A customer’s motorcycle brake hose.
Looking at the shiny aluminum fittings…
Why? Why did you go with aluminum? (・´з`・)
Well, it was cheaper~
Hmm… actually, it might end up costing more?
① Deteriorates easily
Compared to iron-based materials, aluminum definitely deteriorates more easily.
It’s exposed to heat, and since it’s basically undercarriage, poor storage conditions can cause significant corrosion.
As aluminum fittings deteriorate, the nut section often develops a “crack!” and splits.
The hydraulic pressure doesn’t drain instantly, but what happens after that might be far more tragic than you’d imagine.
② Gets twisted during caliper removal and cleaning.
During maintenance, we can’t always proceed with zero load.
We inevitably apply some stress.
If deterioration has progressed as described above, breakage and cracks can occur.
Critical brake components require proper management.
③ If you replace on a set schedule, that’s the way to go
Motorcycle parts.
There are quite a lot of people who think they’ll last forever…
Depending on storage and usage conditions, it’s not that simple.
Especially aluminum parts require extreme caution.
They don’t rust like iron, but once deterioration starts, they become crumbly and flaky—so much so that just picking at them with your fingernail can cause them to crumble. *To a considerable degree, though…
I’ve seen old Axial Brembo racing calipers in poor storage conditions that were absolutely terrible. When I see things like that, I think “wow… that’s scary…”
The reason I don’t trust aluminum machined clip-on bars is also to mitigate these kinds of risks.
④ An axe rather than a katana (*´ω｀*)
If you treat it like a katana—”tap, tap, tap”—carefully maintaining it, then maintaining it again, doesn’t that get a bit tiring?
For example, if you sharpen it once a year, or sharpen it after 100 cuts, I think you can get along better with your gear with that kind of stance.
Rather than nervously using it and wondering “is it still okay? will it be fine?”—if you keep your mind as vast as the Pacific Ocean and go at it easy, I think you can enjoy your hobby much more.
⑤ Stainless fittings are reusable
Stainless steel fittings can be reused by just replacing the olive (gasket) inside.
Even if you change the handlebar, replace the caliper, or alter the hose layout, you can use them again.
Wouldn’t buying aluminum and then switching to stainless fittings end up costing more due to the mistakes? In a way, isn’t that more eco-friendly? I think so.
If you’re unsure, please go with stainless (*´ω｀*)
