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Steel
An alloy of iron and carbon, usually containing between 0.2 and 1.5 percent carbon, often with other constituents such as manganese, chromium, nickel, molybdenum, copper, tungsten, vanadium or other metals, depending on the characteristics desired. Steels used in bicycle construction are commonly alloyed with chromium or manganese and molybdenum. Chromium-molybdenum or "cromoly" (CrMo) steel, also known by the numerical designation 4130, is particularly popular for high-quality bicycles.
Although steel is used for most high-quality bicycle frames, the use of steel instead of aluminum for many parts is often the result of penny pinching. Nobody should have to ride a modern bicycle with steel rims, brakes or handlebars. The only reason steel is now used for these parts is to scrimp on costs.
This was not always the case. As recently as the 1960's, steel was favored for many of these parts, particularly by the British. Indeed, for many years, Raleigh's slogan was "The All-Steel Bicycle". Steel parts of this era were often high in quality.
