Magnesium alloys, like Super Magnesium have been around for a long time. This ALLIT concept bike features “Super Magnesium” by its US manufacturer ALLITE.
Elemental magnesium is a very low density metal. Therefore, when alloyed with other elements the resulting metal tubes have really impressive physical characteristics.
However, alloys with great strength traits that are formed into tubes suitable are notoriously difficult to weld. For instance, that’s why you see magnesium alloys cast or machined into components.
The ALLITE concept bike at NAHBS is really about marketing the material to framebuilders.
Above all, success for ALLITE in the bike industry, requires convincing framebuilders that their “Super Magnesium” material has been tweaked to overcome weldability issues.
In addition, there will need to be a source of fittings. Those include
- Dropouts
- Bottom bracket shells
- Integrated headtubes
The fittings must be in the same alloy. In other words, the current vendors who cater to framebuilders don’t have those items in magnesium. Ultimately, this is important in the age of thru-axle dropouts with flatmount disc calipers.
In a flat market, it’s great to see innovators. Especially, with a challenging material like magnesium. I won’t be at NABHS this year.
It starts this weekend in Sacramento. Magnesium as a frame material is a post Cold War affect. It came from demilitarized Russian sources. I saw a frame or two come through the shop back then. The material is lighter and stronger than aluminum and cheaper than carbon. ALLITE launched last year at Interbike.
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