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The Frameset:

The skeleton of the bicycle.

The frameset (frame and fork) of the bicycle is the skeleton of the bike. Just like the human body, where the organs are attached to the human skeleton, this is where the various parts (i.e. the wheels, gears, handlebar, etc.) are joined together to form the complete bicycle. Think of the frame as your torso and the fork as an arm or leg. Without this "skeleton," all the parts would be useless. In this section we will cover the materials commonly used for frames and forks.

Before you continue, just be aware of the following: The frameset guide is merely a simple explanation of the materials used on bicycles. It does not cover topics such as road feel or liveliness, strength to weight ratios, fatigue factor or any other things that may confuse the new, potential cyclist. However, if you would like to further details about this subject, we will be glad to provide various other resources to assist you.

Frame and fork materials:

The frameset is made from a variety of materials: Let's take a look at each:

STEEL (CHROMOLY): It is the benchmark by which all bikes are usually rated against. It is also the cheapest. This material WAS the most common of all the materials. (That title now goes to aluminum). Most mid-to-lower end bikes are made of steel, but there are some specialty companies out there that make high quality steel bikes (mostly custom jobs). You won't find as many steel bikes as you used to, but they are still out there.

ALUMINUM: This material is what you will find on a majority of mid-to-high level bikes. Aluminum is now quickly replacing steel as the common place material used for most modern bike framework. The great things about aluminum is that it is fairly lighter than any comparable steel frame, not that expensive (as it used to be) and aluminum won't rust.

CARBON FIBER: Once considered exotic, this material is finding it's way more and more into the mid-level bike frameset, particularly the fork, for the masses (you and I.) to enjoy. It is made of small strands of fibers that are tightly woven together around a thin aluminum tube to give it shape and epoxied together using a special glue, giving it excellent strength.

TITANIUM: Although there are a number of manufacturers of titanium framesets, this material is still reserved for the high level bikes. Excellent strength and very pleasing to the eye in it's raw form, titanium is one of the best, if not the best materials for frames. But, because of its high price, these bikes would probably not be best for the new cyclist.

OTHER MATERIALS: There are other materials out there that are used (or have been used) for bicycles: Graphite, bamboo, fiberglass, to name a few. These bikes are usually one-of-a-kind jobs or no longer in production. But they are out there.

Frameset styles:

The frameset comes in many different types for the style of riding. Here are a few simple examples:

Road: The road frameset is your typical bike that is commonly referred to by most as the "10-speed." Believe it or not, modern road bikes today have anywhere from 10 all the way to 27 speeds (if not more). There are several sub-categories of road framesets: Racing, sport, touring, track and a few others.

Mountain: A mountain frameset is generally more robust compared to their road counterparts.....larger tubing, heavier welds or joints to withstand the rigors of off-road riding. And just like the road bike there are several sub-categories: Hardtails, dual suspension, rigid, freeride, downhill, cross-country, etc., etc.

Recumbent: This type of frameset is more of a specialty type bike. It is usually low to the ground with a very relaxed sitting position. Ideal for long distances and very comfortable.

Other designs: There are many other frameset designs besides the ones described above. They include beach cruisers, chopper styles, comfort/hybrid designs, bmx (bicycle moto cross), etc.

Frame and fork in detail:

It's important to know the different details of the frameset. So here at Get-Into-Cycling.com, we've broken down the main components into a simplified format.

This is the basic frame tube setup for the majority of bikes.

These two photos show the general location of mounting points for cables and components on most bicycle frames. Different styles of bicycles will have other additional mounts, such as braze-ons for racks, additional water bottle cages, cantilever brakes, etc.

This is a photo of the underside of the "bottom bracket shell" which is the base of the frameset. Attached to the shell is a device called a cable guide.

This close-up photo shows where the "downtube" (large tube on the right), "chainstays" (thin tubes to the left) and "seattube" (the vertical tube) join with the bottom bracket shell. The small tab protruding out of the side of the seat tube is called a "braze-on." It is for a braze-on front derailleur (see Drivetrain section).

These photos show where the wheels attach to. They are called "dropouts." The dropout for the rear shown in the top photo has an aluminum plate called a "replaceable derailleur hanger." Most newer bikes are equipped with this device. It allows the owner of the bike to change the hanger in the event that it is damaged.

This is a basic view of a standard bicycle fork.

The Frameset: Return to Bike Anatomy Home


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