Steel on the 41
 

Current active threads over there:

"Steel is not that heavy"

"advice on dream steel bike, please!"

"Starting the OFFICIAL Steel club"

"Lugged steel frame mostly hype...or worth the upgrade"


Might be a good time to use their classifieds also!

What's the "41?"

Road forum.

We should start twin threads here:



"Carbon is not that heavy"

"advice on dream Carbon bike, please!"

"Starting the OFFICIAL Carbon club"

"High weave carbon frame mostly hype...or worth the upgrade"

Steel does seem to be making a comeback in new production bikes. For people who are relatively new to cycling, it's a novelty. It's telling a good 30 year old frame will still make a great bike- I'm not so sure sometime in the future a 30 year old carbon frame will be desirable or even usable.

I've been looking at a couple of those new steel bikes, like the Raleigh International & Colnago Master. The look great, but I have a hard time with the $6000 prices!

Each forum has a unique numerical identifier:

www.bikeforums.net/forumdisplay.php/41-Road-Cycling

C&V is the 181. I believe the distinction was first used to differentiate between the Road Cycling forum and the Road Bike Racing subforum, the former considered by many in the latter as a hangout for 'poseurs'.

Well, they should know...

SP
Bend, OR

Maxim Magazine must've run an article on the coolness of steel bikes.
Either that or Lance was spotted on a vintage racer.

Damn, I wanted it to be our little secret.

I'm pretty sure we are getting some converts.

carbon regret syndrome?

It's possible they are dealing with some of the new steels, like Reynolds 953. For those that don't know these steels are very strong and very tough, so they can make frames as thin as beer cans, it's lighter, it's stronger and is challenging CF for weight.

You're ^ right, they are not swallowing the c&v koolaid, I thought it was interesting all those threads popped up though.
I would consider thinning my vintage herd for a modern custom steel bike - but not one that costs $$$$.

I posted a modern steel bike over there right after I finished building it (Custom Paul Taylor made of TrueTemper S3 Super Steel, Record Carbon 10spd and Tubular Ksyrium wheels) and not a single person commented on it. I think they were disgusted because it was too heavy for their liking (16 pounds) :D

-Collin-

My (limited) understanding is that those steels are about the same weight as Ti frames...unpainted...and while insanely light by our standards, aren't challenging CF any time soon.

I thought that was us.

I can't believe I haven't been there.

cads

I can't remember the last time a non BF C&V person said a word to me about whatever bike I had, other than "that's a pretty old Kestrel, isn't it?" and then "those look like my old wheels!"

They were. He traded them in to the LBS, who calls me when that happens.

Hey, I know my place.

Where was this?

My 61cm polished 953 frame weighs 1625 grams (~3.6 pounds). In contrast, an unpainted 61cm Merlin Extralight Ti frame weighs 1380 grams (3.04 pounds), so the 953 frame is about a half pound heavier.

As I understand it, they have frames from 953 that are ~1300g while the same size and geometry in CF is ~900g, that's getting awfully close, close enough that given the right choice of components you might possibly build a bike that overall is a lighter weight then the CF one. Given that these steels are as hard to work with as Ti, and priced like it too, it really doesn't matter to me. It's better for me to take 15kg off the engine, then 15g off the bike, and I don't have 5 digit bike budgets.

I don't disagree that they're insanely light...I just don't think a CF guy is going to see the numbers as similar enough to switch. To him, he's going to say it's about 30% heavier. Ti is still a touch lighter than any steel and ti isn't really selling much either. As much as we may not like it, I think CF is here and it's here to stay. I also keep hearing how it gets stronger and more durable every year.

I think the other thing to consider is just profit. I'm no expert, but I'd wager that CF bikes are a LOT more profitable than ti or a steel like 953. With CF, once you get past the initial mold investments, it's relatively cheap to produce, especially from a labor standpoint. At least that's my (limited) understanding. So long as Trek, Specialized, Giant, etc. are making more money on CF, they're going to continue to push that more heavily...they're going to continue to make sure that pro riders are on CF...and the club cats will always follow the pros. I think the CF/Aluminum dominance has as much to do with bike company profits and what they market as it does with customer preferences.

Scooper...is there a way I can tell what model of Merlin I have? I know the frame is internally butted. I know the end result is, by my standards, light as hell (maybe 18ish pounds).

You guys really seem to be suffering from an inferiority complex. Come on, the cycling world loves old steel. I get great comments all the time about my C&V bikes from cyclists riding carbon. Enjoy it. Relish in it. That is, unless your personality requires that you feel persecuted.

who cares, if they are riding bikes, and having fun and want to ask inane questions over and over, then let them. ride and let ride. Ive asked the questions, and if not for asking them, I wouldnt have the appreciation that I have for steel bikes now, nor would I be restoring them.

It's just that, that is why there may be noise about it, on the roadie forum, some of these new steels are getting pretty light. If course the big shops are only interested in CF, I can see the day when AL gets the boot and you will see almost everything with CF frames, including the wallyworld specials. Mind you, there will still be the cottage builders silver brazing lugged steel.