Old 01-29-07, 10:12 AM
  #57  
USAZorro
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Originally Posted by mattface
Kogswell was having them made in Taiwan. The factory that did em still does lugs and from what I hear they do a very nice job. Bob Jackson, and Mercian both in the UK both make off the rack frames. I'm not sure where Rivendell's mass produced frames are made, but I'm pretty sure it's not India. Taiwan and Japan I would guess. Oh speaking of Japan, Lets not forget Bridgestone, Panasonic, and any number of other brands that make stock frames for Keirin racing.

That's just what I happen to know of off the top of my head. You might want to spend 30 seconds worth of investigation on Google, or just wait 10 minutes to see if someone knows something you don't know before you close the case.


edit: Oh wait I fail on reading comprehension. I thought you were asking about LUGGED steel frames. Pracitaclly every major bicycle manufacturer offers a steel frame somewhere in their line. Let's pick Trek, Bianchi, Giant, Fuji, and Lemond off the top of my head. And while Old tubesets like Reynolds 531 aren't readily available, there are wonderful modern chromoly tubesets from Reynolds, Columbus, and Dedacciai to name a few. If you can't find new steel frames you're not looking very hard.
Try walking into your LBS and asking what they have in steel road bikes in stock. I'm not talking about hybrids, or cross bikes or track bikes. Fuji makes 1 model of touring bike, I didn't see anything at Giant's web site, Bianchi makes six models, but they all come with CF forks, LeMond makes one model, it too with a carbon fork, Trek makes one model, and by the way, you can get it in any color you want, as long as it's black.

You are right about Mercian, Bob Jackson and Rivendell (and I think you forgot Serotta), but you have to go to the builder for them (and in the case of Rivendell, you might as well go straight to your favorite custom builder for what you'll have to pay).

Contrast this to the late 70's when you could walk into my uncle's shop and pull a beautiful Raleigh, Peugeot, Motobecane, Frejus or Gitane straight off the floor. If you want one of todays' offerings, unless you have a friend who has one, you're placing a special order for a bicycle, sight unseen. Not that they aren't well made bicycles, but they are very scarce, and the experience just isn't the same.
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