Steel is Real Baby (and Green)

Since moving to San Carlos, I've been missing my road bike a LOT. But it's okay, I know I still don't have the space for it in my life at this time.

When I shopped for my bike back in 2002, there was not a big selection of stock bikes that would fit me. In fact, there were two: a Trek aluminum frame and a LeMond steel frame. I tested both and without a doubt, steel was a way better ride in my opinion. After I bought it , I learned about the phrase "steel is real" -- apparently, I was not the first person to prefer steel. LOL.

© Vicki Thompson, Willow Glen Resident

Anyway, I checked out The Green Book at the library last time and right there on p. 110 in the "Sports" chapter it says:

Choose a bike with a steel frame over an aluminum frame and you'll conserve at least 25 kilowatt-hours of energy. Steel frames can be made with recycled materials, whereas aluminum frames must be manufactured from new, virgin ore and therefore require more energy to make. Steel frames that are not made from recycled steel, however, still conserve energy over those made from aluminum. If an addtional 10 percent of bicycles sold per year carried steel frames instead of aluminum ones, four million pedals would be put to the metal, saving the energy equaivalent of a year's worth of gas for 2,400 cars.

Who knew!

Now what about carbon fiber?