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Yttriumtm
Magnesium tubes and accessories for performance frame building
Performance Yttrium1 tubes enable magnesium bike frames of unparalleled performance.

Lower Inertia, Faster Acceleration

Magnesium is the lightest structural metal.  Yttrium matches the strength of structural aluminum with 30% lower density.  The result is stronger lighter frames.  Weight savings with no performance trade-off equals faster riding, quicker climbs and quicker sprints.

Velvet ride

Magnesium is unique in its ride.  No other material used in frame building can equal its vibration dampening capability.  Less shock equals greater endurance for the rider.

Better Fit

A wide range of tube options enables unique custom frame builds with the ease of one off welds.  Nothing beats a rider specific tube set and a rider specific frame fit for supporting ride comfort and performance.  (See Effective Frame Load)

Formable

Yttrium tubes are formable and shapeable, allowing even greater flexibility in frame design.

Low Hassle Post-weld

You save time and resource with no post weld heat-treating or aging requirement.
Outstanding Finishes Yttrium magnesium alloy is an ideal surface for finishes.  All frame tubes and parts come passivated and immediately ready to paint with virtually any paint system.

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Features Yttrium

Advanced Yttrium-Magnesium Alloy

 

 

Yttrium is the new "It" alloy.  We alloy magnesium with several elements to produce its unique structural and environmental performance.  Yttrium takes its name from the rare earth element (atomic number 39) which is key in adding strength, high temperature properties, and excellent corrosion resistance.  The result is an alloy with a density of 1.8.  Compare this new milestone to other structural metals: Aluminum 2.7, Titanium 4.5, and Steel 7.8.  The result is a remarkable material ideally suited to maximal performance applications.

Strength

Yttrium shows its greatest advantage when measured in units of strength to weight.  Dividing tensile yield (MPa) by alloy density (g/ml), Yttrium measures 125, while 7005-T6 is 109, Titanium is 1072, 6061-T6 is 100, and steel measures 88.  Strength at lower density creates unique options for lightening build designs with stiffer larger diameter sections or lighter minimum wall weights.  Lighter, stiffer or higher strength results can be achieved within the same frame design requirements.  This performance is further preserved by the ability to execute full strength weld joints with accurate well designed structural transitions.

Smooth

The superlative viscoelastic properties of magnesium make it the most vibration dampening material available for bike frames, including carbon and other composite materials.  Yttrium's irregular molecular structure uniquely mitigates high frequency sympathetic vibration creating a dampening that is as much as 10 times steel and titanium.

Unfatigueable

Like steel, Yttrium alloy has a remarkable fatigue strength when designed within its rated material yield.  This produces a frame life markedly superior to Aluminum.  We can work with you to design a frame where metal fatigue is effectively eliminated.

Welding

Excellent welding properties allow frame designs to fully leverage Yttrium material advantages.  Welds do not require heat treating or aging.  With no secondary heat exposure there is no added warping or stresses to the assembled frame.  Superior welding results are achieved using TIG with reverse polarity (electrode positive) DC with a 20% to 50% helium-argon mix environment.  Other methods (including MIG) also yield acceptable results.  Any weld process should be thoroughly trained and tested to ensure weld quality and safety. We supply Yttrium specific weld rod.

Choice

With 8 main frame tube section choices and various specialty tubes, almost anything is possible (see Specifications below).  We encourage frame designers to collaborate with us in selecting a specific tube combination for each frame. Rider weight, rider power, tube lengths, fatigue life and ride characteristics all effect tube diameter and wall thickness choices.  Each tube option is designed and measured for both its yield strength and sectional stiffness.  When combined with performance matching data from ranging rider profiles, you can now not only achieve the perfect rider dimensional fit, you can also design the strength, durability and feel of the ride.  See calculation of an Effective Frame Load and corresponding recommendations for main tube selections.

Shape

Tubes can be shaped to support special down tube or seat/chain stay designs.  Cold worked bending or compression can be used within limits related to tube section and wall diameter.  Tubes should be supported through their full bend radius. We recommend making a full bend female form to support the shaping.  Any bend radius should typically exceed 30mm (for a 1.6 mm wall).  Expected additional instructions and examples to be posted.3 

Beauty in the beholder

See our gallery for finish examples.3
Tough Magnesium has better tolerance to impact.  Superior dent resistance is why it is used for cement handling equipment and lawn mower chassis.  An Yttrium tube set will make your finished frame tougher than other frames of comparable strength.
Scraps enhance soil fertility Magnesium scraps or pieces should be stored dry.  Wet scraps, especially small debris, should be gathered in an open container and kept in a well vented area to eliminate any accumulation of hydrogen gas while drying.  Shavings or small cuttings can simply be tossed outside on soil or plants as compost, where they will fully decompose and enrich the earth.  Yttrium parts come with finished surfaces, so there is never need to grind or sand our material.  The best practice is to avoid producing magnesium dust from any such activity.  If you do produce dust, never store it, carefully sweep it up and scatter it outside.
All the bits We offer all the bits needed for frame building including billet material.  See frame bit gallery3If there is something you don't see, you can ask for it, and chances are we'll add it as an option.

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SpecificationsYttrium

Tube

Outside Diameter x wall x length (mm) 

Mass (g)

Bend under load4

Tensile Yield (kg)

  2516

25.4 x 1.6 x 635

137  

1.93

893  

  3216

31.8 x 1.6 x 635

174  

1.32

1,133  

  3516

34.9 x 1.6 x 635

191  

1.14

1,249  

  3816

38.1 x 1.6 x 635

210  

1.00

1,369  

  4116

41.1 x 1.6 x 635

226  

0.90

1,478  

  4416

44.0 x 1.6 x 635

244  

0.81

1,591  

  5116

50.8 x 1.6 x 635

283  

0.67

1,846  

  6016

60.0 x 1.6 x 635

336  

0.55

2,191  

  S1

22 x 1.5 x 420

74  

2.49

765  

  H1

50 x 3 x 120

120  

--

3,306  

  BB1

44 x 5 x 68

93  

--

4,573  

  DO

Dropout set

63  

--

--  

  CS

Cable stops (2) 

--  

--

--  

  WW

Weld wire 3 x 520   

78  

--

--  


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Notes 

Yttrium

1Yttrium, Advanced Yttrium-Magnesium Alloy, the Yttrium symbol logo as used on this page, the colors and any other scaled use of the symbol or similar art work are trademarks of Nimble, LLC.  Any use of these trademarks without specific written permission is strictly prohibited under US and international law.
23-25 Ti is typically not heat treated post weld, resulting in non heat treat yield strength.
3Work in progress.
4The Nimble defection fixture measures tube bend under with a standard load applied at a standard distance from a semi-rigid 3 line mount.

 

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