At this point, most of us are aware of what the selling points are for each of the big four materials that most bike frames are made from.
But to give a quick recap, generally speaking, aluminium bikes tend to be reasonably robust, reasonably light and reasonably priced. Carbon bikes, on the other hand, tend to be lighter, more expensive and more delicate (yet also more repairable than aluminium).
Next we have steel bikes, which promise a ‘springy’ ride and rank highly for both durability and reparability – the downsides are the greater cost and weight compared to aluminium. Titanium bikes boast a similar ride and longevity to steel, whilst also succeeding in being rather lighter – though this is tempered by an even higher price tag still.
(Image credit: Future)
Now, VAAST hasn’t been around for long – the American company made its Eurobike debut only back in 2019 – but it has been making waves in its decision to build its frames with magnesium tubing.
Some might revel in being different just for different’s sake, but VAAST claims that its magnesium alloy has a host of performance benefits – being lighter than titanium, stronger than steel and priced competitively against aluminium. For more details on the material qualities, you can delve into those on Allite’s website (which is the brand that supplies VAAST with its tubing).
Alongside the claimed performance benefits, magnesium is also easier to recycle than aluminium and VAAST has doubled down on reducing its environmental impact by using ‘fiber based, plastic-free packaging’ and partnering with Green Worldwide Shipping to offset the carbon emissions of its shipping.
(Image credit: Future)
Of course, there is a precedent for magnesium frames: who can forget (or remember – depending what side of the generational divide you fall on) the iconic Kirk Precision from the 1980s? More recently, there was even a magnesium Pinarello Dogma up until 2009.
But neither of those examples really tell us what to expect from magnesium today. Is VAAST planning on pitching its magnesium frames against steel and titanium? Or is it going after the other end of the market and challenging those made from aluminium?
Well, the word from VAAST is that they are taking a shot at all three: boasting of the lightness, ride quality and affordability of their magnesium alloy. But how does it really stack up?
Weight and spec
(Image credit: Future)
Let’s tackle the massive question first (if you pardon the pun). VAAST…