Titanium Tubing on Bicycle Frame
Why Seamless 3AL-2.5V Titanium Tubing ? In addition to unalloyed titanium, which is called commercially pure or CP, there are two alloys commonly used in the cycling industry today: 3AL-2.5V and 6AL-4V. CP has half the strength of 3-2.5. A CP frame must be made heavier than an equivalent 3AL-2.5V frame in order to have comparable strength. Even most steels used in high quality frames have higher strength than CP. 6AL-4V tubes are not seamless. only heavy thickness tubes, 6/4 titanium has a greater tensile strength but it’s very hard to weld. they are rolled from a sheet and welded at the joint. What does that mean? It means that there is a potential failure point at the welded seam. Therefore, we don’t recommend using this type of tubing. 3AL-2.5V titanium is an alloy consisting of 3% aluminum, 2.5% vanadium, and 94.5% pure titanium. The properties critical to bicycle tubing are best served by a high quality 3-2.5 seamless tube. Excellent fatigue life, property consistency, formability, and corrosion resistance are but a few of the reasons 3-2.5 is still the premier frame material. Nothing Looks Like Titanium Tubing The unique performance of titanium material makes it an excellent material for making bicycle frame. Its high strength, low density, low elastic modulus, excellent fatigue resistance and corrosion resistance make the titanium alloy frame made not only very strong and durable, but also very light. Titanium does not break, rust, or corrode in any atmospheric environment. Titanium is so resistant to corrosion that it doesn’t even need any paint treatment. We just lightly rub the surface to brighten up its natural color. Nothing Rides Like Titanium Tubing Titanium, like steel, has an inherent flexibility, but it’s more pronounced. As a result, it has a very slight elasticity, which means it can absorb…
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