Originally Posted by Tightwad
Boy, do I agree with this post!! Look at that sweet lugged
steel frame along with all the other "old school" stuff.
To many people now go out and buy an aluminum frame wonder
bike then can't figure out why it rides like a rock. Well,
that's ok with me because until folks'figure out that these
older lugged steel framed bikes are the real deal I can
pick and choose what I want for NO real money at all!!!!
Pardon me while I wipe the drool from my chin........sweet
bike, mate.
Indeed, and what's more, once you remove all the other parts, the difference in weight between a steel frame and an aluminum frame isn't worth thinking about. Oh yeah sure, if you are a real weight weenie where every gram is a big deal, then the difference might matter.
However, for most of us, the gain in ride smoothness of a steel bike far outweighs the minimal weight advantage of an aluminum frame.
Bottom line is that it would be enormously expensive to replicate lugged frames with high tensile steel butted end tubes today. I am sure that welded aluminum is cheaper to produce than a really good lightweight steel frame.
It is a shame how many of these beautiful machines are going into the landfill and being replaced by bikes of often inferior quality.