Twelve frames of four materials passed through the test. Aluminum is at present the lightweight construction material with the best stiffness to weight ratio. When intelligently designed, these are also very durable frames - see Cannondale and Principia. Within the test field carbon is also outstanding - the material for the future. Titanium frames cannot be easily built to be very rigid, yet also durable.
Steel is the material with the worst potential for light weight construction.
An exciting initial position, because the differences in prices are enormous. The price difference reaches 5.199 Marks, from the expensive Merlin titanium frame at 1.299 Marks to the inexpensive Stevens-Aluminum frame. In the test size of 58 centimeters, such a frame is not rigid enough and is therefore not tested. Nevertheless, steel must compete - as a comparison yardstick. Two lugged and two welded frames serve as references.