Originally Posted by
Bearonabike
This is a post I placed on the Road forum and I got a set of responses that were "curious" to me. I am posting here to see how C&V (the other area I read/post) fans feel on the subject.
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Below is a quote from Richard Schwinn, owner of Waterford Precision Bicycles and grandson of THAT Schwinn. When I heard this at:
http://www.terrybicycles.com/media/podcasts/Schwinn.mp3 (a bit past half way through), it hit me that this sums up one reason why I stepped off my aluminum road bikes and went back to steel. I truly like the feel of the steel bike under me. The light bikes make me feel like my ride is about to come apart under my saddle.
Do C&V riders agree or disagree?
"What less sophisticated riders are more concerned about is weight, and the first thing that they will do is figure out how much this thing weighs, and that is going to become a surrogate for all the other properties, all the other indicators of quality...what real professionals really want is something that is going to hold up, something that they can ride with confidence..."
The real and simple truth is that it is very cheap to manufacture steel frames.
The skill level required is very low. Brazing lugged steel frames can be done by anyone who cares to learn how. The learning curve is incredibly short. Steel is forgiving, one of its most redeeming characteristics is that it masks flaws in construction and materials.
You can't compare the precision required to mock up and braze steel tubing versus aluminum tubing. Steel frames need to be close. Aluminum frames need to be perfect. Companies like Cannondale that made high end aluminum frames had some of the best welders in the country. With experience measured in decades.
I think Rivendell and Waterford make incredibly beautiful bikes. However, there is reason that small shops always work with steel. They simply can not afford to produce with anything else. Its very cheap to make steel bikes, even high end steel bikes. You just can't run a small shop making aluminum bikes. You just flat out couldn't afford afford to keep a skilled TIG welder.