Alchemy

Hardtail mountain bikes come in several flavors, from mile-crushing cross-country bikes to long and slack "hardcore hardtails." The most common frame materials are aluminum, carbon fiber, and steel. Aluminum frames are inexpensive and provide a great strength-to-weight ratio. When executed properly, aluminum frames offer excellent ride characteristics. Carbon fiber frames are light, stiff, and an industry favorite. Steel is the most exotic of the three materials and offers a damp, comfortable ride that can be easily manipulated to achieve desired ride characteristics. Steel is one of the usual...