Road Cycling - Steel......name small company that makes a great steel framed bike

Hi,
I thought this might be fun. After over 2 years of sitting on the wall, my dealer built up the frame I told him I wanted to try. Of course, it was a year and a half later, but I loved it. It was a Gunnar Sport. Want it bad. This is cheatlng a little ( I haven't riden one yet) but my dealer started carrying Burley frames this year. They look sweet; his wife got one (always a good sign) and says she loves it.

Vanilla
Kirk
Serotta
Rivendell
Strong
Steelman

to name just a few

Richard Sachs, but it seems like more of a hobby for him.

http://www.richardsachs.com/rsachs2.html

Surly

Richard Moon (why do I keep wanting to write Keith?)
Peter Wiegle
Rivendell (Curt Goodrich)
Brian Bayliss
Pegoretti

Independent Fabrication

Mondonico

http://www.torelli.com/mondonico/mndnico.html

Rich

Oh, wait, one more . . .

Fuso

Rich

S Y C I P

henryjames.com has a whole list

c y c i p

i love those sycip bikes...

guru

i'm surprised no one mentioned marinoni! and then, of cousre, there's cervelo...

Co-Motion (http://www.co-motion.com) (they make great singles!)
Landshark (http://www.landsharkbicycles.com) (I'm saving up for one... slowly)

-Kevin

Hell, you don't see many steel bikes from the big boys anymore. I was glad to see Specialized building steel Allez's with Columbus tubing.

If you think of a small company as being one that doesn't have a lot of bikes available over here, I'll throw Orbea in the mix. They're not building them out of their garage, but it's still not the most commonly sold bike in the US.

Burley is making some great bikes in Eugene, Oregon.

Hi Gonesh9,
have you tried a Burley? I was wondering who their bikes were made for.
I don't want a racer, but I don't want a heavy, plodding tourer either. "But if something in the middle is what you're looking for"

You could race the Orbea, or not. They make a frame built up with Columbus Ultrafoco tubing and carbon seatstays (still don't get it, but it rides great) as well as a full steel bike.

Not that I'm biased.

Here in the U.K. I have a highly though of Steel bike frame maker in Dave Yates, sold through their local shop M.J.Steel cycles of South Gosforth which is quite adjacent to my locality.

Naturally there are many to be seen on the roads around here and a splendid cycle they look.

heres a few more in the best place to ride:

paul taylor
chris kelly

and how can we forget tom ritchey!

For a little Southern flavor try; http://www.brewracingframes.com/

I miss Chris Chance and the gang at Fat City Cycles. A sweet late 90's Slim Chance road bike is on my "must have" list.

No personal experience with these but it seems to be right along the lines of all the other builders mentioned:
http://www.curtlo.com/

Hi Gonesh9,
have you tried a Burley? I was wondering who their bikes were made for.
I don't want a racer, but I don't want a heavy, plodding tourer either. "But if something in the middle is what you're looking for"

I haven't actually ridden any, but I've seen them and heard about them. The road bikes are the Wolf Creek and the Fox Hollow. They are made for riding, and the craftsmanship at Burley is top notch. (As seen with their trailers and rain jackets). The Wolf Creek is 17 lbs, and Fox Hollow is 18. The way I look at it is the Wolf Creek is built more like a racer, and the Fox Hollow is made for people who love to ride.

If I had the money I would get one of these...

Marinoni!!!

http://www.waterfordbikes.com

SOULCRAFT

amen to SyCip. Loving my custom 29'er.
Steelman Stage Race is in the stable as well

tommasini

www.tommasiniusa.com

got my carbo fire today :)

Debernardi. I own one and love it. No real online resources but I know wrenchscience.com sells them.

maybe we need a register of small-time framebuilders

Wow...so many great names and no one mentions Albert Eisentraut....one of the senior American frame builders if not the most senior. He used to work for Masi way back when they were one of the best bikes you could own

http://www.mikkelsenframes.com/pages/803200/index.htm

[INDENT]"Wow...so many great names and no one mentions Albert Eisentraut....one of the senior American frame builders if not the most senior. He used to work for Masi way back when they were one of the best bikes you could own"

True, I have heard great things about AE bikes, but I have never been able to ride one because I have yet to find one in a shop that is my size. I have only seen four of AE's frames and they look nice, but that's it. From what I heard his bikes ride and fit great. Paint is simple with a fish and his name on it, so don't expect to be wowed by looking at it. Don't get me wrong, I'm more old school than most and I love the classic look of a steel road bike. It's my understanding that his bikes are almost all custom order (don't even think about asking how long it will take) and don't expect to see carbon fork or seat stays...but then, I'm riding a bike with a steel fork, quill stem, downtube shifters (non indexed) and tubulars! :o

You will not find better quality and wirkmanship than a...
Serrota or FUSO

"Wow...so many great names and no one mentions Albert Eisentraut....one of the senior American frame builders if not the most senior. He used to work for Masi way back when they were one of the best bikes you could own"

Oh yes! Albert Eisentraut is right here in our backyard in the San Francisco Bay Area. Come to think of it, there are quite a few renounced frame builders in this area...

Albert Eisentraut (in Oakland): http://www.eisentraut.com/
Brent Steelman (in Redwood City): http://www.steelmancycles.com/
Bruce Gordon (in Petaluma): http://www.bgcycles.com/
and of course,
Grant Petersen/Rivendell (in Walnut Creek): http://www.rivendellbicycles.com/

SOMA Frabrications is also right here in SF: http://www.somafab.com/index.html

Don't forget to have fun when you ride, everybody!

-Kevin (San Francisco)

maybe we need a register of small-time framebuilders
It's something I'm attempting

http://www.lvrc.org/lnfr01.htm

although not just for steel. Comments & suggestions for inclusion/deletion, please.

Wow...so many great names and no one mentions Albert Eisentraut....

His email at

http://www.eisentraut.com

bounces; lets hope it's something wrong at my end

Everyone knows about seven manufacturing great titanium frames, but they also make beautiful steel frames as well.