Originally Posted by
cyccommute
You've missed the point. People who own steel bikes, especially touring bicyclists who own steel bikes, say that they can get them repaired anywhere...even in Outer Mongolia. That bike was repaired...badly...very close to Outer Mongolia. My machinist friend did have access to a TIG and has highly developed welding skills and even he was surprised at how difficult it was to weld thin steel tubes.
Additionally, if the welder in China had had access to a TIG, he could also repair aluminum which makes the argument for steel and against aluminum moot.
I have never had a problem with steel cracking or breaking. Had an Aluminum frame crack and saw a Cadd 2 frame that look like torn paper on a seat stay. Maybe your right about the steel being hard to weld, but wonder how they did it in the first place when they made them? All my steel bikes are lugged making them even stronger.