What proportion of bikes are steel, alu, carbon, ...?

[mjr]

Pretty much what the subject line says. Anyone know?

My reason for asking is to get more information about the underestimating of cycle traffic by automatic inductive counters - they're more likely to detect steel bikes, aren't they?

[Mark1978]

One would imagine the majority of bikes are aluminium framed, but that's only based on that that's what the majority of people can afford.

[mercalia]

u missed out the bambo?

[horizon]

One would imagine the majority of bikes are aluminium framed, but that's only based on that that's what the majority of people can afford.

+1 It must surely be about 90%. Only high end tourers and kids' bikes are steel and only top end bikes are carbon. Older bikes are AFAIK 100% steel but alu has reigned supreme for at least 15 years now surely?

[Smudgerz]

33% of our shop's new sales are carbon - that gives you some indication of teh way the market is going. last year it was more like 25%/

[Mark1978]

33% of our shop's new sales are carbon - that gives you some indication of teh way the market is going. last year it was more like 25%/

What sort of shop is it? I wonder how many bikes are bought from 'proper bike shops' vs from the likes of Tesco / Halfords.

[Smudgerz]

Its a 'proper' bike shop. Going by the current trend I expect about half of our sales will be carbons in two years time. Even Halfords are selling 7 different models of full carbon Italian Pinarello now, so its virtually mass market. Only a matter of time before you get a sub £500 carbon road bike. Its defintely on the cards.

[easyroller]

Its a 'proper' bike shop. Going by the current trend I expect about half of our sales will be carbons in two years time. Even Halfords are selling 7 different models of full carbon Italian Pinarello now, so its virtually mass market. Only a matter of time before you get a sub £500 carbon road bike. Its defintely on the cards.

But I wonder what percentage of all bikes sold are road bikes? Surely a massive percentage of bikes are children/teenager's bikes or "weekend" leisure bikes which would be mostly aluminium framed.

As an example a friend of mine's family (two adults and three children) have a total of 7 bikes in their household. The father has two and the youngest child has two, the rest have one each. All but one - the father's nice bike - are aluminium frames. Some are nice, some are definite BSO's. The odd one out is a lovely steel framed racer from the 80's.

[samsbike]

Adding to that are mtbs still sold as much as road bikes?
I am not sure if carbon bikes are getting cheaper or the kit being put on them is of lower spec. I would love to know how the price per unit betwen steel, Al and carbon is and how much of the manufacture is automated.

[Brucey]

....My reason for asking is to get more information about the underestimating of cycle traffic by automatic inductive counters - they're more likely to detect steel bikes, aren't they?

I have wondered the same thing myself.

But then the inductive counters should detect other metals as well, and most bikes have a lot of metal in them even if the frame is carbon.

I guess the acid test is for owners to such bikes (alu, carbon frames, carbon wheels, etc) to report back if inductive sensors fail to be tripped where cycle paths cross other roads and the signals are tripped by such inductive loops.

On the other hand I have often felt that on my machines that are equipped with an old-style dynohubs, signals are tripped faster than when I'm on other machines. I have wondered if the stray magnetic field from the generator 'counts double' in the inductive loop.

cheers

[Mark1978]

Its a 'proper' bike shop. Going by the current trend I expect about half of our sales will be carbons in two years time. Even Halfords are selling 7 different models of full carbon Italian Pinarello now, so its virtually mass market. Only a matter of time before you get a sub £500 carbon road bike. Its defintely on the cards.

Oh totally agree there, given 10 years - probably less, you won't be able to buy an aluminium road bike, it'll get to the point where it's not worthwhile making aluminium frames because volumes will be so low.

[Mark1978]

....My reason for asking is to get more information about the underestimating of cycle traffic by automatic inductive counters - they're more likely to detect steel bikes, aren't they?

I have wondered the same thing myself.

But then the inductive counters should detect other metals as well, and most bikes have a lot of metal in them even if the frame is carbon.

I guess the acid test is for owners to such bikes (alu, carbon frames, carbon wheels, etc) to report back if inductive sensors fail to be tripped where cycle paths cross other roads and the signals are tripped by such inductive loops.

On the other hand I have often felt that on my machines that are equipped with an old-style dynohubs, signals are tripped faster than when I'm on other machines. I have wondered if the stray magnetic field from the generator 'counts double' in the inductive loop.

cheers

It's hard to tell if the sensors have been tripped really? Certainly temporary lights don't use inductive loops but a sensor on top of the light, which handily has a red LED when it has detected you, and I seem to be able to set these off without a problem.

[BigFoz]

Depends whose garage / shed you look in.

I'm still undecided about what the next bike will be. Full Ti or Full steel. It won't be a plastic fantastic.

[Mark1978]

Depends whose garage / shed you look in.

I'm still undecided about what the next bike will be. Full Ti or Full steel. It won't be a plastic fantastic.

But you're a bicycle enthusiast . Walking on the cycle paths around Stockton I would say about 75% of cyclists are riding what looks like a cheap MTB, undoubtedly aluminium. The other 25% are on road bikes, hard to tell if they are alu or carbon, I occasionally see an old guy riding steel but that's not often at all.

[pete75]

Depends whose garage / shed you look in.

I'm still undecided about what the next bike will be. Full Ti or Full steel. It won't be a plastic fantastic.

But you're a bicycle enthusiast . Walking on the cycle paths around Stockton I would say about 75% of cyclists are riding what looks like a cheap MTB, undoubtedly aluminium.

But most cheap MTB are steel framed.