Chromoly Vs Steel
A common misconception is that chrome moly is lighter than mild steel.
Chromoly vs steel. Chromium molybdenum also called chrome molybdenum chrome moly or cr mo and chromium vanadium also called chrome vanadium or cr v are names for two families of steel alloys used in hand tool manufacturing. Chrome moly is the abbreviation for chromium molybdenum and it is an alloy steel. It is a steel that is stronger than carbon steel more commonly used in bike manufacturing so we can use thin wall tubing giving you a lightweight frame that will last through years of riding. Chromoly steel is a type of low alloy steel that gets its name from a combination of the words chromium and molybdenum two of the major alloying elements.
The addition of chromium to steel improves strength and corrosion resistance and the molybdenum increases material toughness. When properly manufactured and heat treated they are chemically. Carbon or high tensile steel is a good strong long lasting steel but it isn t as light as its more high tech brother the steel known as chromoly. The chromium adds strength hardenability and a level of corrosion resistance to mild carbon steel though chromoly is not as corrosion resistant as stainless steel.
Chromoloy tubing is made from a family of low alloy steels that contain chromium and molybdenum sae 4130 or 4140 along with the iron carbon and other elements. Chromium molybdenum or chromium vanadium steel. Chromoly 4130 is a low alloy steel containing chromium molybdenum iron carbon and other alloying elements. Chromoly is a chrome alloy steel with a medium carbon content and 8 1 1 molybdenum for strength.
And wall thickness a chrome moly tube weighs the same as a mild steel tube. 4130 chromoly tubing also has a smooth interior and exterior finish that resists scaling and oxidation. Given the same o d. Steel is the most commonly used material in bike frames.
41xx steel is a family of sae steel grades as specified by the society of automotive engineers sae. Chromoly steel is often used when more strength is required than that of mild carbon steel though it often comes at an increase in cost.