# How long does an aluminum frame last?



## lonestar_shawn

I'm looking at getting a CAAD9. I've read that unlike steel or carbon, aluminum will eventually fatigue and fail. How long would this likely take? Is it the kind of thing where it could realistically fail in 5 years, or is it the kind of thing where it would take 50 years of hard riding to fail?


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## wankski

ahh jeez. propaganda, or should i say its a prejudice against alu from the carbon and steel folks... any decent design will not see this be a factor in your lifetime...

anyways, u said u're looking at a caad9. lifetime warantee. Ride it and be happy.


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## LeDomestique

I still have my 1998 F500 with many many many miles on rough terrain. No sign of cracks yet.


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## jtferraro

*Agreed*



wankski said:


> ahh jeez. propaganda, or should i say its a prejudice against alu from the carbon and steel folks... any decent design will not see this be a factor in your lifetime...
> 
> anyways, u said u're looking at a caad9. lifetime warantee. Ride it and be happy.


+1...


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## jtferraro

LeDomestique said:


> I still have my 1998 F500 with many many many miles on rough terrain. No sign of cracks yet.


and I still have my 1995 F700 (which I received in July '94)!


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## CHL

I've had my CAAD4 R800 since 2002. Since then, I've averaged about 2,000-2,500 miles per year. It's had a close encounter with the top of my garage on my car roof racks and it's still rolling. After so long, I still smile at the brute acceleration of my CAAD4.

There's no reason the bike shouldn't last for many years, if properly used and maintained. Have no fear of buying aluminum, especially from a company that specializes in manufacturing bikes with it. 

CHL


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## jmlapoint

My 1978 Cannondale SR900 is still going strong.
I've got the 'wrinkles', but the Cannon shows no signs of getting old.


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## Dan Gerous

It may be true for pure aluminum (which is never used for bikes) or early alu-based alloys but current alloys are pretty durable... and from a company that has so many years of experience with the material like Cannondale? Not a concern IMO...


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## Feminine

This is a silly question...

Barring design/manufacturing flaws...frames of _*any material*_ will generally last until broken or wrecked in any episode that exceeds the capacities they are originally designed for....

unfortunately most human bodies will (like carbon) catastrophically fail when crashed and over time *fatigue* much faster than a CAAD: 

ALUMINUM B52 Bombers (last produced in 1962) are being flown by the grandchildren of the original B52 Pilots and are scheduled to remain in military service until 2040

bang for buck CAAD's are the *$H1T* my lovie...


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## 7he ]-[0rr0r

Here here! I am a happy current owner of a CAAD4 r800 and have ridden it hard for 3 years (commuting and recreation) prior to that it was owned by a Good fellow at our best LBS Smoothcycle. I can't imagine he did not ride the balls off it. 
Still going strong.
I have and further intend to upgrade parts but don't really feal the need for a new frame.


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## pomole

geez, guys, if you debunk the aluminum fatigue myth then how will you justify the purchase of a new frame to your significant others? i mean, "catastrophic failure" went along way to getting me on the saddle of a new system six.


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## Bluechip

My late 80's Cannondale 3.0 is still going strong. It gets about 2-3K miles a year. Most of those miles I am pretty close to 200lbs.


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## Dan Gerous

pomole said:


> geez, guys, if you debunk the aluminum fatigue myth then how will you justify the purchase of a new frame to your significant others? i mean, "catastrophic failure" went along way to getting me on the saddle of a new system six.


We're hoping they dont come here...


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## Hooben

It will start to creak and make strange noises before it ever fails.

20 years of hard use, and you might get some creaks.

This one is 13 years old and no problems yet.


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## Zeet

I found most of these testimonies to be quite encouraging about aluminum. However, you do hear about aluminum horror stories of sudden catastrophic failure and you also encounter articles like the following: www.livestrong.com/article/87520-bike-frame-aluminum-vs.-steel/


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## Dan Gerous

Zeet said:


> I found most of these testimonies to be quite encouraging about aluminum. However, you do hear about aluminum horror stories of sudden catastrophic failure and you also encounter articles like the following: www.livestrong.com/article/87520-bike-frame-aluminum-vs.-steel/


Now THAT is funny, using a Livestrong article to bring a myth to light....


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## Zeet

Dan Gerous said:


> Now THAT is funny, using a Livestrong article to bring a myth to light....


So what's wrong with Livestrong? I always thought quite highly of them...It is true that aluminum has fatigue issues. We just don't know the extent to which these issues exist!


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## fireplug

I have a 2010 CAAD9 with about 8,000 miles on it. I wish the frame would give out so I could have a excuse to buy a new one....not a sign of wear on it yet.


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## Zeet

fireplug said:


> I have a 2010 CAAD9 with about 8,000 miles on it. I wish the frame would give out so I could have a excuse to buy a new one....not a sign of wear on it yet.


Then that's great news! :thumbsup:


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## headloss

@zeet, have you actually experienced a failure of aluminum or are you just obsessed with the idea that aluminum is somehow inferior? My personal experience was several C'dale frames from the 90's has been nothing short of spectacular. That said, I'd rather ride one of my steel bikes as a personal preference (they are lighter and I have more money invested in them). Aluminum is fine unless you wreck it.


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## Zeet

headloss said:


> @zeet, have you actually experienced a failure of aluminum or* are you just obsessed with the idea that aluminum is somehow inferior?* My personal experience was several C'dale frames from the 90's has been nothing short of spectacular. That said, I'd rather ride one of my steel bikes as a personal preference (they are lighter and I have more money invested in them). Aluminum is fine unless you wreck it.


True. I do feel that I have some kinda latent subconscious Aluminum phobia, due to the fact that I've heard so many horror stories about Aluminum in the past. I've only personally witnessed one Aluminum failure, but I've witnessed three steel failures. However, that's only because I grew up during a time where the cycling scene was comprised primarily of steel bikes. Aluminum abruptly merged into the scene much later. I just sold my Trek 7.5FX and now, for some reason I miss it already...I'm now beginning to think more and more about a Synapse with brake levers on the hood.


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