Transitioning from Aluminum to Steel....

I thought I had a heavy steel frame at 4.5 lbs.

Get lighter components if you are that worried about a trivial weight gain. Or stop eating desert.

The 4 extra pounds will be no big deal but neither will the choice of frame material imo.

Also I'm guessing that 4 extra pounds is going to include a lot of significant improvements over your 30 year old hardtail. Go for it I say!

93M500 said:

For the past 30 years I have been on an aluminum frame hardtail weighing in at 28 lbs. I am now thinking of transitioning to a modern chromoly steel frame, entire bike weighing 32 lbs., such as the Ragley Blue Pig. Should I not do this? Will the transition be too much? The last steel frame i rode was probably back in the 80's, when they weighed like 50 lbs. lol...

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I've owned, until very recently, bikes of high-end steel, aluminum and carbon. To be honest, a good bike is a good bike no matter the material.

I traded a carbon road bike for a current aluminum and not only do I not feel the difference, but aluminum is also 2 lbs. lighter than the carbon one. True, it's the little things that count but both are full Ultergra with similar wheelsets. My steel hardtail ended up becoming a single speed and is still fun. Love my carbon FS but if it wasn't for the builds available in different frame material, I would likely have loved the aluminum version just as much.

Remove brakes, dropper & pedals — boom, you’re back down to your preferred weight.
=sParty

Well i'm only 150 lbs soaking wet. Always have been since i was 18. I only carry one water bottle, no backpack or any "accessories", I should be fine I guess. I guess I wanted some opinions on the steel frame because I am looking for a new HT and the pikins are slim! Perhaps I should be patient and wait until spring. I also have my sights on the Santa Cruz Chameleon R build. That Blue Pig sure is good looking though...

93M500 said:

Well i'm only 150 lbs soaking wet. Always have been since i was 18. I only carry one water bottle, no backpack or any "accessories", I should be fine I guess. I guess I wanted some opinions on the steel frame because I am looking for a new HT and the pikins are slim! Perhaps I should be patient and wait until spring. I also have my sights on the Santa Cruz Chameleon R build. That Blue Pig sure is good looking though...

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You’ll notice it doesn’t beat you up the way an AL hardtail does.

I got a Nimble 9 to replace my short travel bike. Steel tends to be more compliant, and I’m looking forward to building mine up.

stripes said:

You’ll notice it doesn’t beat you up the way an AL hardtail does.

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I think the wheels, geo, etc. are going to make a lot more difference than the frame material will. OP is coming off a 30 y/o bike!

Stripes ad J.B. both make a great point! A lot of truth to that, aluminum doesn't give much, and the old geo is getting tuff on the back and shoulders, makes sense...appreciate the feedback...

I never stopped mt. biking, I just been away from the tech. for a while..lol, bikes have changed since the fall of 1992!!

wgscott said:

I thought I had a heavy steel frame at 4.5 lbs.

Get lighter components if you are that worried about a trivial weight gain. Or stop eating desert.

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I eat desert sometimes, and it is entirely the result of a lack of skill and not related to weight. Dessert on the other hand, I do like eating that from time to time...

I just checked out that Nimble 9, Canfield, VERY nice! Sure wish that 3 was a 2 on the price, I would have purchased already.

93M500 said:

I just checked out that Nimble 9, Canfield, VERY nice! Sure wish that 3 was a 2 on the price, I would have purchased already.

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Canfield makes good stuff.
=sParty

93M500 said:

For the past 30 years I have been on an aluminum frame hardtail weighing in at 28 lbs. I am now thinking of transitioning to a modern chromoly steel frame, entire bike weighing 32 lbs., such as the Ragley Blue Pig. Should I not do this? Will the transition be too much? The last steel frame i rode was probably back in the 80's, when they weighed like 50 lbs. lol...

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Transition doesn't make any steel frames...???

I think you'll notice the geo changes before the weight difference. There were some light bikes in the late 80s/early 90s. KHS had a 19.5lb production bike.

I heard steel is heavy...

It shouldn't take more than a few rides before you forget the ride of your old bike and the new bike feels normal. Though I'm personally partial to steel, the frame material shouldn't matter as much as the geometry and build. My current bikes (steel, aluminum, carbon, titanium) are all 3-5 lbs heavier than the sub-23lb steel weight weenie mountain bikes I rode back in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

All set, well..I did purchase a Ragley, but it ain't steel.

I got up at 3am to reply to your post, suffered the indignity of no dessert, and ... you did what???

You are dead to me.

Steal is reel.

93M500 said:

All set, well..I did purchase a Ragley, but it ain't steel.

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So, easy transition then?

-F

PS - my size XL steel all mountain hardtail with 2X drivetrain, heavy brakes, 140mm fork, trail wide wheels, and 2.4/2.5" tires is under 30#. Moral of the story: Don't weigh your bike.