For over two decades we've been tirelessly pushing titanium to the next level to ensure its use and construction.
Crafting with titanium is an art and a science and for this reason, people still don’t understand or know the best of the bunch and what they should invest in for a long-term purchase.
Well, in this blog, we’re going to take you through our guide to quality bike framesets - so you can make an informed purchase decision for your new set of wheels.
Brief History of Bike Framesets
Due to our profound passion for cycling, team Reilly are all cyclists ourselves, we have a burning passion for finding and making the most optimal yet comfortable bike on the market.
Throughout the history of the bicycle, there have been some less-than-desired designs, with questionable materials and execution. Issues such as incorrect weight distribution and false claims about the ‘finest material’ have been seen in both UK production and overseas.
Finding the right bike through online research can be challenging. We're hoping to make the process easier for you to decipher what matters to you. Backed by our bespoke bike-building credentials of more than two decades of triumphing with titanium, we've pulled this guide together to help you make the right choice.
Weight of Old Bikes
To think that the weight of bikes has changed over the years may seem challenging to understand, but they were much heavier than they are now. At one stage bikes could weigh up to 35 pounds per bicycle.
The steel frames from this time would be much heavier than some of the models we see today on the market. We guess that uphill rides for each user weren’t as easy as they looked back then, with the uncanny amount of weight on the back.
Material Properties of Old Bikes
Unfortunately, long ago, before our founder began to research and look for better options - bikes could be made from cast iron or even wood. This was obviously in the era when bicycles first became a form of transportation.
Closer to our current decade, in the 1950s, steel tubing was introduced - but to our dismay, they still weighed nearly 23kg at the time. Of course, steel frames are still used today quite promptly around the industry, yet in our opinion, steel still has some flaws that can sometimes impact the quality of ride.
Quality Bike Framesets of Today
Here at Reilly, we understand that choosing a bike can be expensive. However, if you manage to purchase the right model equipped for your needs and the material lasts a lifetime - then the chance of you spending again on a bike becomes minimal.
Luckily for you, through endless hours of research, trying and testing out different bikes - we’ve managed to find the most elite of frames from the handful of possibilities. Expensive bikes do not always live up to the hype/ information given by the management team.
Therefore, we’re here today to share some realistic news (potentially calling out some false claims) about some of your favourite bikes - including road bikes, mountain bikes, race bikes, etc. Let’s run through each category of material and give our opinion on them.
Titanium Bike Framesets
Starting off strong in our guide to quality bike framesets, is titanium, our DNA at Reilly. In our extensive heritage, we’ve never seen a bike frame so versatile for any scenario.
If you’re a beginner just looking to gain some exercise every few days, yet the bike frame won’t need maintenance for years - titanium bike frames are your best bet.
Now, we’re not saying you’re going to feel like a Tour de France cyclist, but if you’re looking for a high-performing, easy-to-ride and comfortable bike - this is where you need to look.
Reilly’s ground-breaking frame geometry is optimised for comfort and speed, using premium-grade titanium for durability and finesse.
Our top-grade hydroformed titanium tubes and advanced engineering, create a light, aerodynamic titanium frame for each cyclist at any level to enjoy.
Carbon Fibre Framesets
Next on our list is the infamous carbon fibre frameset. This took the market by storm with its beautiful experience at first glance. In sports, having an elegant aesthetic and design is one thing, but the analytics of performance can be masked by the beauty of the product.
In carbon fibre’s case, the performance is still somewhat great for certain terrain. With its lightweight features, strong/ durable nature and comfortability - it ticks the checkbox for what a lot of people need.
Although it’s not as high-performing and corrosion-resistant as titanium, the look of the bike could certainly create some debate.
Aluminium Framesets
Aluminium has taken the biking interior and exterior by storm. Whether it be your disc brakes, hydraulic disc, front forks, etc - it's certainly a popular choice among the public.
Although they’re not as lightweight as titanium and performance is relatively far behind, aluminium bikes are one of the more affordable alternatives among the expensive bikes. Corrosion resistance is a benefit of this bike compared to some other models too.
Framesets: Their Purposes
Ensuring that you as the customer know exactly what each frame can do, i.e. what time of the year suits an opposing type of frame. This will assist you in making a more informed decision.
With our goal being to put the individual back into the bike, there is nothing more crucial to us than making sure you have a customised bike, perfect to your body type and riding style.
Therefore, let’s run through some of the different bike framesets and how each one has an alternate purpose to help your performance in their own unique way.
Gravel Framesets
We all know that when it comes to summertime, it is in your best interest to get outside and explore your surroundings. Depending on where you’re living the terrain is typically softer and easier to ride on during this time.
Therefore, when you’re sauntering through the woods or tarmac on a lovely, summer's day - the gravel framesets ensure that your ride is extremely smooth.
Our models are manufactured in a way where you will notice a more upright stance to enhance the comfort and speed levels you can reach on a much flatter surface.
If you’re looking to train for competition or just improve your cardio - The Gradient, do-it-all gravel bike is a fantastic gravel option. As the winter months set in, take on all weathers and surfaces with our Spectre. It's incredibly sleek and strong, perfect for those country lanes.
Road Framesets
If you’re a competitive person trying to race against your fellow friends or it is actually your job to get on the road and race other competitors - road framesets are going to work wonders for your capabilities.
With the key asset being speed, their functionalities require maximum comfort for the rider - along with some serious technology built-in to the frameset.
These framesets need to be manufactured with aero-dynamic and flexible handlebars to cater for the level of speed that a specific rider is trying to achieve. The execution will start to dip if cyclists begin to take them into rocky terrain - as this is meant to stick to a road (hence the name…).