Steel frames and safety standards?

[Nuffy]

I've just come across this is the May 2010 issue of What Mountain Bike mag:

 

"The new European CEN frame safety standards have hit steel frames harder than any other material. Even frames that have been totally trustworthy for years have now had to gain significant weight to pass…"

 

Anyone know anything more about this? Has it had a big impact? Are we going to see (or have there already been) big changes? Will this affect all frames being produced worldwide?

 

As a fan of steel I'm a little concerned…

 

(I realise I may be a bit behind the times here, but I'd appreciate any enlightenment on the subject.)

[EigerSA]

I would be interested to know how they (cen guys) came up with that. I'm a regular visitor to a framebuilding forum that is 99,9% steel enthusiasts and nothing's been mentioned there? The suppliers of tubing like 'ceeway' also haven't changed their offerings either, maybe hot air about nothing? The article give any references?

[Nuffy]

No references as far as I can see. It was just mentioned on an Orange P7S bike test. The frame had got heavier in order to pass the test, apparently.

 

A quick google yielded this year-old forum post:

 

http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/cen-safety-regulations-and-the-demise-of-the-steel-hardtail

[GuyP]

Aah, load of bollocks?

My 20 year old steel frame still has plenty life in it, having survived cobbles and the worst Europe could throw at it.

However, could it be that the nouveau steel is not as good as the antique stuff? Strange

[GuyP]

Or maybe the new steel is much thinner than the old stuff?

[Kiwi]

Here's a bit of information on the On One website: http://www.on-one.co...ass-cen-testing

 

http://www.on-one.co.uk/news/products/q/date/2010/04/12/on-one-carbon-456-sails-through-cen-testing

[Nuffy]

Or maybe the new steel is much thinner than the old stuff?

 

 

My feeling is that people are doing things with steel that haven't been done before, such as using big heavy duty forks on old hardtails that were designed for short XC forks.

 

It looks like the standards apply to all frame materials, but the inherent flexibility of steel frames mean they fare worse in the tests than frames of comparable strength made from other materials.

 

But it seems that frame builders like Brant Richards (who co-founded On-One and has since started all sorts of other projects) have been making the necessary changes anyway in recognition of new demands on the frames and current trends, and, as Kiwi pointed out, the frames are passing with no problems.

 

But that's all I know from a quick trawl of the web, so if anyone else has any more information kindly share it, won't you?

[hipster]

We import COTIC from UK. All their frames had to comply to CEN.

40g more on the SOUL hardtail, first modification to the design in 6 years, but added the option of 140mm fork for the real hardcore trail riders out there.

[Nuffy]

You import Cotic from the UK?! Ooooh! I wish I had known this six months ago. Mind you, I would probably still be saving up.

 

Do you have a website or price list?

[hipster]

You import Cotic from the UK?! Ooooh! I wish I had known this six months ago. Mind you, I would probably still be saving up.

 

Do you have a website or price list?

 

We do, the website is actually only launching next week. cotic.co.za. Presently frames available on buycycle.co.za, MIKES BIKES in Greenside and the singlespeed commuter frames through Grant at singlespeed.co.za.

Feel free to PM me for stock availability.

[Hairy]

I would be interested to know how they (cen guys) came up with that. I'm a regular visitor to a framebuilding forum that is 99,9% steel enthusiasts and nothing's been mentioned there? The suppliers of tubing like 'ceeway' also haven't changed their offerings either, maybe hot air about nothing? The article give any references?

 

Which site is that please?

[Hairy]

We do, the website is actually only launching next week. cotic.co.za. Presently frames available on buycycle.co.za, MIKES BIKES in Greenside and the singlespeed commuter frames through Grant at singlespeed.co.za.

Feel free to PM me for stock availability.

 

 

Flip man ... wish I had known RE this site sometime ago "singlespeed.co.za" .. always nice to find SS sites ... and local makes it even nicer

 

 

[Kiwi]

My feeling is that people are doing things with steel that haven't been done before, such as using big heavy duty forks on old hardtails that were designed for short XC forks.

 

It looks like the standards apply to all frame materials, but the inherent flexibility of steel frames mean they fare worse in the tests than frames of comparable strength made from other materials.

 

But it seems that frame builders like Brant Richards (who co-founded On-One and has since started all sorts of other projects) have been making the necessary changes anyway in recognition of new demands on the frames and current trends, and, as Kiwi pointed out, the frames are passing with no problems.

 

But that's all I know from a quick trawl of the web, so if anyone else has any more information kindly share it, won't you?

 

Hi Nuffy,

 

It's not that the bikes have changed but that new CEN test is much tougher.