Our most advanced aluminium ever
Aluminium frames and components have been commonplace throughout the cycling industry for much of its history, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t extraordinary opportunities for advancement and perfection. With Alpha Aluminium, Trek has applied the most sophisticated concepts of metallurgy and stretched them to the absolute maximum – building frames that are strong, light and provide a ride quality that rivals that of many of their carbon counterparts.
| A lighter, more compliant rideOver the years, aluminium frames have earned a reputation as being overly stiff and providing poor ride quality compared to their carbon brethren. The engineers at Trek have made it their mission to challenge this assumption, using methods that allow the material to retain its best characteristics – its lightness and strength – while simultaneously improving ride quality. |
From blueprint to reality
Metallic materials can’t be moulded like composites. Creating the unique shapes that make for great ride characteristics requires forming, or an actual manipulation of the tube material to take on a desired shape.
Holding a sincere belief that materials as difficult to work with as aluminium can in fact be manipulated into something exceptional, Trek has created unique Alpha Aluminium frame designs that are so much more than tubes of aluminium welded together. We go a step further in our willingness to experiment, and the difference is noticeable in performance, comfort and aesthetics. By stretching aluminium alloy to its absolute capacity, Trek engineers are able to achieve a two-fold benefit: reduced weight and reduced stiffness in key areas that produce a harsh ride quality.
What is hydroforming?
Proven effective in the world of high-end performance cars, hydroforming is the process of injecting fluid into a cylindrical frame tube to manipulate it into a more beneficial shape. Hydroforming allows Trek engineers to bring complex aluminium frame designs, especially those with advanced aerodynamic properties, from the drawing board to the production line.
Ask any engineer, and they’ll tell you that the quintessential engineering shape is a circle. Alloy frame tubes begin as cylinders because this shape allows for an equal load distribution and stiffness that is uniform throughout the tube. Because circular shapes lack in aerodynamic properties, however, Trek employs hydroforming to manipulate the aluminium alloy tubes into performance shapes that retain strength while also adding to the frame’s aerodynamic properties and ride quality.
| Seamless transitionsTrek’s advanced Alpha Aluminium frames feature Invisible Weld Technology, a revolutionary welding process that decreases weight and increases structural integrity, while also delivering finely tuned welds that are as aesthetically pleasing as they are strong. |
A new era for aluminium
The amazing innovations of Alpha Aluminium have produced bikes that stand up against the highest performing road machines made of composite materials. Trek’s engineers have shown this material may never be obsolete, but that a willingness to experiment can lead to amazing results. Feel the difference of our most advanced aluminium ever today.
