Jynx

Hey, I am looking to buy a new frameset and am looking for some advice. My requirements are that it is either aluminum, steel, or titanium. No mixed materials and no carbon frames. I am looking for something I can put in a lot of miles on comfortably and can also race crits with. I currently have an 06 Lemond Reno. Max price is around $2000 for frame, fork, headset unless I must have it or there is something real great about it. Here is what I am looking at in no order...

1. Curtlo - Custom True Temper OX Platinum Steel
2. Gunnar - Stock Frame sizes True Temper OX Platinum Steel
3. Habanero Team Issue - Stock or custom Seamless, Brushed Aerospace Grade 3Al/2.5V Tubing
4. Salsa La Raza - Stock True Temper OX Platinum main triangle, buttedCroMoly rear triangle
5. Soma Smoothie - Stock Tange Prestige heat-treated butted CrMo steel; butted CrMo rear end
6. Serotta Coeur d' Acier - Custom Triple Butted Columbus Niobium Spirit Steel
7. IF Crown Jewel - Custom Steel. Choice of tubing.
8. Co-Motion Espresso - Custom Reynolds 853 double butted tubing
9. Co-Motion Ristretto - Stock Easton Ultralite 7005 double butted aluminum tubing
10. Cannondale CAAD 9 - Stock Aluminum
11. Seven Axiom Steel - Custom Origin™ Butted Steel
12. Seven Alaris - Custom Integrity 325™ Straight-Gauge Ti
13. Anchor RNC7 - Stock Neo-Cot Cr-Mo Professional Steel
14. Anchor RA5 - Stock Aluminum
15. Principia Revolution - Stock Aluminum
16. Principia Ellipse - Stock Aluminum
17. Principia Evolution - Stock Aluminum

Any that you would immediately knock off the list or add to it? In my head there are a couple I dont think would be good for me but I am open to discussion. Thanks

oilman_15106

Gotta disagree, start with a great frame and go from there.

clausen

I agree with the oilman. put the money in the frame everything else can be upgraded.
Colnago Master xl frame and fork you can find for $1900.

Jynx

I love all these but they seem way to hard and expensive to get into the U.S.

13. Anchor RNC7 - Stock Neo-Cot Cr-Mo Professional Steel
14. Anchor RA5 - Stock Aluminum
15. Principia Revolution - Stock Aluminum
16. Principia Ellipse - Stock Aluminum
17. Principia Evolution - Stock Aluminum

So I have eliminated some and am and down to a new list. From 17 choices down to 7.

1. Curtlo - Custom True Temper OX Platinum Steel
6. Serotta Coeur d' Acier - Custom Triple Butted Columbus Niobium Spirit Steel
7. IF Crown Jewel - Custom Steel. Choice of tubing.
8. Co-Motion Espresso - Custom Reynolds 853 double butted tubing
9. Co-Motion Ristretto - Stock Easton Ultralite 7005 double butted aluminum tubing
10. Cannondale CAAD 9 - Stock Aluminum
11. Seven Axiom Steel - Custom Origin™ Butted Steel

NealH

You could probably get a Moots for the price of some of those on your list and, well Moots sort of speaks for itself in regards to ride and construction quality. I like the Seven Axiom too. And, the Co-Motion. They are all good bikes on your list, but that Moots.......I just wouldn't pass up the opportunity to own one.

AnthonyG

To start with fit is everything so do you fit standard frames? If your not totaly happy with your fit on standard frames then custom is the way to go. If you do fit standard frames and there is no paticular custom feature that you want then saving some $$$ on a standard frame would be sensible.

Personaly I realy like my custom steel frame and its the best thing I've done for my cycling in years but then I do have unique fit requirements.

Regards, Anthony

Phantoj

Is is that hard to upgrade the frame?

merlinextraligh

I'd go with the C Dale. It's going to give you the highest stiffness to weight ratio.

That, along with the fact it's relatively cheap is the reason its a popular crit bike.

I don't think most people would consider any of the steel frames you mention as particularly well suited for criterium racing. (Doesn't mean you can't race on them quite successfully, but they aren't designed with criterium racing as a priority.)

gfrance

2nd that. Cannondale just seems to be the easiest and most efficient route.

MIN 

If you are going to race then the C-dale, but it's not the most comfortable bike in the world.

Jynx

Thanks Ill look into Moots.


I do not need custom. I ride off the shelf sizes but maybe custom would be better for me? I dont know as I have never tried one. I am 6' with a 32" cycling inseam which is a little lower then the average inseam on someone my height.

I am in the air on exactly what I should get. I will race crits as a cat5 and hopefully upgrade to a cat 4. I dont think I have the ability to get much higher then that so I am not sure how much of a purpose built race machine I would need.

If I dont see soemthing that has the same performance to price ratio as a CAAD frame I will most likely just go Cannondale. I am just looking at some other options.

Thats why I am contemplating a cannondale. My main priority is just getting out and riding as much as possible and being comfortable on the bike. It is nice to have a race machine but if I dont feel comfortable on it I am not going to ride it. Thats why I was looking at some of these steel and other aluminum frames.


Thanks for all the replies.

Coyote2

So, you're going to buy a racing bike before you've tried racing? That seems a foolish expenditure.

No matter what you're riding, you're not going to win your first few races. Why not get your feet wet, see if you like racing, and then think about a new bike?

Jynx

I agree which is why I am saying I do not need a racing bike.Yes I would like something capable but doesnt have to be the best. The bike is not whats going to get me that second to last place finish instead of last place.

Braquet

Caad 9 (or 8) - no hesitation - am lucky to own one, in raw, and it is just a perfect compromise. However I am just now salivating around a Merlin Cyrene - different price range and not on your list, but so beautiful.....

markwebb

The very best frame on your list is the IF Crown Jewel hands down no question.

Mitro

+1, these are great frames - I've only test ridden one, but if I were to get a new steel bike this would be at the top of my list.

Also, you might really want to look at Ti more. There are some excellent deals on ebay for new frames from dealers (meaning you may get the warranty), there are certainly a few merlins well within your budget (and I'm assuming in your size). For example:
https://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...X:NEWLIST#LIST

Just a thought, but why not reexpand the list.

jamiewilson3

If you are looking into titanium right now, then I think that you should consider the BD buy. Get a whole bike for under $2000, and then spend another $50 on Litespeed decals and ht badge. Bam! A $4000 bike, where you may want to upgrade a part or two -fork, brakes, whatever. If you only need the frame, then you can sell the parts for just about the price of the whole bike and have a near new frame.

AnthonyG

It would be worthwhile to pay to have a fitting done on your current bike. If you can be setup at KOPS (knee over pedal spindle) with a standard seatpost and if you can get a good reach with a normal stem then all is good but if your measurements are a little quirky then a custom frame would be worthwhile if your prepared to spend the money. If you have a profesional fitting done you want the fitter to give you figures such as saddle setback, seat tube angle, cockpit length (reach), stack height and not just a simple reccomendation that you need a size## frame. You can then use that information when frame shopping to see if there is an off the shelf frame out there that will fit. I think that fit is more important than frame material but I'm still a fan of steel as it has all round characteristics that make it ideal for bicycle frames and a slight weight penalty isn't as bad as its made out.

Regards, Anthony

14max

If you can wait/be patient I'd say go custom. I have a Curtlo on order. OX Platinum tubes and Henry James lugs/dropouts. It's in paint and should be in my hands in the next couple of weeks.

CastIron

There are SCADS of other options. Desalvo comes to mind immediately. A custom steel bike would be tops on the list for your priorities. The weight penalty is truly negligible for most applications. If you're obscenely patient, consider Richard Sachs.

BillyD

You mean this . . . . .




But we digress.

All distractions aside, from your list I would choose the Seven Axiom. No question. Fuggeddabout the rest of that list.

(P.S. IF Crown Jewel is a distant second. Distant. )

Braquet

Oh yes! Met a Cyrene in the flesh at a recent bike fair in Brussels and was so impressed. The charm of the baroque details of lugged steel bikes of yore transported to a more "exotic" material, in a discreet understated way. The engravings are just superb and the frame looks simple, timeless, classic, efficient. Never rode one of course. Price in Belgium on par with a Pinarello Prince or top range Merckx or Colnago C50, so very hard to justify in my scale of things....

So, how does it ride? (apologies to OP for the distraction)


My Caad 8 in raw finish looks like an industrialised simplified take of a similar aesthetic concept (or so I tell myself). Just wish it did not have such enormous C'dale decals - they know how to do it more discreetly (see Bad Boy) but alas not on road models.

late

Gunnar is made by Waterford. They have a few frames in their racing line to pick from. These would be custom. If you haven't tried a Gunnar or Waterford, you should. Actually, when you are spending that kind of money, I think I would want a
test ride.

Just FYI, a couple forum members have the Habanero Team Road and like it.

BillyD

Rides great, like what you'd expect from good quality Ti. The best thing about this bike for me is the uniqueness. I love it most because it's different, and that's a huge added bonus for me.

Truth be told, I picked up a pre-owned Bridgestone RB-1 this summer, a Japanese bike using Ishiwata steel*, and I like the ride of that better than my Cyrene. Smooth as silk . . . silk and butter combined.

In terms of the OP trying to choose, I'm of the opinion that high end steel rides better than Ti.



* (Doesn't hurt that this bike came out of the Grant Peterson shop at Bridgestone).

Jynx

I have been doing some shopping around and really narrowed it down.

6. Serotta Coeur d' Acier - Custom Triple Butted Columbus Niobium Spirit Steel WAY OVER my budget. They are now asking $2800+ for frame/fork.

7. IF Crown Jewel - Custom Steel. Choice of tubing. Over budget

11. Seven Axiom Steel - Custom Origin™ Butted Steel Over my budget.

So that leaves me with

1. Curtlo - Custom True Temper OX Platinum Steel $755 for frame. About $1000 for frame and fork depending on the fork. If I go this route I will get a top of the line fitting from Signature cycles (about $350) and send him out the data/measurements/specs. About $1400 for custom frame and fork. Still the cheapest option.

8. Co-Motion Espresso - Custom Reynolds 853 double butted tubing. Custom frame. Really liking this one and will probably end up with it if all goes well.

9. Co-Motion Ristretto - Stock Easton Ultralite 7005 double butted aluminum tubing. Possible but I am leaning towards steel.

10. Cannondale CAAD 9 - Stock Aluminum My backup plan.