Road Cycling - steel bikes - eddy merckx, de rosa ot tomassini

what are your thoughts on today's steel bikes? what are the differences, if any, among the mfrg's listed? Assume the top of line for each company.

hi julio, kevin here, just wanted to let you know that i am in the same boat, my deal is that i would like to get my hands on any italian steel bike but the people on e-bay have been a bad experiance.where else can we look?my thoughts are that if you can get a colnago go for it. i saw a guy take delivery of one that weighed 16.1 lbs with pedals!! thats great for steel.this hobby is expensive,lets find and restore and ride vintage italian steel, but how and where do we find them , if anyone knows please respond to my message ....above called(italian steel) thanks

I am interested in the same thing. I am pretty much decided to look for steel, just for the comfort factor I have read about, but I have not ridden anything else. You do not mention the price range you buy your bikes in. I am hoping for a good used bike, but I have my doubts about what I have seen on e-bay. I am in the beginners price range hoping to score something better with a few years on it.

I am interested in the same thing. I am pretty much decided to look for steel, just for the comfort factor I have read about, but I have not ridden anything else. You do not mention the price range you buy your bikes in. I am hoping for a good used bike, but I have my doubts about what I have seen on e-bay. I am in the beginners price range hoping to score something better with a few years on it.There is alot of good stuff on ebay that often goes for a good price,and there are alot of ebay fools that bid too much.You just have to know what stuff is worth and be patient.With fewer choices in good producttion lugged steel, the people that want it will tend to bid up prices for the nicer stuff.Seems I head that Colnago is no longer doing steel, and when the last of the Merckx MXLs are gone, there will be no more of them.

what are your thoughts on today's steel bikes? what are the differences, if any, among the mfrg's listed? Assume the top of line for each company.With respect to todays stuff. All top notch if you are comparing similar quality and tubesets. Different geometry and construction type could be a significant factor.Poblem is there are fewer and rewer.

I have a lugged steel Ciocc frame and a lugged steel Moser...both are traditional italian steel frames with some nice chrome work on the stays. I am considering sending them to Joe Bell for custom paint...and then I will build them up with nice components and wheels. I am definitely excited about this project. I got the Ciocc from eebay about 2 years ago. It has columbus tubing while the Moser is Dedaccia Zero Uno tubes.

I am considering having the Ciocc painted as a replica of the old PDM team bikes(black and white) and have it badged as a Concorde. PDM rode Concorde bikes...such as in the '89 TourdeFrance(Kelly, Alcala, and Thuenisse). I understand that those bikes were manufactured by Ciocc...so I don't see anything wrong with rebadging it as Concorde because that is exactly what they did. I don't know what to do with the Moser as far as paint scheme.

I read some interesting "claims" about steel frames vs aluminum frames over at another website (I'll try to provide link)

Pretty much stating what I have roughly understood before. Steel fails very gradually, but aluminum fails precipitously. Anyway they had a pretty interesting discussion about how aluminum fatigues. I'll try to dig it up.

http://www.cyclingforums.com/t54788-.html (below quote taken from post #7)

"Aluminum is different from steel in that it does not have a fatigue limit. That means that any time there is any stress in the material, it gets closer to failure. Steel has a fatigure limit, where if the stress does not exceed this limit, the material will have, for all intents and purposes, an infinite lifespan."

Comments please.

Interesting, 53-11. I have a 32 year old CroMo Schwinn that is living proof to this. Some cosmetic rust, but it seems to be holding up like new.

Interesting, 53-11. I have a 32 year old CroMo Schwinn that is living proof to this. Some cosmetic rust, but it seems to be holding up like new.

The guy who said that claims to be an engineer. I'd like to hear other opinions though.

http://strongframes.com/tech_geeks_love/index.php?nav_level=2&page_ID=12&copyID=

I read some interesting "claims" about steel frames vs aluminum frames over at another website (I'll try to provide link)

Pretty much stating what I have roughly understood before. Steel fails very gradually, but aluminum fails precipitously. Anyway they had a pretty interesting discussion about how aluminum fatigues. I'll try to dig it up.

http://www.cyclingforums.com/t54788-.html (below quote taken from post #7)

"Aluminum is different from steel in that it does not have a fatigue limit. That means that any time there is any stress in the material, it gets closer to failure. Steel has a fatigure limit, where if the stress does not exceed this limit, the material will have, for all intents and purposes, an infinite lifespan."

Comments please.Basic metalurgy 101. Frame designers know all about aluminuum fatigue and design around it.Most are designed arouund several livetimes of normal use. Whatever that is. Want aluminum with better durability, everything esle being equal, avoid the super light stuff. Take a look at Cdales warranty disclaimer. Lifetime against defects in material and workmanship, not against fatigue.

The guy who said that claims to be an engineer. I'd like to hear other opinions though.

http://strongframes.com/tech_geeks_love/index.php?nav_level=2&page_ID=12&copyID=Duno what opinions have to do with it. Not like this is some kind of new lame a$$ theory open to any and all speculation.

Interesting, 53-11. I have a 32 year old CroMo Schwinn that is living proof to this. Some cosmetic rust, but it seems to be holding up like new. There are aluminum frames that old still around too.

i don't know but i LOVE the derosa corum as well as the neo primato. one of these days...

Why not Casati?

Seems I head that Colnago is no longer doing steel, and when the last of the Merckx MXLs are gone, there will be no more of them.

No steel bikes on the Merckx website. Colnago do a steel Master......with carbon stays

Look at a mondonico made out of Foco. You won't find a nicer riding frame.

I absolutely love my Tommassini Fire. It is all Ultrafoco steel with a carbon fork. The Ultra Fire has carbon stays and is very sweet but the extra $$$ was a little too much for me at the time. I could not be happier with my Fire, very solid ride. I've got lots of carbon bits, such as stem, handlebar, fork, seatpost, etc. but I'm definately sold on the steel frame. Will I one day have an all carbon bike? Probably, but I will always have my Tommassini Fire.

buying stolen bikes is not cool. think about if it was your bike being stolen and then sold off for cheap.

huh? where did stolen bikes come in?

My bike is a steel Nivachrome (EL) Tommaso from awhile back with the stock steel fork. Best ride possible I think. After this aluminum feels like some kind of jackhammer.

The Merckx catalog in Velonews a little while back showed a steel bike painted in Motorola colors. I'm pretty sure it was a 2005 catalog, as it was just in the last two months that I saw it.

Orbea builds a couple of nice steel bikes using Columbus Spirit tubing. I have one of their Ultrafoco bikes and love it. Not Italian, I'm afraid, but smooth as silk and quick.

I've read somewhere (don't recall where) that Colnago is getting
out of the steel frame business.
I understand the economics of it, but its still a shame given
the providence of Colnago steel frames.

Marty

You guys should seriously look closer to home when looking for a new bike. Ignoring my own propensity to blow my own horn for a second *laugh*, seriously, there are some amazing US builders that seriously kick the Italians arse when it comes to building top shelf steel frames.

Look at the quality of a Strong or Anvil or Steelman one of these days - they put most of the Italians to shame.

Having said that, Pegoretti and Scapin do pretty nice steel if you insist, though.

You guys should seriously look closer to home when looking for a new bike. Ignoring my own propensity to blow my own horn for a second *laugh*, seriously, there are some amazing US builders that seriously kick the Italians arse when it comes to building top shelf steel frames.

Look at the quality of a Strong or Anvil or Steelman one of these days - they put most of the Italians to shame.


I agree. The great thing about USA frame builders is that you can get custom made bikes with any geo that floats your boat and any frame material that works with your body type for about the same as an Italian import or even less.

My road bike is a custom Dean titanium. I will be getting delivery of a custom steel track bike by the end of next week by a small company out of Miami. There is a lot of talent here in the states and very affordable opportunities.

I love Italian frames, but I will only ride custom frames made here in the US.

Torelli has a fantastic line of "Italian" steel frames, including a couple of lugged models. The service is excellent, the prices are competitive, there's a nice selection of American paint choices, and no one knows Italian stuff better. You're doing yourself a dis-service if you do not check Torelli's website, or call up and ask for Bill. Good luck!

You guys should seriously look closer to home when looking for a new bike. Ignoring my own propensity to blow my own horn for a second *laugh*, seriously, there are some amazing US builders that seriously kick the Italians arse when it comes to building top shelf steel frames.

Look at the quality of a Strong or Anvil or Steelman one of these days - they put most of the Italians to shame.

Anvil no longer does frames.Steelman doesn't do lugs and and strong may not either.I have a strong TIG foco that has set in a box collecting spider eggs while I have built and ridden an additional 4 Italian lugged steel frames.Some frames just spin my beanie better than others. Probably works the same for others too. No disparagement to the good US builders,but the used market in them is pretty thin too,and that is the only way I buy.

Bob Jackson makes some nice steel lugged bikes, might be worth a look. The second link will show you what can be had and the amazing lugg work that he does.

http://www.bobjacksoncycles.co.uk/custom.php

http://www.hetchins.org/jackson1.htm

Torelli has a fantastic line of "Italian" steel frames, including a couple of lugged models. The service is excellent, the prices are competitive, there's a nice selection of American paint choices, and no one knows Italian stuff better. You're doing yourself a dis-service if you do not check Torelli's website, or call up and ask for Bill. Good luck!

This is pretty nice http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=91514&highlight=torelli

I like the Italian color scheme.

You guys should seriously look closer to home when looking for a new bike. Ignoring my own propensity to blow my own horn for a second *laugh*, seriously, there are some amazing US builders that seriously kick the Italians arse when it comes to building top shelf steel frames.

Look at the quality of a Strong or Anvil or Steelman one of these days - they put most of the Italians to shame.

Having said that, Pegoretti and Scapin do pretty nice steel if you insist, though.

I've only seen these frames on the web, and they do look quite nice. . . but one advantage that big players like Colnago and Bianchi have (had?) was that they could have Columbus custom-draw tube sets according to their designs, something I don't think the "artisan" frame builders here in the U.S. can do. I bought a 2000 Tecnos (steel fork) on eBay this winter and just finished building it up. This Tecnos Nivachrom tubeset is no joke. I can't imagine a finer riding bike. It's not just the "comfort." For me it's mostly the feedback I get from the road and also from myself. It responds instantaneously to everything I do, like a coiled spring, without being "twitchy." I have a really nice Titanium bike (TST Sports) with carbon fork that rides great and is flawless in every way, and weighs probably a good two pounds less than the Tecnos, but the joy in riding the Tecnos can't be matched, and my enthusiasm for riding is higher.

Maybe I'm biased because I've been riding a long time and came up on steel bikes, but for me there's just no substitute. No other material has that beautiful "ring" that Columbus steel tubing will give (and Reynolds, etc.). Now that the all-steel lug Colnagos are apparently a thing of the past, I advise people to get their hands on one now before it's too late, and take very good care of it.

There is alot of good stuff on ebay that often goes for a good price,and there are alot of ebay fools that bid too much.You just have to know what stuff is worth and be patient.With fewer choices in good producttion lugged steel, the people that want it will tend to bid up prices for the nicer stuff.Seems I head that Colnago is no longer doing steel, and when the last of the Merckx MXLs are gone, there will be no more of them.
About 8 months ago I got a Merckx super Corsa lugged stell frame of off ebay, it is red with white in the lug inlays, with nice chrome forks with Eddy Merckx stamped on the top. I think paid about $230 US. Which with shipping came to just about $350 Canadian. Not bad. I would rate the frames condition at an 8/10. It rides really nicely. (by comparison I also ride a really hopped up LeMond Zurich and a Pinarello Prince). I have Older Dura Ace on it from the same era, mid eighties. I am saving for a new groupset so I can use it for more competetive riding. If I didn't have the Merckx I would have looked at a Richard Sachs.

Torelli does seem to make some nice frames.

Me, I'm happy with my (new to me) Merckx MX Leader, in Molteni. Nice and stiff, yet surprisingly light for the bombproof nature (the Campy Chorus may have something to do with that...)