does anyone make new lugged steel frames?
 

Aside from the custom builders, that is. I haven't seen any from the big manufacturers, nor do I expect to. But are there any smaller companies that are putting out an affordable lugged steel frameset?

I know my best option probably is to find a used frame in good shape (difficult to do in my size). Just thought I'd see if anyone here had any ideas.

Thanks!

I know you can get lugged frames from Waterford. I thought one or two of Colnago's steel frames were still lugged as well.

Pardon my ignorance, but what does "lugged" mean?

Whoops, I was going to say Pegoretti, but you said affordable. Much as I like Dario's bikes, they're pretty expensive.

The euro conversion doesn't help either...

Koffee

Rivendell does, but their prices are getting way too high. Mercian and Bob Jackson make production and custom lugged steel frames that are very affordable. If you really want cheap, St. Johns Street Cycles has some house branded 531 and Tange tubed framesets.

Ah, hah. I completely forgot about Mercian. Those are some beautiful frames. I never really looked much into Bob Jackson, but I'll give them a look.

And I guess there is the Cinelli Supercorsa which would end up being competative when I factor in exchange rates and shipping from overseas. Anyway, just thinking outloud now.

I love those Rivendells, but even the non-custom frames are way out of my range... for now.

Unless you're PHENOMENALLY short or tall, e-Bay has a plethora of used, lugged steel frames for $5 on up. Lugs are very attractive, but with chrome molly steels and MIG/TIG welding, the lug as become unnecessary.

There are different ways of joining the tubes of a frame together. You can either weld them together, or you can join them together by lugs (amoung other methods). Lugs are simply short sleeve-like metal things that you put the tubes into, and then the tubes are joined to the lug by means of brass, or some other metal with a lower metal point then steel. If you look at: http://www.waterfordbikes.com/2005/d.../ss22/over.php those silvery things at the tube intersections in the pictures are lugs.

Lugs are the original way of joining tubes; welding them used to weaken the metal too much. The issues with welding have long since been resolved. It's a matter of personal preference as to which is "better". I personally think lugged frames are gorgeous and that welded frames look like crap, but there are others who believe the opposite.

Ditto on ebay. Some nice ones I'm tracking ....

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...MEWA%3AIT&rd=1

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...MEWA%3AIT&rd=1

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...sPageName=WDVW

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...sPageName=WDVW

The last link is of a guy selling a bunch of classics. He only has the larger sizes remaining.

on sale at www.excelsports.com Gios Compact Pro -- link

I'm not a "full book" on the whole industry, but the last production bike I saw with lugs was Colnago....I think the old Master or Classic, with sexy chrome lugs

Man, thats a gorgeous frame ...

there's also the Hampsten Cycles: Giro'88

oh yeah...forgot about Gois

ok, I'll get serious:p

this is a 2004 Cinelli "old" Supercorsa
http://www.cinelli.it/eng/index.html

http://www.cinelli.it/snap/prodotti/...Corsa_04_P.jpg


more to come....:)

The De Rosa Primato, or Neo Primato

http://www.derosanews.com/derosa/mod...c-34-31945.jpg

http://www.derosanews.com/

here's the Gois Compact Pro

http://www.gios.it/2005/images/pro500.jpg

http://www.gios.it/

Viner makes new lugged frames with sweet dedacciai tubesets. They are affordable too. GVHbikes.com has some pictures.

I own one and it is sure a nice quality frame.

that is a really nice Gios. What does that frame cost?

they are nice, and not affordable, but aren't they TIG welded anyway?

Tommasini make two lugged models, the Techno and the Sintesi

http://www.tommasini.com/eng/imgtelai/big/tecno.jpg
http://www.tommasini.com/eng/telai/tecno.html


http://www.tommasini.com/eng/imgtelai/big/sintesi.jpg
http://www.tommasini.com/eng/telai/sintesi.html

Well, the Luigino is lugged steel (I believe), but the Big Leg Emma and the Marcelo are TIG welded (as well as his others, like the Duende, Palosanto, etc.)

Koffee

If you can be twisted on the lug thing, there are plenty of non-lugged steel frames on this thread

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...=100122&page=1

The Torelli Nitro Express is a lugged frame made with Columbus Foco steel ($2400)and while not steel, the Toccata is a carbon frame with internal tig welded aluminum lugs ($1400).

Bob Jackson makes very nice affordable lugged frames.

Kogswell and Heron are two others still with lugged frames

The Bob Jacksons seem to be a really good value