Steel All-road frames
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It sucks that production steel bikes are generally so overbuilt these days, makes the "steel is real...heavy" thing a self-fulfilling prophecy. @Spoonrobot, could you say more about the "high value legal proceedings"? Where there some frame failures that have the manufacturers scared?
I remember a few posts in the Framebuilders forum about how the testing puts unusual forces on forks, but I'd have to dig.
Seems like you have to go vintage or custom to get lightweight steel...
I remember a few posts in the Framebuilders forum about how the testing puts unusual forces on forks, but I'd have to dig.
Seems like you have to go vintage or custom to get lightweight steel...
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#27
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Thanks for the suggestion- ive seen it before. There is a frustratingly limited amount of worthwhile youtube content featuring Ritchey for someone who really loves the history of him/his company when put into context and comparison with the market.
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I don't think it's the frames that are the issue, it's the other items being updated and having an outsize effect. Like full-carbon forks for off-road bikes almost require an OS steerer to meet testing requires a OS headtube which requires a different TT/DT butting profile. All of which is stiffer and heavier. It's funny because the marketing for carbon road race bikes for so long was trumpeting "X% stiffer than last years model!" and now it's steel allroad bikes getting updated and the marketing is "Tapered steerer but it's just as compliant!"
I was thinking specifically of the Trek QR lawsuit, the Cannondale fork one that's currently in litigation and the nexus found to include Giant Taiwan in a domestic product liability case in the USA a few years ago. There was some wheel ejection lawsuit(s) as well but I can't remember enough pertinent info to find the ones I was thinking of. I don't have access to any closed source information just stuff that's out there in the open.
I was thinking specifically of the Trek QR lawsuit, the Cannondale fork one that's currently in litigation and the nexus found to include Giant Taiwan in a domestic product liability case in the USA a few years ago. There was some wheel ejection lawsuit(s) as well but I can't remember enough pertinent info to find the ones I was thinking of. I don't have access to any closed source information just stuff that's out there in the open.
Kinda reminds me of hardware/software in computers: they develop faster processors and better memory to cope with more complex code, code bloats because it can, requiring better hardware...
FWIW, here's the thread I was thinking of with regard to tests driving heavier frames. I'm not sure it actually says what I thought it did, but I was getting frustrated when I couldn't find it right away. Broken Downtube in ISO test
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Bros! did you all see the Rodeo Labs Flaanimal 5.0? I'm in love!
https://bikepacking.com/news/rodeo-labs-flaanimal-5/
https://bikepacking.com/news/rodeo-labs-flaanimal-5/
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https://us.ritcheylogic.com/us_en/outback-frameset
So if you are now looking at steel frames with a carbon fork that are 'roadish' geometry like your Windsor- maybe this would work for you.
It clears 40mm tires, has a lower A-C than most gravel frames so it isnt as 'perched', the geometry definitely wont be upright riding, its relatively light overall, and the front end uses a 1 1/8 steerer instead of the large tapered steerers that are common now. The smaller steerer means a stiffer front end than your Windsor, but not as stiff as the 44mm or tapered head tubes on almost all other steel gravel frames. And geometry definitely is more road oriented with 72-23degree head tube angles, about 66mm of trail, and 73-74 degree seat tube angles.
So if you are now looking at steel frames with a carbon fork that are 'roadish' geometry like your Windsor- maybe this would work for you.
It clears 40mm tires, has a lower A-C than most gravel frames so it isnt as 'perched', the geometry definitely wont be upright riding, its relatively light overall, and the front end uses a 1 1/8 steerer instead of the large tapered steerers that are common now. The smaller steerer means a stiffer front end than your Windsor, but not as stiff as the 44mm or tapered head tubes on almost all other steel gravel frames. And geometry definitely is more road oriented with 72-23degree head tube angles, about 66mm of trail, and 73-74 degree seat tube angles.
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https://us.ritcheylogic.com/us_en/outback-frameset
So if you are now looking at steel frames with a carbon fork that are 'roadish' geometry like your Windsor- maybe this would work for you.
It clears 40mm tires, has a lower A-C than most gravel frames so it isnt as 'perched', the geometry definitely wont be upright riding, its relatively light overall, and the front end uses a 1 1/8 steerer instead of the large tapered steerers that are common now. The smaller steerer means a stiffer front end than your Windsor, but not as stiff as the 44mm or tapered head tubes on almost all other steel gravel frames. And geometry definitely is more road oriented with 72-23degree head tube angles, about 66mm of trail, and 73-74 degree seat tube angles.
So if you are now looking at steel frames with a carbon fork that are 'roadish' geometry like your Windsor- maybe this would work for you.
It clears 40mm tires, has a lower A-C than most gravel frames so it isnt as 'perched', the geometry definitely wont be upright riding, its relatively light overall, and the front end uses a 1 1/8 steerer instead of the large tapered steerers that are common now. The smaller steerer means a stiffer front end than your Windsor, but not as stiff as the 44mm or tapered head tubes on almost all other steel gravel frames. And geometry definitely is more road oriented with 72-23degree head tube angles, about 66mm of trail, and 73-74 degree seat tube angles.
(oops, no canti's. Can't have everything a retro-grouch wants).
#32
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https://us.ritcheylogic.com/us_en/outback-frameset
So if you are now looking at steel frames with a carbon fork that are 'roadish' geometry like your Windsor- maybe this would work for you.
It clears 40mm tires, has a lower A-C than most gravel frames so it isnt as 'perched', the geometry definitely wont be upright riding, its relatively light overall, and the front end uses a 1 1/8 steerer instead of the large tapered steerers that are common now. The smaller steerer means a stiffer front end than your Windsor, but not as stiff as the 44mm or tapered head tubes on almost all other steel gravel frames. And geometry definitely is more road oriented with 72-23degree head tube angles, about 66mm of trail, and 73-74 degree seat tube angles.
So if you are now looking at steel frames with a carbon fork that are 'roadish' geometry like your Windsor- maybe this would work for you.
It clears 40mm tires, has a lower A-C than most gravel frames so it isnt as 'perched', the geometry definitely wont be upright riding, its relatively light overall, and the front end uses a 1 1/8 steerer instead of the large tapered steerers that are common now. The smaller steerer means a stiffer front end than your Windsor, but not as stiff as the 44mm or tapered head tubes on almost all other steel gravel frames. And geometry definitely is more road oriented with 72-23degree head tube angles, about 66mm of trail, and 73-74 degree seat tube angles.
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OP, have a look at Gunnar. If you fit on their off-the-rack geometry, the frames are fairly reasonable and are available with steel or cf forks. And they have models to fit various "all road" tire sizes, right up to the Hyper-X which will take 700x42.
However, to jump on a theme others have started, that Hyper-X is a beefy frame. Mine is a 58 (custom geo) with 44mm headtube, T/As, and disc brakes, and it's both heavier and stiffer than expected.
However, to jump on a theme others have started, that Hyper-X is a beefy frame. Mine is a 58 (custom geo) with 44mm headtube, T/As, and disc brakes, and it's both heavier and stiffer than expected.
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OP, have a look at Gunnar. If you fit on their off-the-rack geometry, the frames are fairly reasonable and are available with steel or cf forks. And they have models to fit various "all road" tire sizes, right up to the Hyper-X which will take 700x42.
However, to jump on a theme others have started, that Hyper-X is a beefy frame. Mine is a 58 (custom geo) with 44mm headtube, T/As, and disc brakes, and it's both heavier and stiffer than expected.
However, to jump on a theme others have started, that Hyper-X is a beefy frame. Mine is a 58 (custom geo) with 44mm headtube, T/As, and disc brakes, and it's both heavier and stiffer than expected.
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I've been intrigued by BikesDirect 853 Gravel frameset.
Full Reynolds 853. Disc, thru axels, says capable of 700c*40.
Edit: Fork is Carbon
Full Reynolds 853. Disc, thru axels, says capable of 700c*40.
Edit: Fork is Carbon
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Some gravel models are scarce right now. My shop told me they get at least one call per day asking if they have Rove ST's. Apparently Kona has them on backorder until April 2020.