Bicycle frames have come a long way since the mid-1800s when most were made out of either cast iron or wood. By 1885, when John Starley invented the "diamond frame" familiar today, frames were being made out of steel. They were more durable than their predecessors but their weight made for a sometimes-grueling ride. Over a century later, steel frames are still an option, but there are several other materials that make cycling, especially the demanding sport of mountain biking, more comfortable, easier and safer than ever.
Steel
In the late 19th century, it wasn't uncommon for steel-framed bicycles to weigh 80 pounds or more. In the 21st century, solid steel frames have been replaced with several types of steel alloys, making them much lighter while preserving steel's biggest advantage--its durability. While steel is still the heaviest frame material used in mountain biking, it makes up for its weight by being less expensive and more flexible, providing a more-affordable and smoother ride than other materials, according to Drexel University's Geometric and Intelligent Computing Laboratory. Steel frames are also the easiest frames to repair.
Aluminum
According to renowned bike designer and frame builder Paolo Salvagione, "Aluminum is an interesting material. You can't really let it flex, because the more it gets to bend the quicker it reaches the end of its life." The advantage of aluminum, however, is weight. An aluminum mountain bike frame typically weighs one third less than its steel counterpart, according to Drexel University. Aluminum alloys are continuing to decrease in price as well, making them an alluring alternative to steel. An aluminum frame's inherent rigidness is less of a factor on modern full-suspension mountain bikes.
Titanium
Titanium, says Paolo Salvagione is "the material of choice" for mountain bike frames. At half the weight of the strongest steel frame, a titanium frame is just as durable, but the combination of strength and lightness comes at a price. Replace the steel frame on a $2,000 mountain bike with a titanium one and the price jumps to $6,000 or more, as of 2008 prices. If cost isn't an object, titanium is the way to go for serious riders.
Carbon Fiber
Carbon fiber frames consist of thousands of thin strands of carbon atoms, making them lighter than either steel or aluminum frames. Carbon fiber is also the most customizable frame material, allowing serious riders and racers to maximize their mountain bike's performance. There are, however, two big disadvantages of carbon fiber frames; like titanium, they are expensive and, unlike steel and aluminum, if they break they can't be repaired.
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