Originally Posted by
RollCNY
How does a modern production bike such as a Soma Smoothie, with Tange Prestige tubing, compare ride wise to some of the mid-pack or better tubings of a more vintage era?
Good question.
I still ride my '74 Internat'l, a lugged frame full 531 British design for the serious club rider "back when".
It has fittings for mudguards and will carry the load for a brisk weekend tour on rough surfaces at pace as well as the club time trial with OEM tubular wheels fitted. When I re-configured it for use as a town bike I realized that I wanted another highly versatile design to fill the same role.
I selected Soma's Stanyan frameset, a lugged Prestige/Infinity design with similar geometry and "modern-ish" 130 spacing, 1 1/8" threadless steerer and a full compliment of braze-ons.
How does it ride?
Just fine thanks, lively and predictable even with a Carradice seatbag and full mudguards on a windy day.
With the winter/wet gear removed and a light set of wheels fitted much like my '77 Trek 900 fixed gear, nimble and pleasant on our rough Hill Country roads and a confident descender.
A properly designed and manufactured lugged frameset made with quality lightweight standard sized butted steel tubing from one era will be much like one from a previous era, if the geometry is similar. Modern-ish spacing for 10/11 cogs, a solid feeling 1 1/8" steerer and full braze-ons are worth having for me.
Full disclosure: If I'm going out on really challenging route or in a paceline I select my CF Merckx: Horses for courses......
-Bandera