FUJI’S ALUMINUM FRAME AND FORK MATERIAL / ALTAIR 6, ALTAIR 2, AND ALTAIR 1 A lightweight solution to heavier steel bikes, aluminum bikes were at first considered too stiff and too harsh when first developed. Fuji aimed to improve aluminum’s ride quality in two ways: by adjusting the geometry so that road bumps were more evenly dissipated throughout the frameset and by creating better aluminum tubes.
ALTAIR 6 (A6) ULTRA-LIGHT ALUMINUM
Fuji created a proprietary aluminum alloy, called Altair 6, made of 6066 aluminum. Altair 6 has a high-yield value (increased strength) and ultra-light, butted tube profile that boasts increased wall thicknesses in high-stress areas and shaves material where it’s not needed.
The manufacturing of a typical aluminum tube starts with an aluminum slug, which is fed into a standard die and then extruded through a press. In the 1950s, a new process was developed, called hydroforming, which uses fluid rather than a metal die to shape tubes. The process allows tubes to take on unique shapes that are more resistant to buckling and less likely to have surface defects.
ALTAIR 2 (A2) DOUBLE-BUTTED ALUMINUM
Altair 2 is a proprietary alloy blend that also has a high-yield value. The difference between Altair 2 and Altair 6 is in the butting process: a2 is double-butted tubing, while a6 is “multi-butted,” meaning it has more than two levels of wall thicknesses.
ALTAIR 1 (A1) PLAIN GAUGE ALUMINUM
Altair 1 is a plain-gauge tubing and carries a slightly higher specific gravity (weight). Used primarily on bikes most apt to take a beating, a1 is Fuji’s super-strong alloy blend.
FUJI’S STEEL FRAME AND FORK MATERIAL / ELIOS 2 AND ELIOS 1 Steel offers the cyclist a ride quality that is more forgiving. Supple and refined, steel has made a quiet comeback as the material of choice for road, mountain, and urban cyclists looking for that unique riding experience. Fuji’s steel frames are made in the classic style, using cylindrical steel tubing that is precision-aligned in a custom-configured frame jig. The joints are either lugged or TIG-welded.
ELIOS 2 CRMO STEEL
Elios 2 is a certified CrMo (chromium molybdenum) blend, which is cold-drawn and custom-butted. Two wall thicknesses provide strength in high-stress areas and allow us to decrease weight in other parts of the frame.
ELIOS 1 HIGH-TENSILE STEEL
Elios 1 is our straight-gauge steel tubing, made with high-grade, high-tensile steel. Fuji’s custom Elios 1 offers a superior strength-to-weight ratio for bikes that are built to last.
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