I’m sure you’d see the difference.

@Prototype

‘You may enjoy your ride more on a lightweight steel bike”

Yeah, I know. My next bike will likely be a Surly Long-Haul Trucker or a Novara Safari; both steel-frame bikes. But I have a few more miles to go on this one first :>)

Aluminium is lightweight, but also quite a harsh, inflexible ride. Steel is heavier, but has a softer feel. Titanium is great mix of lightness and comfort, and carbon fibre is (imo) the best combination of all. If lightness if your ultimate aim, then you will have to buy a top-end groupset, either Shimano Dura-Ace or Campagnolo Record. Neither of these are cheap.

Never forget that it’s far, far easier and cheaper to lose a kilo of bodyweight than to lose a kilo of bike-weight.

@meiosis

And one of the best things about biking is that it is so good for losing those kilos of bodyweight!

Biking is probably saving my life. I mean that.

@crisw That’s brilliant.

Another thing I love about cycling is that it’s exercise that actually achieves a purpose, getting from A to B.

@Aster Another thing – unless you’re going to do a lot of off roading, don’t bother with suspension. It’s heavy, and a large part of your energy will be expended, especially when you’re out of the saddle going uphill, on making the bike bounce up and down instead of making it go forwards.

Your pre-conceived notion about aluminum bikes is ill-conceived. Aluminum bikes are much lighter than the ones made of steel, making it a much easier task when pedaling up hills or lifting the bike to put it in your SUV.