TejanoTrackie 

It seems like steel is making a comeback in modern track frames. These new frames are definitely not your grandfather's steel frames with their oversized tubing, tapered headtubes and full carbon forks. Whether it be my Wraith or the new Vigorelli and now this new Bombtrack Needle, steel is back baby !

NEEDLE FRAMESET | BOMBTRACK BICYCLE COMPANY

https://cinelli.it/en/prodotti/vigorelli-en/

https://m.imgur.com/a/cyWA6

Jared.

Colleen Gulick just won RHC on the steel Affinity Anthem.

Carcosa

I'm not complaining. Steel is ok with me.

I want that Wraith. And I hadn't seen the Needle before, good looking track frame.

REDMASTA

I've got frames of steel

Scrodzilla

I'm happy to see steel making a comeback. My shop sells far more steel frames than aluminum these days so it definitely seems a lot of people feel the same way.

The Needle has been around for a couple of years but aside from a few mentions on random blogs, it didn't get much attention because they weren't really available in the States. Until now, anyway...

79pmooney

A little off topic, but the timing is right. I am about to go do a 70 mile fix gear ride. I've been riding my old Peter Mooney set up with a "triple chainline", (3) chainrings (46-42-38), flip-flop fix-fix hub with a 17-21 dingle one one side, 13 on the other, all 1/8" but this ride is flat. I really want 70", not 67". I can change the middle chainring but its a hassle. So I am going to ride my steel forked ti (road) fix gear.

I had forgotten just how nice a ride old steel can be, especially when the frame is a fine build. Of course, I am talking road, not racing and far, far from your existence on the track (a place I never belonged, even when I was a cut racer. No, I am just a roadie who never stopped loving riding fix gears - real road bikes with those brakie things.

I do enjoy hopping two miles down the road from my house and watching others race at Alpenrose. I rode around that track once. Not for me.

Ben

TejanoTrackie 

@79pmooney I think you'll find that most of these new steel track frames are not super tight geo and squirrely racing bikes, and in fact very suitable for non-competitive long distance road riding. Certainly, my Wraith is that type of frame with clearance for larger tires and very neutral handling. The advantage of the newer higher strength and larger diameter steel tubing is that these frames are just as light and stiff as aluminum, while retaining the nicer ride qualities of steel.

bonsai171

I love the paint job on that bike, glad to see someone sells it! The description calls it a crit bike, would that be comfortable for riding fixed/ss on the road?

Dave

79pmooney

Thanks, Tejano, but I'll pass. Two reasons to start. One, very few production bikes fit me wll enough to justify large expenditures. (Both the bikes I mentioned above are customs.) And track ends always looked to me like living life the hard way if you are a road cyclist and pull the wheel on the road more than occasionally. Especially if you like to flip the wheel to use a big cog like a 23 without messing with chain length.

Also I am a clutz. Heavy wall small diameter steel frames do very nicely for me. So do bullet proof titanium ones.

Reflection of today's ride: I cut it short for both weather and two flats (and being unsure my "fix" after teh second would work. So 50 miles. But I stepped it up comng home to stay as dry and warm as I could so it was a good one. Went over Bloomin' Fernhill Road both ways, not stopping to flip from the 16 to the 21. (Coming home, the climb is ~300 feet at over 10%,hence my spelling of Bloomin' as opposed to the signs that say "Blooming". First time I have climbed that xoming home in a flat ground gear in years. Need new toestraps!

And the observation - my ti fix gear is what roadies might have been racing in the late 1980s had freewheels and gears never been invented. It's a quick steering, quite high BB thoroughbred, quick enough that if I am not dialed in and smooth, it is a wild ride. But if I am smooth, it's heaven. The bike is several pounds lighter than my Mooney and stiffer, so unquestionably more efficient, but it is a more tiring ride. Takes more attention and lulls me into riding harder than I should, simple because it feels so right. The Mooney, especially set up fix gear, shows its English heritage, as a classic elegant ride. Going back and forth between them is fun!

I have ridden both of these bikes long distances. The Ti bike did 132 miles two summers ago. The Mooney a lot further years ago. Just 70 miles so far as a fix gear, but that will change. It really is a nicer bike to sit on all day.

Last - 3 fix gears is plenty! The Mooney will never leave (and may well stay fixed). The TiCycles is definitely a keeper. And I will always have a rain/winter/city fix gear with full time fenders, racks, lock and acres of reflecting tape. In fact, if I had to have just one bike, that would be it. So I could ride fix gear any time, any where (in almost all weather and nearly anywhere in the city with reasonable confidence I can lock it up and have it to get home).

I will make a point of checking out those new steel bikes. I always appreciate good bikes and love what can be done with steel. (By far the biggest material advance in mankind's history IMO.)

Ben

TejanoTrackie 

It's basically just a track frame with road bike geometry that has a higher bottom bracket to avoid pedal strike when taking sharp turns at race speed. This only matters when set up as a fixed gear, where you cannot coast in the turns. I imagine it would be plenty comfortable for general road riding.

sunvalleylaw

I love the feel of my steel bike, my converted '89 Fisher Paragon (to 700c), and my new Davidson Touring. Yes, Steel is real as they say.

sheepdog84

Out of everything else I've ridden in the past 7 years of parting together bicycles, Steel has definitely won me over.
Sure, ultra light bikes are for climbers- Not for folks like me, who just want a comfy bike to ride in all conditions.

I would definitely reconsider something like the bombtrack frameset (it looks fantastic), if it weren't for where I live
However, I'm definitely head over heels in love with my new-ish steel Firefly.

if you're considering any kind of new frameset - check out some modern steel. 10/10 would recommend.

Unkle Rico

I have 6 bikes and 5 of them are steal.

Probably won't go back to another material unless it is for a RodeoLab's Trail Donkey -- I would give my left kidney to have one of those bikes.

seau grateau

Carbon is fake.

Unkle Rico

Mr. Lavoisier would probably disagree with you

seau grateau

He looks like a dork.

veganbikes

This is really the only thread any bike forum needs : )

Though I will say I am excited to ride titanium! I have 4 other steel bikes and zero complaints really that are material related.

Scottybigs 

I'm glad that Columbus and Reynolds were able to stick it out this long through the alu/carbon era of race bikes, because both are manufacturing some really high quality tubing these days. I don't have a frame made from Columbus Spirit...yet...but I'd love to see how one rides.

My Reynolds 725 Wabi is perfect in its combination of flex+stiffness. I also enjoy my other Tange Champion tubed vintage roadies.

All of my steel frames will outlive me, and that makes me happy.

thehammerdog

The needle is wonderful looking but a 2200gm frame plus fork = 2600 grams double what you can buy is the benefits of steel track bike worth it?
BTW I love steel but for track bike it seems like a burden...as it will not be as snappy and it is heavy

nightfly

That new steel Vigorelli is arousing desire and making my Rush jealous...

bobwysiwyg

I'm pretty new to all this. I have one old Schwinn, steel of course, and have had two aluminum bikes, one a hybrid and my current gravel bike. For all the claims of material strength for materials other than steel, it seems to me they have to add beef to the frames, which to me is a distraction from nice style found in older steel framed bikes.

Scrodzilla

Excellent logic is excellent.

You know that steel track bikes aren't exactly a new thing, right?

thehammerdog

Really? I like how you ignore the first part and go for the cheap joke. Fact remains it is heavy and not cheap thus the comment. But some prefer a dodge charger to a smaller swifter faster better handling car....so enjoy what ever you ride.

veganbikes

You ever watch that Keirin stuff...all steel all the time and those guys could probably crush most anyone.

Wspsux

I want that bombtrack. The medium geo looks perfect for me. Never happens!