Among bicycle component materials, aluminum alloy, with its dual advantage of “balanced performance + affordable price”, has become the core material for everything from entry-level commuter bicycles to professional racing models. With the help of the advanced aluminum alloy forging process, 6061 T6, 7075 T6, and other aluminum alloy materials have achieved breakthroughs in key properties such as lightweight, strength, corrosion resistance, etc., and constructed an application ecology covering the whole scene.
Aluminum alloy forging: material science
1. Golden ratio of mechanical properties:
6061T6 aluminum alloy is formulated with “magnesium-silicon alloy” to achieve balanced performance: density of 2.7g/cm³ (only 1/3 of steel), tensile strength of 310MPa, and elongation of more than 12%. After the forging process, the grains are oriented in the direction of the force, and the grain boundary impurities are reduced by 40%, resulting in a 35% increase in strength and a 25% increase in fatigue resistance compared to cast parts. For example, the Jet ATX series frames are made of forged 6061T6 aluminum alloy, and the single-arm fork shoulder is formed by the “double-die forging” technology, which improves the impact resistance by 20% while maintaining the light weight of 1.8kg.
2. Scenario-based application of corrosion resistance:
The salt spray corrosion problem faced by cyclists in coastal cities is effectively solved with aluminum alloy parts. The anodic oxidation treatment forms a 5-25μm aluminum oxide film on the surface of the aluminum alloy, which can withstand salt spray tests for more than 1,000 hours (only 50 hours for steel parts). The aluminum rims of Trek’s Marlin 7 were forged + hard anodized, and experienced 300 hours of high humidity during a ride around Hainan Island without any surface corrosion, whereas similar steel parts have already shown visible rust spots.
3. Cost advantage to build industrial moat:
Aluminum alloy raw material prices are only 1/20 of titanium alloy, carbon fiber 1/10, and forging die life of more than 50,000 times. Under the scale production, the cost of a 6061 T6 forged frame is controlled at $80-150, which is only 1/3 of that of a carbon fiber frame of the same class. this cost-effective advantage makes aluminum alloy parts occupy 75% of the global bicycle market, especially in the entry-level market ($1,000-3,000 price) occupies a share of more than 90%.
Forging Application Matrix with Full Part Coverage
1. Frame:
The golden balance of rigidity and shock absorption Through the process of “hydraulic die forging + aging treatment”, aluminum alloy frame achieves precise rigidity distribution.
The use of variable cross-section forging for the top and bottom tubes and the gradual change in thickness from 3mm to 1.5mm at the risers have enabled the Trek Marlin 5 frame to achieve a torsional stiffness of 1,200N/m/°, close to that of an entry-level carbon frame (1,500N/m/°), but with a 40% increase in dropout resistance.
The rear triangle adopts “flexible forging” technology, which controls grain orientation to increase vertical vibration absorption by 18%, effectively filtering out road bumps and making it suitable for 200km or more long-distance scenarios in a single day.
2. Wheelset:
lightweight and durability of the double breakthrough forged aluminum alloy wheels compared to casting weight reduction of 15% -20%, while the strength of 25% increase.
The weight of the 29-inch mountain bike rim can be controlled within 450g (casting about 550g), with a straight pull spoke design, acceleration response time is shortened by 0.2 seconds / 100 meters.
The cutter ring height of the road wheels is precisely controlled by die forging (30-60mm adjustable), which improves the stability against side wind by 30% while ensuring aerodynamic performance, and the measured offset is reduced by 15cm in 25km/h side wind.
4. Transmission
Components:
A revolution in power transfer efficiency:
The tensile strength of the forged 7075 T6 aluminum alloy crank reaches 510MPa, which is 60% higher than that of ordinary 6061 parts, and it can withstand an instantaneous power output of more than 2000W.
Hollow forging technology reduces the weight of the crank to 420g (170mm length), a 50% weight reduction compared to steel parts, while the Q value (crank width) error is controlled to ±0.5mm, improving pedaling efficiency.
The center shaft joint adopts the “Cold Forging Reinforcement” technology, the surface hardness reaches 120HV, the wear-resistant life is 3 times that of the casting parts, and the gap only increases by 0.1mm after 50,000 kilometers of actual use.
Aluminum alloy forging process respectively.
1. Precision evolution of die forging technology
Multi-directional die forging:
Through the three-dimensional pressure application of upper and lower dies + side dies, complex structures such as five passes and head tubes can be formed in one go, reducing the welding process and lowering the stress concentration points by 60%. For MERIDA Challenger series frames, the number of drop-forged weld points is reduced from 8 to 3, reducing the risk of fracture by 40%.
Isothermal forging:
Controlling the die temperature at 500-550°C improves metal flow by 30%, enabling the manufacture of ultra-lightweight components with a wall thickness of 1.2mm, such as the Lightning Allez Sprint’s forged aluminum handlebar, which weighs a mere 280g (420mm width) but is capable of withstanding 120kg of vertical pressure.
2. Functional innovations in surface treatments
Micro-arc oxidation: generates a ceramic-textured oxide film on the surface of aluminum alloy, with a hardness of 300HV (150HV for normal anodizing), which increases wear resistance by 5 times, and is suitable for brake mounts, gear lugs, and other parts prone to wear.
Forging + CNC composite processing: 90% of the shape is formed by die forging, and then key parts (such as the mounting holes of the transmission guide wheel) are finished by CNC machine tools, with dimensional accuracy up to IT6 level and fit tolerance less than 0.02mm, ensuring the precise response of the transmission system.
四、全场景适配的应用优势对比：
Bump-resistant, easy to maintain, cost-effective
Maintenance costs are 70% lower than carbon
High impact resistance and wide terrain adaptability
92% of parts intact rate after vehicle startup (65% for carbon fiber)
Excellent stiffness-to-weight ratio and climate adaptability
Excellent stiffness-to-weight ratio and climate adaptability
Outstanding corrosion resistance and stable load capacity
Load 150kg and continue to ride 10,000km without deformation.
Maintenance Advantage.
&Aluminum parts can be flushed directly with a high-pressure water jet without the risk of delamination of the resin-based material.
&Minor deformations can be repaired by cold straightening at 1/5 the cost of carbon fiber parts.
&Surface scratches can be refurbished by sandpapering + anodizing, restoring more than 90% of the protection.
Industry Trend: Sustainable Evolution of Aluminum Alloy
1. Recycling technology promotes green manufacturing
The recycling rate of scrap aluminum is over 95%, and the energy consumption is only 5% of virgin aluminum. Merida’s “Green Forging” project remelts cutting waste directly, raising the material utilization rate from 85% to 92%.
The application of bio-based cutting fluid has reduced carbon emissions from the forging process by 40%, and the oil content of wastewater has been reduced from 500ppm to less than 50ppm.
2. Structural Innovations Pushing Performance Limits
“Sandwich” forging technology: Embedding a glass fiber layer in the aluminum alloy matrix improves fatigue resistance by 40% while maintaining a metallic appearance.
Bionic die forging: imitating the hollow and porous structure of bird bones, 20% less material is used in non-load-bearing parts such as risers, and the loss of strength is controlled within 5%.
Reconstructing the value of aluminum alloy forging
While carbon fiber is still pursuing the “extreme lightweight” competition-level market, aluminum alloy forging components have built an application system covering all price ranges and all scenarios through technological innovation. From weather resistance in urban commuting to impact resistance in mountain biking, from industrial production of precision die forging to environmental protection practices of recycling technology, aluminum alloy is becoming a “pragmatic” core material in the bicycle industry that is “both within reach and trustworthy”. For 90% of cyclists, aluminum alloy forging components are not only a cost-effective choice, but also the optimal solution that takes into account performance, durability and easy maintenance – this is the best embodiment of the return of material science to user value.
Guangdong XPF: Leader in Aluminum Alloy Forging
As a benchmark enterprise in the domestic aluminum alloy forging industry, Guangdong XPF has built a full-chain advantage system covering R&D, production, and testing with more than 30 years of technological accumulation. Its independently developed “intelligent die forging system” realizes closed-loop control from raw materials to finished products, which increases the component yield rate to 99.2%, 15% higher than the industry average. The company’s breakthroughs in the following areas have set a new benchmark for aluminum alloy forging technology:
1. Industrial breakthroughs in precision die forging technology
The multi-station hot die forging production line independently developed by XPF optimizes the metal flow path through 3D simulation technology so that the forming accuracy of complex structural components (such as bottom bracket and head tube) reaches IT7 level, which is 30% higher than the traditional process. For example, the five-way bracket for a mountain bike frame customized for an international brand uses a three-stage process of “pre-forging – final forging – finishing” to control the wall thickness tolerance within ±0.1mm and increase the torsional strength to 1800N・m/°, far exceeding the industry standard of 1500N・m/°.
2. Efficiency revolution of intelligent production
In the Foshan production base, XPF deployed 20 German Haas CNC machining centers, and cooperated with the self-developed MES system to realize the digital management of the whole process of “order-scheduling-quality inspection”. This system shortens the production cycle by 40% and reduces energy consumption by 25%. For example, its annual production of 500,000 sets of aluminum alloy crank production line, through the linkage of automatic loading and unloading robots and visual inspection equipment, reduces the single-piece production time from 8 minutes to 4.5 minutes, and the defect rate is reduced from 0.8% to 0.2%.
3. Industry demonstration of environmentally friendly technology
XPF’s “Green Forging” project achieves sustainable development through three major innovations:
&Clean energy substitution:
Using natural gas regenerative heating furnaces reduces carbon emissions by 60% compared with traditional coal-fired furnaces.
&Wastewater recycling: Establish a three-level sewage treatment system to achieve a water reuse rate of 95%, saving 800,000 tons of water resources annually.
&Waste recycling technology: Directly remelt forging waste, increase material utilization from 85% to 92%, and reduce solid waste by 1,200 tons per year.
4. Deep penetration of the high-end market
XPF has established in-depth cooperation with international brands such as Giant and Merida, providing them with customized forging solutions:
&Lightweight breakthrough:
The 7075T6 aluminum alloy rear fork developed for the Giant TCR Advanced Pro series adopts “gradient grain strengthening” technology while maintaining a lightweight of 1.2kg; the vertical shock absorption capacity is increased by 20%.
Extreme environment verification:
The forged aluminum alloy rims customized for the African market have passed 1,000 hours of salt spray test and 500 times of -40℃ to 80℃ hot and cold cycle test, and there is no rust or deformation on the surface.
5. Construction and output of technical barriers
XPF has obtained 87 patents in total, including 19 invention patents, covering key links such as mold design, heat treatment process, and surface treatment. The “Technical Specifications for Bicycle Aluminum Alloy Forging Parts” formulated by it has been listed as an industry-recommended standard by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. In 2024, the company built the first “Aluminum Alloy Forging Technology Open Platform” in China, exporting core technologies such as process parameters and mold design to small and medium-sized enterprises to promote the overall upgrading of the industry.
Conclusion: Technology-driven industrial innovation
The practice of Guangdong XPF has proved that the progress of aluminum alloy forging technology not only depends on material innovation but also requires systematic upgrading of manufacturing processes. It’s intelligent, green, and customized development path provides the bicycle industry with a new paradigm of “performance-cost-environmental protection”. XPF is exploring the construction of a “digital twin factory”, which will realize digital management of the entire life cycle from product design to recycling in the future, marking that the aluminum alloy forging industry is moving towards a new era of intelligence and sustainability.
