freemti

and you're looking for sport touring kind of bike, for long weekend rides, centuries, after work exercise with dreams of longer stuff like Brevets, BMB, heck I'm thinking of prepping for the PBP in 2011. So distance is part of what I enjoy about cycling. Due to some financial chicanery that I'm not actually that proud of(all legal I assure you) I have a check for $3,500 in my hot sweaty mitts.

So far I've looked at, and ridden a fair number of bikes, I fell hard for an IF Ti Crown jewel, but just cannot make the numbers work ($6K after adding decent stuff to a $3.6K frame). I appreciate the ride of some of the carbon bikes I've been on, and its possible I could go that way still, but I still think that a classic steel bike like a (non Ti) Crown Jewel, Serotta CDA or Fierte, Waterford sport tourer, Gunnar Roadie, or some other boutique name, is what I'm looking for.

If you had $3.5K, 24 hours and had to buy a steel bike, what would you buy and why?

Frunkin

waterford

UT_Dude

Save most of it. Just get a solid, Ultegra built bike -- $2000 or so, even some Carbon Ultegra-built bikes in that range. If you're not racing, and it's just for riding, there's zero point in getting a $4000 bike.

nitropowered

If you plan on doing PBP, might as well drop the dough and get a nice custom frame to suit your needs for PBP. I think IF's are a little overpriced but I guess you do pay for their service in getting the right geometry for you. You could look around for local/smaller custom builders. A friend of mine does custom steel for ~$1300, Ti $2600

donhaller 

I got an '06 Giant full Carbon TCR C1 with Ultegra/DuraAce for $2000 and I have seen them advertised for as low as $1600. These bikes are a real bargain at that price. $3000, I'm not sure what you can get between 2 and 3 grand. Maybe an Ultegra fitted Pinarello

freemti

I would be going with Custom for the Serotta, IF and Waterford options on my list, unless a stock frame or dealer one just happens to fit my somewhat non standard dimensions (short legs, long arms & medium torso).

freemti

Donning flame suit....

I'm thinking Campy or Sram for the group, which is one of the reason for going with a frame build job since so few bikes out there in my price range come with Campy. Even Sram is not that prevalent when compared to the vast ocean of Shimano equipped bikes out there.

clausen

Marinoni.
https://www.bikespecialties.com/marinoni/pricechart.html

Frunkin

Dr_Robert

If I had to order it all right this second...

https://www.webcyclery.com/product.php?productid=17455
https://www.probikekit.com/display.php?code=A8058
https://www.probikekit.com/display.php?code=x0030


Salsa Primero frame & carbon fork: $1,163
Dura Ace 7800 groupset: $858
Mavic Ksyrium SSC-SL wheels: $760

That leaves around $700 for the pedals, tires, tubes, headset, stem, bars, saddle, seatpost, and the rest.

You could easily do the same thing with any other $1k frameset, if the Salsa isn't to your liking.

-DR

Dr_Robert

Hmmm... looks like you can get a Pegoretti 8:30AM with Campy Centaur from Competitive Cyclist for about $3500. It's aluminum though:

https://www.competitivecyclist.com/za...RODUCT.ID=1854

For slightly more, you can get a steel Duende with Centaur:

https://www.competitivecyclist.com/za...RODUCT.ID=1243

Ride PBP in style - on hand crafted Italian steel.

Patriot

I may not recieve it in a month.... more like a year or two.....

but I would probably put in my order online for a custom Vanilla.

https://www.vanillabicycles.com/

marqueemoon

$3500 and that kind of bike/riding? Mercian and invest the remaining $2000. The Heron frames are classy, Waterford-built, and a good value too. If you're serious about PBP or traveling with the bike, get something with couplers.

dpr

Considered some thing from the Bianchi coast to coast range? I have a Via Nirone (Alu carb fork, alu frame with carbon seat stays) which I bought for basically everything you cycle for. They have been designed to support a slightly more upright posture for comfortable long distance riding. With that kind of money, you could go for a 928 (full carbon) for ultimate ride comfort.

https://www.bianchi.it/en/products200...oRoad_C2C.aspx

Frunkin

the wait for a vanilla is 4+ years

Bob Loblaw

Well, firstly it would take a box of Ultegra + a plane ticket to Massachusetts.
THEN,
If you're interested in getting crafty, click below:
https://www.hottubes.com/ShopWebSite/...g%20Class.html

If you're not interested in that, then the latter link might work for you:
https://www.hottubes.com/ShopWebSite/...%20Frames.html

superslomo

Do you need the custom geometry? Otherwise the Fierte is a pretty nice looking frame, I've had my eye on one for a while now.

Hocam

3500 will get you a really nice custom steel bike with high end components. My two favorite shops:

https://www.spectrum-cycles.com/ - This shops probably somewhat close to you, I think their detail work is outstanding.

https://www.Bilenky.com/ - If you're ever in Philly, I love the one I'm riding.

dogpound

what frames are you looking at for Iffy?(which is what I'd go with)
the steel crown jewel starts at $1900
https://www.ifbikes.com/frames2/steelcrownjewel.shtml
or go with a club racer
https://www.ifbikes.com/frames2/steelclubracer.shtml

spokenword

Well, since you're asking, I happen to be riding my ANT Club Racer in PBP 2007


ANT, if you do not know, is the shop of Mike Flanigan, one of the co-founders of Independent Fabrication and the original designer of their Steel Independence and the Club Racer (which multi-PBP ancien Pamela Blayley recommends as the ideal brevet bike) So, basically, it's an IF Club Racer without the IF decals, and with Mike's approach to building bikes for everyday use and longterm comfort. Price was just over for $3200 for the complete bike with mixed Ultegra/Deore XT componentry. Price also includes the Schmidt generator hub, the custom rack and custom lighting mount, though I saved a bit on the wheels by building them myself.

dekindy

+1. Fierte is a great bike. Also look at Gunnar, which is a stock Waterford.

Yoshi

The roads of brevets are the graveyards of carbon fiber and low-spoke wheels.

If you plan on doing Brevets and/or PBP get something durable and overbuilt. These rides are unsupported for the most part so you want a bike that will give you as few problems as possible. You'll also want a bike that has relaxed geometry and plenty of eyelets for things like fenders, panniers and racks.

iab

God forbid you do something on a bike other than racing. I'm sorry these other activities don't warrant your "worthiness" and he doesn't meet your standards of spending his money.

FYI, randoneuring bike prices run the same range as racing rigs. They are not better or worse than a racing bike, they are only different. Believe it or not, a bike will have different requirements for riding 600K in 40 hours versus doing a few laps in 45 minutes. Exactly why is there zero point on purchasing a quality non-racing bike?

akatsuki

I would go with a Gunnar Sport at that price, or maybe a Surly LHT. If you have some stuff and don't need to fully equip out a bike, the Heron Randonneur, also made by Waterford, would be a good choice. There is the Velo-Orange semi-custom randonneur. Jitensha studios also makes some nice frames at about the $1500 mark.

If you want something a bit more durable than steel, you could go with titanium from Habanero or Everti.

Just remember that in addition to the standard build stuff to leave funds for panniers, racks, lights, dynohubs, and all that sort of thing, which makes the money go a bit less far than it would for another type of bike.

I particularly like Toei's as they are quite elegant. But I am sure it would be a pain to get a bike from Japan. Also, if you are really going to hit those distances, then I think I would almost rather not have a bike as pretty... But then again, they are meant to be used.