lattes

Currently riding a Surly LHT, love it for my long distance rides and is a fantastic commuter b/c I have two kids so I have it all geared up with trailer hitch, trail-a-bike hitch, front and back racks and fenders...

That said, I like to do 30-40k 'sprints' a few nights a week and 'sprinting' on 1 1/2" tires with fenders is a heck of a thing to do.

So does anyone have advice on a good steel frame road bike? I don't want to spend much over $1800-$2000 because I will probably only be riding it 3-4 days a week and being in Canada that is only about half the year.

Thanks a bunch
d

gettingold

For a while a was looking at the Jamis Quest and Jamis Eclipse. Both are nice steel bikes. The Quest is more in your price range. I ended up getting a carbon bike, but the steel's are nice.

Loose Chain

Steel Allez?

Illin

I'm in love with my NOS Waterford 2200, smooth as butter. Picked it up on CL, with hardly any miles on it, for $800. Spontaneous buy.

I would look at Gunnar, Waterford, Serrotta, Independent Fab, or an older Eddy Merckx with the SLX tubing. All these bikes cost more than my first car new, but on CL or ebay you can find a deal. Sorry, LB guys but quality bikes are expensive.

x136 

If you like the LHT, have you looked at the Pacer?

Treespeed

Another vote for the Pacer, or you could save a pound and pick up a cheap alu frame.

gus6464

I came across a thread in the framebuilders forum yesterday about this US frame maker that makes custom Ti and Steel frames. The owner used to work at the Litespeed factory. For $649 he makes custom size steel frames and for an extra charge he can paint it in pretty much every color imaginable.

https://www.pridecyclesusa.com/index.html

lattes

Thanks guys, looked at the pacer but haven't rode one, from reviews I am looking for something a little faster, it doesn't seem like the pacer would do much more for me than if I just took the fenders off my LHT and switched out tires.

peculiarplanet

Bianchi Vigorelli. Love it. $1650.

https://www.cyclelicio.us/2008/08/200...-is-realb.html

jrobe

I picked up a demo Bianchi Imola this winter (same frame as the Vigorelli) and it is a pretty nice frame - I scored one on Ebay for $620. My main bike is a Cervelo R3 that is worth many times the price of the Imola but I could easily live with the steel Bianchi as my only bike.

Triguy

Gunnar Roadie, gets great reviews, road race geometry, frame is $800, may be able to build it up for the $1800-2000 budget.

wantaframes.com is a custom builder who would probably charge a little less than the Gunnar with a lesser tubeset.

mercator

I see that GVH has the KHS flite 800 frameset on sale. New 853 frame with carbon fork.

Epicus07

I personally found the Pacer to be heavy and nothing to brag about.

All the above recommendations are great. I've heard nothing but great things about Waterford made bikes and Serotta.

You should test ride the Jamis bikes, I strongly considered them before going for my Roubaix.

I would also recommend the Salsa Pistola. Really awesome ride. I still wonder what this bike would have been like instead.
https://salsacycles.com/bikes/pistola/

good luck, tell us what you get.

gus6464

Waterford frames are very expensive. The OP's budget for the whole bike is still not enough for the frame alone.

OP have you thought about a cheap alu frame and building it up yourself? Maybe something like this Scattante frame for $199 and then getting a Rival group on ebay with some light Williams wheels. That way you can beat the frame up when your sprinting season comes and not worry about it costing too much.

https://www.performancebike.com/bikes...0_20000_400314

Erik D

A custom built Waterford R-14 frame is only $1400, and much less if purchased used. The Gunnar Roadie is like an R-14 in stock geometries and paint. I would pick them over some throw away frame.

halfspeed

https://www.merciancycles.co.uk/frame_strada_special.asp + https://www.probikekit.com/display.php?code=R0110 + https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/M...?ModelID=44288

Bianchigirll 

I agree with these two. go and test ride a Bianchi, you will love the ride.

trigger

Since you're in Canada, allow me to suggest Marinoni. Hand built in Montreal. Not sure, but I think you get a base model steel bike from them built up for something around your price range. They also pop up used very frequently on Craigslist in Canadian cities. They are excellent bikes!

rebelcontender

Salsa casseroll.


i just built one with Rival and Aksiums. nice bike

patentcad

ti

Motobetird

Bah down tube shifters! Fail...

Gunnar! ANYTHING that is True Temper Platinum OX steel. Or, on the cheaper side, Soma smoothies are very responsive and would be great for sprints (just a little heavier than the Platinum).

Motobetird

anything locally hand built sounds good. and I am a big proponent of buying off CL. Some guy masters his spin class and drops 2k on a bike that sits in his garage for a few years...then he gets into fishing or weight lifting and theres the opportunity.

elemental

In theory I should really like this frame, but the paint/graphics and the compact geometry really don't work for me. I would think that many who would seek out a higher-end steel frameset would prefer traditional geometry. I guess the fade paint jobs are custom requests, but the decals don't work for me either. If I could get a traditional geometry Roadie with simple or no decals, I would be very tempted. As it is, I am left scratching my head. So close to what I really want.

Philimon

Go Pacer. The 2010 green versions I think have a more simple font (better) for the decals vs older Pacers and other Surly bikes. Also, all the decals are over the clear coat and can come off without too much effort. (not my photo):


And if you can get your hands on an '09 frame, they look pretty slick in silver (also not my photo):


More inspiration:
https://images.search.yahoo.com/searc...0&pstart=1&b=1

redvespablur

I'm getting a Marinoni Sportivo Xpress with the carbon rear triangle. For the extra 100.00 it will be made up for me as I will not fit one of their stock frames. Was at bike shop today - they are a very well made and sexy lokking ride. I have a cross check and while I like it just fine - its just not in the same league in steel quality, construction, or in build kits. The Surly you are paying for name more than anything.

Marinoni - Its made in North America. Its a superior product. It does not cost appreciably more.

SportivoExpress..jpg