Frame materials compared
Four materials, one production floor. What each one is actually good at, where it stops making commercial sense, and what it changes in tooling, lead time and minimum order.
What actually differs between the four
Typical values for the grades we run. Nothing on this page is a price list — build cost depends on model, components and quantity, which is why quotations are issued per enquiry.
| Attribute | High-carbon steel | Aluminium alloy | Magnesium alloy | Carbon fibre |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Density | 7.85 g/cm³ | 2.70 g/cm³ | 1.74 g/cm³ | Composite — varies with layup |
| Forming | Welded tube | Welded tube | One-piece formed, no weld seams | Moulded layup |
| Corrosion | Needs full paint coverage | Forms an oxide layer, does not rust | Most reactive of the four, needs coating | Immune to rust; metal interfaces must be isolated |
| Impact damage | Bends, can often be straightened | Dents, usually replaced | Dents, usually replaced | Cracks, not repairable in the field |
| Paint and finish | Full range | Full range | Full range | Clear coat or paint |
| Relative cost | Lowest | Mid | Mid to high | Highest |
| MOQ in our line | 50–100 units | 50 units | 50 units | 10 units |
| Frame types we run | 24 | 13 | 4 | 2 |
| Best fit | Entry, retro, fat bike, kids | Private-label volume | Shaped frames, city, e-bike | Performance, premium |
Five briefs, five answers
Most enquiries start with one of these five sentences. Open the one that sounds like yours.
“We need the lowest unit cost at volume.”
High-carbon steel. It is the cheapest material we run, the range is the widest at 24 frame types, and it covers fat bike, folding, full-suspension, road and hardtail from 50 units. Where steel loses is weight and corrosion — both are managed with paint coverage rather than material choice. See the multi-speed range.
“It is a kids, city or retro line.”
High-carbon steel single-speed. Eight frame types from 24" to 26", MOQ 100 units, and one-gear builds remove the derailleur from the cost and the service conversation. This is the cheapest entry into a private label that still looks like a finished brand. See the single-speed range.
“We want a mid-market private label that does not feel heavy.”
Aluminium alloy. Noticeably lighter than steel, takes the full paint and decal range, and runs 13 frame types from 50 units including road and gravel with drop bars, full-suspension and hardtail. This is where most private-label programmes land. See the aluminium range.
“We need a frame shape nobody else is running.”
Magnesium alloy. One-piece forming means no weld seams, so shapes that welded tube cannot make become possible — and the joints stop being the design constraint. Four frame types, MOQ 50 units. The mould is the cost, so this pays at volume, not on a test order. See the magnesium range.
“We are launching a premium performance line.”
Carbon fibre. The lightest material we run, two frame types, and the lowest minimum in the range at 10 units — deliberately set low so a brand can validate a premium model before committing. Highest unit cost of the four. See the carbon range.
What the material changes downstream
The material decision is not only about the frame. It sets what a shape change costs you later.
Steel and aluminium
Both are cut and welded on jigs from tube sets. A new geometry means new jigs and a new tube set, but the process around it — welding, paint, assembly — stays the same. That is why moving a programme between these two materials is the cheapest change in the range, and why they carry the largest number of frame types.
Magnesium
Formed in one piece, so the mould is the cost and the weld operations disappear. The advantage is shape freedom and fewer joints; the constraint is that a shape change means a new mould. It is the material where design changes are cheapest to justify before the mould is cut and most expensive after.
Carbon fibre
Laid up in a mould, which is why the minimum order drops to 10 units and the unit cost rises. Geometry lives in the mould, so a size change is a mould change — the opposite economics to a welded frame, where a size change is a cutting list.
Paint is not a reason to choose
All four go through the same paint line, so colour, decals and finish do not narrow the choice. Pick the material on structure, weight and volume; pick the colour afterwards.
What buyers ask before the first order
If yours is not here, put it in the form below. A member of the export team answers it — not an auto-reply.
Is logo design free of charge?
Yes. Design work on the logo and decals is free of charge — send your brand files and we return a design for approval.
How many units fit in a 40HQ container?
Around 350 units for 26-inch models in a 40HQ. Loading depends on carton size and the model mix, so a mixed order is quoted per configuration.
How long is production for a 40HQ order?
Production for a 40HQ quantity usually takes 7 to 30 days after the deposit is received.
Can we customise the logo on spare parts?
Yes. Spare-part branding can carry your mark alongside the frame decals, so the bike and the parts that ship with it read as one brand.
Tell us the market. We will quote the build.
The more you tell us — model, quantity, destination port, target landed cost — the more useful the first reply will be. A model, a colour card and a quotation are what usually come back.
天津市盛阔科技发展有限公司