Where else to look for Columbus SLX frames?
 

I just missed out on a frame that was overall awesome (columbus slx, internal cable routing, paint, size, price EVERYTHING)..really sucks..

Now i feel like there are none others thats i like to THAT extent. Are there any other sites i can go to? ive seen everything on ebay. help?

A wanted to buy ad in the classified thread of this here forum.

Hilary Stone's website in the UK (google Hilary Stone bicycles), the Paceline Forum, the Velocipede Salon forum, the Classic Rendezvous website and forum, and the Road Bike Review forum.

CR has been a list and site for fans of classic lightweights starting at least in the late '90s, and is full of very helpful people. I'm on that as are a number of others here. You have to use your actual name, there are rules in that forum. But you are also likely to find collectors with bikes to unload. You'd need to be a member, it is not a sales site. However, a LOT of material goes back and forth between members.

Also, keep in mind that Ebay offerings change every day.

try this site http://www.velociao.com/

and or this http://velospace.org/node

tried that, doesnt work for me. (WTB post)

thanks for the replies. Ive check all the sites, although the CR site i never understood..

Ebay has a drypool right now i guess..man how badly i wanted that frame..

Being desperate, im now looking into titanium frames as well, a local who has a Litespeed Catalyst frame with a carbon fork has caught my eyes..

However, im kind of into full- 'metal' frame. Could i possibly switch out the carbon fork to a steel perhaps? honestly, its the peace of mind. Its a 1'' threadless 210mm.

Possibility? I also do feel like im rushing things.."NOW I HAVE TO FIND/BUY A(N) (SLX) FRAME" mentality. Also, there WAS this one shop i came across, his name is Bill Ron, and an awesome mechanic. He has a nice de rosa slx in a bright turquoise, but the cable line brazes and been snapped off, and he re-did the brazes with some random black ones.. AHH I DONT KNOW WHAT TO DO!

agree.it is not a sales site. However, a LOT of material goes back and forth between members.http://www.oldjoy.info/jiechiok/images/16.gif

Several at THIS link
http://bike-vintage.com/search.php?o..._search=Search

should i drop the search down to Columbus SL's you think?

Why not broaden it? SL makes a great bike, and is not a low-end product by any means. It was state of the art, and direct competitor to Reynold 531.

so search for reynolds 531 and columbus sl's? but slx's ARE better than sl's? lighter/stiffer yes? also, whats the next step above reynolds 531 (comparable to slx?)

any thoughts on the litespeed?

also, i cant lie, it seems that most of the SLX's use internal cable routing which is another thing that won me over. any reynolds with this ?

Relax, take it easy.

Stiffer is not always better, it's just stiffer. It was Columbus' attempt to increase stiffness, but it's hard to say if it's really better. Usually cheaper tubesets have thicker walls. Thicker walls make a stiffer frame. Thinner walls are usually the newest and most expensive alloys. They don't make a stiffer frame inherently, but the strength of newer alloys is greater than older products such as 531 and the Columbus Cyclex steel (the steel that SL, SLX, SP, SPX, and early Tretubi were made of). Stronger steel allows thinner tube walls to have adequate safety margins and durability.

Check out the "Magnificent Seven" article: Magnificent 7 - Habanero Cycles

A lot of food for thought here. Also, look on Ebay for a Mondonico. One of the greatest hand-builders ever, and the bikes are very under-priced in SL or SLX. But there is nothing low-end about them.

Re: internal cables - this feature is a product of the frame builder, not of the tubing manufacturer. Plus (IMO) I think one is better off with external routing. It looks less elegant, but holes in the frame tubes can be places where rust begins. If I loved a particular frame and it had internal, I'd accept it, but I would not seek it.

I also agree with relaxing and taking it easy.

Litespeed is usually titanium, not steel. Is that what you want?

SLX is heavier than SL because of the helical reinforcements, and since the SLX reinforcements are only in the tube butts, I think the extra stiffness is mostly hype. TSX has the helical reinforcements for the whole length of the tube, and that would provide greater stiffness since the mid section of the tubes has thinner wall thickness than the butts. Even after SLX was introduced, lots of builders continued to use a mix of SL with SP down tubes on larger frames (~60cm and bigger) because SLX was too whippy.

If you're looking for a smaller/medium size frame and you're not too heavy (say, not more than 180), I'd be looking for SL.

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d7...Buttingmed.jpg

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d7...Buttingmed.jpg

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d7...Buttingmed.jpg

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d7...ps4d0d3aab.jpg

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-CONC...p2047675.l2557

This was the frame i ALMOST had.. Seriously cant stop kicking myself about this.. Hopefully, this puts a little more perspective on how i feel loll (price was a huge factor also).

Honestly, the Litespeed Titanium Catalyst only caught my eye due to the fact that its TITANIUM:notamused:
Is this not a good contender for what im looking for? Looking to go FAST. anywhere, everywhere.
I ride with my friends, never PROFESSIONALLY, but definitely riding for the workout, uphill, DOWNHILLLL!!!!!, and also good-distance riding (not more than 40-50 miles on average).

Its about the same price as the Concorde, BUT has CARBON fork which scares me. THATS COOL, CARBON FIBER IS STRONG ETC., im just more of a peace-of-mind kind of guy.

Im 5'10-5'11 150lbs (trying to hit 160lbs loll) and so i guess im consider on the 'lighter' side? Im looking into 56's. NOT ALOT OUT THERE...

So SL/SLX are pretty much the same, but the TSX are step above, thats what i got.

Is there a season where people start selling their frames? I hear that theres 'bike-season' already happening or coming soon? So does this mean, after bike season more bikes should come up in the market? Orrr does this mean just good time to start riding? loll. Thanks guys, YOU GUYS are helping me relax loll.

Patience is a virtue. Take your time, it'll happen.

I'm a 56cm size rider, and I've never had a problem finding an SLX bike, just finishing my third, and I sold an SLX 54.5 frame today.

Intriguing to me is the Excell tubing on the Giordana frames that are still available new. Framebuilders seemed to really like the tubing, and they are handsome frames, for sure.

Excell tubing is very nice, and Giordana frames are overlooked gems. Look for an Excell ECO frame/flat crown fork combo.

TSX is stiffer, but not necessarily better, especially for a 150 - 160 pound rider. SL, SP, SLX, SPX, and TSX are all the same metallurgy (Cyclex), so the quality of the alloy is the same; they're just designed for different purposes (different riding styles, different frame sizes, riders of different weights and strength, etc.).

Titanium is a great frame material and isn't density challenged like steel. It also doesn't corrode and can be left unpainted. If you want to put a steel fork on a Ti frame, there's no reason not to.

I feel you. I looked a long time before getting a Concorde Aquila frame. Had to get one without a fork to find one in my price range, but I thought they were cool. Finally started building it up, but the way it swivels around the seat post when clamped into my stand (clamp at seatpost to avoid damaging tubes) tells me I need to stop and figure out what the right sized seatpost binder bolt is because the one I have is just a touch too big. Bummed because I was so excited to finally have all the parts and the time to start building it up.

When I was looking there were tons of framesets in 56 and nothing affordable in 62 or so where I was looking. Have a little patience and something will turn up.

This Eddy Merckx looks really sweet. TSX tubing with 8-speed C-Record.

Pricey, but gorgeous.

http://i784.photobucket.com/albums/y...ps2618b66a.jpg

Pay up- http://www.bikeforums.net/payments.php

^loll got me there.

so which frameset would be best suited for road/road racing? Also, for someone being on the lighter side (165lb max?) Also, what do you guys think about a center bb to seatpost toptube (55cm), center seatpost to center headset (54cm)?

At your weight, considering only Columbus Cyclex tubesets, SL or SL with SP down tube would be my choice for a road bike. There are lots of better steel tubesets available these days, though.

Something is wrong with your description. Do you mean the seat tube length from BB center to the top of the seat tube is 55cm?

In any case, a 54cm center-to-center top tube would likely be too short for you and you'd feel cramped. In short, it's too small.

How tall are you?

Gotcha, 5'10"-5'11". I'm 5'11" and like an aggressive position, and I know a 56 is as small as I can go. I'll fudge a 55 for my ti merckx, but more because I want that bike to fit me so badly.

Scooper, Yes, 55cm from center bb to center of toptube (top to bottom length) and im assuming the 54cm is the reach? heres the frame i was looking at.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-ZEUS...item2c7028c626

Im 5'10/5'11. 32 inseam.

no? stick with 56? Is it easy to find 1'' threadless steel forks?

You are really tossing out too many variables, all over the map. We can't fit you from your measurements, or decide what frame tubing is the exact match, or what color or whether a 55cm TT is better for you than a 56cm TT. We can't decide if you should get a 1" threaded fork so you can use a quill stem or a carbon fork in 1" with a shim or 1 1/8" without.

1-Find out your size, and that includes BASIC measurements like c-BB to where your pelvic bones contact the saddle, and the reach frm the same pelvic "weld" to the hoods or drops on your particular bar. Then you find frame size(s) that can be fitted within those parameters. Rule out over-large frames with over-short stems, and possibly rule out smaller frames that would require over-long stems or a lot of seatpost, and then you have your frame "range."

2-Within that range of sizes, decided (you decide, not us) what tubing, manufacturer, and geometry you can live with.

3-Choose your budget, and start finding qualified applicants. Sort through them, and you'd be surprised how many there are.

There's been a 56cm F. Moser Leader AX here for a long time, 8-sp DA, that comes and goes from CL. As good a frame as any out there. Just an example of not getting caught up on limiting factors.

+1 So you posted a WTB in the classified section? Post a link, as I don't see it. Several on this forum probably have SLX framesets.

That Zeus is way over-priced. Very unimpressive from a workmanship standpoint. Probably mass produced by a contract builder. Low quality bb shell and lugs. Lack of name recognition ensures you'll take a big hit if you resell.

If you're going to spend $600 on a frame, stick with slx from one of the bigger Italian or Euro names. You can ride it for years and probably sell it for more than what you paid.

Edit: take a look at sold slx ebay listings: http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_sadi...&_skc=50&rt=nc

Lots of sweet deals in the $300 to $650 range

http://www.ebay.com/itm/CONCORDE-CIN...p2047675.l2557

that was the other one..

I asked about the 1'' threadless steel fork because of the litespeed (frame) i was looking at uses a carbon fork which is not my cup of tea.

I totally understand that the geometry of the frame matters more than anything, but with a price-budget, im just trying to get the best bang for my buck that suits me. Thats all.