vovinamer

Love the classic look and feel of lugged steel, and was wondering what new framesets you guys recommend.. i really like the look of affinity's 212 frameset and was wondering what your opinion was... here's a pic

frpax

What price range are you wanting to keep it in?

vovinamer

no rush to buy.. i was just doing some research for when i do buy a new road frame... price range probably under 1000 for frame and fork, and slowly build it up with choice components. i like how the 212 has internal rear brake routing, but still retains classic design cues and race geometry...

late

Oh boy,
where to begin...

I used to have a 1970 Schwinn, just your basic entry level road bike. But
that bike had the seat tube ovalised where it joined the BB tube. One lug
had silver solder to keep all the temper of the steel. There was something else
Schwinn did that was neat, I forget.

I never heard of that one you're considering, I imagine it is flawlessly welded by the same robots that
make most bikes.

But it won't be built with the level of care the best of the classics had.

So...

If you want bang for the buck, skip the lugs. If your budget is limited, look at the better steel bikes
from the 80's and 90's. Few will be lugged.

If you can jump the budget up, my bike is a Gunnar.

https://gunnarbikes.com/site/bikes/roadie/

It's made by Waterford. For a few bucks more they'd add lugs.

Unagidon

Looks very nice. Another one I like is the Soma frame. And I love my lugged Miyata, although the Ritchey (tig welded) actually rides even nicer.

VoodooChi|d

A little pricey, but a beautiful modern lugged steel bike.



https://www.bianchiusa.com/bikes/gran-fondo/dolomiti/

vovinamer

oh i thought all lugged bikes were hand built.. but i might be wrong.. and yes.. i'll def be frequenting ebay for a legit classic lugged frame.. the aesthetics are another reason why i like them... and why i probably don't care much for a carbon or aluminum bike...

vovinamer

i like it... but that fork is hideous

Sixty Fiver

Not all lugged frames are hand built... like everything else automated systems provide for an economy of scale you can't get when frames are built by hand.

Many companies offered both in that lower end models would be mass produced and higher end models were built by hand... I have a fondness for hand built Kuwahara bicycles as they are quite a step up from their mass produced siblings which are still pretty solid bikes.

Seems that whoever they trusted to hand build were very competent as the finish on their higher frames is uniformly excellent while I have found more issues with production level frames.

If you look at really old bikes and pictures from many big shops there would be rows upon rows of workers brazing up frames on a production line... all the tubes and lugs would have been pre cut and mitered and then sent down the line for assembly.

Many of the same companies also offered custom hand built models at a premium.

I think that with companies like Raleigh (and others) this is why you get such a difference in finish... they can range from butt ugly to masterful when it comes to how they were put together and who was doing the brazing.

High end Raleighs were, after 1960, built by Carlton in their facility and even here you will see some variances in the finish although whoever was building Carlton forks back in the seventies was a master at their craft.

HigherGround

Their web site refers to heat treated 4130 cromo tubing. I wonder if it is double butted, or simply straight gauge? I also didn't see any mention of the weight of the frame and fork. (Of course weight doesn't necessarily tell you how it will ride, nor is it the only consideration.) It certainly looks nice, but it would be interesting to find more feedback from people who have actually ridden the frame.

chewybrian 

Funny, I like the fork on the Bianchi, but I couldn't deal with the straight blade on the Affinity. The chrome lugs are nice, but like the Soma Stanyan, the tubing is not top shelf. The Bianchi is nice, but I'd rather get a Supercorsa for that kind of scratch (less if you built it up yourself).

Check out handmade British frames; the pound is still weak vs. the dollar. You can get a 631 frame right now from Mercian or Bob Jackson for under $1000 U.S.

RJM

I don't know of that particular model that you have posted, but I am a fan of steel framed bikes and if they are lugged its even better. I am partial to Rivendell's Roadeo and have contemplated getting one lately. My friend has the A. Homer Hilsen model and it is beautiful

Sixty Fiver

The 27.2 seat post suggests that the seat tube is butted... with prices of tubing where they are now double butted tubes are as economical as good quality 4130 tubes and sometimes even cheaper.

The only major difference between a butted frame and straight gauge frame is weight... frame materials really don't have that much impact on ride quality unless you are looking at the fork as most of this comes from tyres and your saddle.

$600.00 is damn cheap... suggests that they are either using slave labour or that these are being mass produced in Asia.

2ndGen

What's my opinion?

I need a Kleenex for my screen now.

late

Roadeo is made by Waterford.

For the money, I'd think it would have to be a lugged 14.
For a bit more you could get a 22 straight from Waterford.
Or you could get unlugged 14 for less.

Or a Gunnar Roadie for even less. If you can try the Roadie.

Loose Chain

Mo0dern steel alloys do not need lugs because they can be welded rather than brazing without any loss of strength.

Shorty Long

I would suggest checking out Waterford as well. Richard Schwinn is extremely nice. I have an ST-14 and I am eventually going to get a SR-22 from them. Highly recommended if you're considering a lugged steel.

ciocc_cat

I love good steel frames for their beauty, durability and unbeatable ride quality. Here are just a few to check out:

https://www.rivbike.com/products/list/bicycle_models (Rivendell Bicycle Works U.S.)
https://waterfordbikes.com/now/home.p...ommand=showall (Waterford Precision Cycles U.S.)
https://www.bobjacksoncycles.co.uk/default.php?cPath=28 (Bob Jackson Cycles U.K.)
https://brianbaylis.blogspot.com/ (Baylis Handmade Cycles U.S.)

bonechilling

I have no experience with it, but the Masi Speciale Premio seems like a decent lugged steel bike for the price (MSRP $600).

RJM

Or I could stick with the Roadeo, which is the bike I like.

halfspeed

At that price you're likely looking at 631. Spend a bit more and get something like 853, OX Platinum, or Spirit. Check out Torelli, Mondonico, Mercian, Bob Jackson among others.

mazdaspeed

If I were going to buy a new steel frame this would be HIGH up on my list

Inertianinja

My gf and I checked out the 212 a few months ago. It's nice, if a little heavy.

vovinamer

i see.. yea might just go with a custom built frame and fork.. just gotta wait a lil longer to come up with the funds.. but it'll be worth it for something i plan to own my entire life.. =) This looks interesting..

crhilton

There's nothing wrong with robots or mass production. If you don't need a custom fit frame (you don't) then why spend the money on one?

Custom will not give your bike soul.