I am starting to look for a nice steel frame to replace the nasty aluminum Klein that I currently have. Looking for a nice long distance setup, not a race frame. Nothing real fancy needed - but something worthy of Campy Record (almost 20 years old now) componants. Any ideas?

I just so happen to be building a bike for next year. I love the look of steel bikes so I ordered a gios compact pro frame. I want something fast so I am going modern on all the components to keep weight down. Geez anyone else see a trend in my buying habits? But the frame is less then a thousand and looks terrific.

Gonna use SRAM red but not sure on the wheels yet, prefer custom but may go with kysirium for reliability even though I find them ugly.

trying to keep the entire build close to 3 grand.


You can also search ebay and find some pretty terrific frames. I built a bike using a mix of C-record and Nuevo components on a steel lugged frame for less then $1000 3 years ago. All stuff I got on Ebay.

How many speeds is your current Record group? Keep in mind that your current components - if 7 speed, were meant for a frame with 126mm spacing. I guess if 8 speed, you're okay with today's 130mm frames.

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/frame-spacing.html

It's an 8 or 9 speed - I forget and my bike is a 140 miles away at the moment.
Steve

My Son is a cyclist and bike mechanic in San Luis Obispo. Contact Tyler at
mtbtec@yahoo.com
He might be able to help.
Cheers, Elliot

One word... Masi. I just sold a 1974 Masi Gran Criterium on Ebay because it was slightly too big for me (58cm, tho I normally ride a 56cm or 57cm frame). Nonetheless, I finished a double century on this bike in 1989 in 12:13 and I felt GREAT afterward -- something I couldn't say afterward on a couple of other double centuries on other framesets. In fact, I ran the Bay to Breakers the next day and sprinted the final few hundred meters despite an expected case of sleepy peepee. That frameset accompanied me on countless 100+ mile rides, and it lived many loving years first in my living room (when single) and then in my rafters after I got married -- I couldn't bear to part with it until I need cash for my teener project. Nothing like Columbus steel!!! Final word of advice -- stay Italian if you really want something that works and lasts.

CRAP - I need a 58cm frame and I'm local! One (of many things) - I hate about the frame I have is it's really to small for me. I have a very long torso and need a bigger bike - everyone says I need a 56cm but they are all cramped on the top tube. I'm doing this ride next year http://www.mrfrogswildride.org/ just after my 46 birthday and just gotta have a nicer frame. I really hope the climbs don't kill me - I have been a flatlander until now. I think that corncob 'might have to go' but then again I can always just go triple. I don't have any knees left so pride is not involved!
Steve

Which shop? I used to go to one on (crap those brain cells appear to be dead and I can't recall the streeet) Oh well it was near the center of town. I think I would remember the name if I heard it or read it. Maybe South street cycles. Been gone for to long to remember much other than the women, Spikes, and Slo Brew.
I will never forget going to Slo Brew with some of the UPS crew on cheap burger/happy hour night - about 10 of us order ALL of the pitchers they had, we each ordered 3 or 4 more Big pitchers at the end of happy hour! Most of us already had 1 or 2 in our gut. Those dudes know how to party! So many brain cells killed in that town - I would be brilliant if never lived in that town

You should be able to pick up a frame made from Reynolds 853 on the cheap on craigslist... It's by far my pick for steel and affordable. Most frame makers now overseas and scandium is cheaper, but crap IMO.

Older Lemond's, Salsa's, VooDoo's, ect would be 853, that's what I would search for in your size.

Ferg

I've been riding a mid 90s Specialized Allez since new. It has an alluminum fork, and Cromolly frame tubes. The ride is responsive, but not too twitchy. I never rode 200 miles though! Should be able to get one cheap on ebay! Otherwise, all the major european bike companies still make steel frames for under 1k if you want new. If I was you though, I would contact a frame builder and get EXACTLY what you want. That way you can mix frame tubes and get the perfect geometry for you! I had a custom back in the 80s, and loved that bike! Not sure what a custom costs these days, but the money is WELL SPENT. (just my $0.02; yours at a 100% discount!)

I've built up a couple of road bikes over the last year on Soma frames. Nice steel, nice colors, well built, inexpensive, and super comfortable. My winter trainer is an orange Soma w/105 except for the rear hub, which is a just a free-wheel flip-flop. Easier to clean in the rain.

One note: I do have carbon forks on the Soma frames. I'm a big fan of carbon forks for all occasions.

The next time I build up a bike I'm going to go to a builder and have something sized for me. Its expensive, but worth it. I guess it depends on what you're after and how much you want to spend. I'm a lousy welder, and I have great respect for these guys who engineer frames and build them. Many manufacturers will also custom-build you a frame if you get a proper fit.

First let me say that I'm no pro on cycling, I pleasure ride frequently. Did about 2500 miles last summer mostly in 25-50 mile rides with a few longer.

I went from an aluminum frame bike to a carbon fiber bike and could not believe the difference in ride quality. The difference was noticeable at the first bump and what sold me immedidately. The carbon was like having a suspension compared to the aluminum frame. So the question to you is why not a carbon frame? Is there a reason to avoid that for long distance?

Same thought. I started in steel, went to aluminum, went back to steel, and finally carbon. That's the end of the road for me. Nothing is this comfortable. I bought a Raleigh Competition frameset off of eBay for $350. Not the best top of the line frame, but I also stopped racing 15 years ago and it suits me just fine.

Last year after our first century, my riding partner was crying he hurt so bad, I felt great. He was riding aluminum....

Dion

Titanium, baby! It's like magic.

Click to view attachment

magic =$$$$

Think of a bike like a pair of shoes. First comes fit. Nothing else matters unless the bike fits correctly. Read up on how to properly fit your bike and get help with this from a pro if you need it. Hint - the teenage kid at the local bike shop probably isn't the best at fitting your bike. Usually it's an older guy who's been around bikes for a long time. 2nd is bike design. Get a bike that suits the style of riding you do. Any material can be made stiff or flexy, fast or slow. Don't worry about what the pros ride. They are paid to ride a particular bike. Dress shoes won't work very well for a 10K run - you get the idea. 3rd is material. Get what suits you but realize the material doesn't make the bike. Leather is nice for shoes but nylon and rubber can work just as well if used in the correct application. All your contact points matter as well. Shoes, seat, and handlebars all need to work for you and be set up properly. Try out seats until you find one you like. Good tires are important since they are the only 2 square inches that touch the road. Heavy duty kevlar belted tires resist flats but ride harsh. Supple casing in a slightly wider size 25mm vs 21 or 23mm, pumped to a lower pressure that's still appropriate for your weight will roll fast but have some give on rough surfaces. the new tubless tires also work very well. Lastly, make sure your wearing high quality cycling shorts and accessories. A good pair of shorts are $150+ and are worth it. don't skimp!. Good shorts and shoes will last longer so the money becomes a wash. Aways wear a helmet and make your kids wear theirs. Hope this helps. Mark

If he hasn't sold it I am going to go look at carbon frame this week. Correct size for me and I have enjoyed all 3 carbon framed bikes that I have tried out - and the price is right.

In an only slight twist from this TOT topic I wonder if anyone has a 9speed Campy Record rear deraileur from the mid 80's. I got hit by a girl backing out of her driveway without looking last year and my Bianchi Raparto Corsa with Record and Shamal wheels has had to sit idle while I try to find a replacement for the bent rear deraileur.

By the way, my other bike is a Look Titanium Team with Record. LOVE IT! But carbon fiber is great too...

Carbon is just fancy plastic. If you drop it, it breaks.


STEEL IS REAL

i really like my trex aluminum farme, near 25 years old now, still great frame. survived many accidents with it too.

fit is very important, as stated above.


i like my bike, and that rhymes, so thats it.

good luck stay safe

I went and checked out the carbon fiber frame today - a Pedal Force QS2 2008 model. Owner changed over to another Pedal Force frame for the hell of it. Frame is from the same mold as the Ibis Silk. I will be picking it up Friday.

Carbon, titanium and steel all have terrific ride characteristics.

Aluminum in comparison is pretty dam harsh. My aluminum track bike is like riding on nails.

I would get the latest super carbon bike but I absolutely love the look of steel lugged bikes. All these new carbon bikes with oversized tubes do nothing aesthetically for me.

Looks like you scored....good job.

Like I previously stated I'm only a pleasure rider but enjoy the carbon. The bike I bought was a Giant OCR C3. Found it last summer with 100 miles on it for $850. Poor guy bought it new, did a couple of rides and found he had cancer. Sold my aluminum framed Titus for $800 so it only cost $50.00 to upgrade to an almost new bike.

Perhaps not the best bike but I'm not the best rider either
Click to view attachment

Yes, I got a good CSOB score on a basically new frame - guy I got it from is a bike ho and gets a new bike every year or more. Looking forward to a non brutal frame, this one is plenty stiff but not nasty harsh like my old Klein Criterion frame.

I just realized that I am doing a 'tub swap' with my bike

Sorry for the hijack....but due to my back injury my CF LeMond is up for sale. Full Campy Chorus with 10 speed rear cassette. It's a collectible and lite weight.

you can PM me for more specifics.

i think i have an old 58cm bike in the shop...
it is a high end steel frame set, i was going to build it up as a fixxy
but there it sits, still has a campy bottom braket, and a campy headset
i think it was built with columbus slx tubing( not 100 prcnt on that)
but it is a great frame, in near mint cond
i would be more than willing to help figure comapatibility
and would just trade for old campy parts
(it is to big for me)
and while we are talking campy if anyone has old super record stuff let me know!
while i am dreaming pista stuff....gives me wood too!!

The best man in my wedding imports Soma frames and assorted parts. See www.somafab.com for details. I built up a nice responsive Soma Rush fixed gear bike a few years ago, but sold it when my hips went bad (and every swingin' dick in Davis began riding "fixies"). Soma uses Tange Prestige tubesets, which provide a great-riding bike at a great value. PM me if you're looking for a Soma frameset -- I can get you a killer deal.

If I had any money (but I don't) I would buy your bike is a heartbeat - if it was the correct size. What happened to your back. Mines not so hot but I have learned to live with it.
Steve

I thought that Soma was in San Fransisco? How do you import from the States? If I ever have some $$ I will contact you for a fixie frame as I have wanted one for a LONG (like 10 years) time. I rode a POS single (derailleur broke so I got rid of it) in college at least 5000 miles and really like the idea of 'just pedal the dang thing'.

It's a 56 and I'm asking $2200. Retail was over 5K. I blew out a couple of discs and my ACL...again when tackled reffing football.

Ouch - I have a bulging disc and 4 ACL repairs. No Running no sports, bikes are OK hiking, walking OK.
Steve

There is a beutiful Ti Lemond frame on Ebay with a very nice carbon fork that I would love to buy but I am broke and I think it will go for what it's worth ~ $2000. I landed a nice frame and a Reynolds ouzo pro all carbon fork for pennies on the dollar. Now I need to get a crankset and I am good to go.

Bike porn I like the look. The new fork WITH the brakes is lighter than my old aluminum one - and much stronger! Still waiting for my crankset, headset and bottom bracket - soon it will look like a bike.
Steve

Almost put together! Might ride it Saturday. I plan on replacing the stem and bars pretty soon with something 'blank' or at least buffing the logo off the stem and repainting it black.
Steve

I think you mean late 90's. My 8 speed stuff was new in 95'.
Steve

I don't understand how your balls stay useable on those seats.

Looks nice!! i have been lusting after a CF frame for a couple of years. I figure if I ever lose some of the weight i need to lose, I will treat my self to a nice bike. I have decent components (groupo looks a lot liek yours) but a new frame would be fantastic. Until then, as my old boss would say, it is like feeding strawbverries to a pig!

Let us knwo how you like it when you get your first 200 or so miles on it!

I got pretty lucky picking up my frame for about 1/3 of new at $250 and the fork was only $125. Deals are out there with people bailing of projects they can't afford to finish. Getting an older Campy triple crankset was a bit of work and I paid more than I wanted and it came all the way from Poland - attached to a bottom bracket shipped from Taiwan!
This thing will be a real mountain goat with bottom gear of 30/26 I may go back to old corncob cassette if it is just silly. I really want to do Ebbets pass and it is silly steep at the top - 24% grade! First time I drove over the pass I had to flip the sun visors up so I could look out the top of the windshield - it is almost unreal how steep it is.

Well I have a kid to they seem to work . Padded shorts are required and the seats flex quite a bit. I am looking for a more modern seat (designed to address the 'balls' issue) before cranking out the miles.
Back to work now.

Done - I dub thee 'stealth mountain goat' Had to buy a Phil Wood bottom bracket to get it going. Weighs in at a red C hair under 18 pounds with the heavy seat post and stem. First real ride in the morning, I rode it up and down the street to see if it worked this evening.
Steve

Looks great! Congratulations it's always rewarding to build stuff isn't it? I noticed a definite improvement in ride quality with a carbon seat post but the're so expensive for a good one.

charliew....RE the seats...I tried about 10 different seats before finding one that worked for me. The trick is to find the right shape so that your "sit bones" on your ass contact the seat properly. Get it wrong and it results in very short rides and the need for Preparation H. For me seat selection was the most difficult part of getting into cycling. A $150.00 seat can rub you worse than a $20.00 seat if it is not the right shape for you. The fit for me was this seat that was pretty cheap and has the slot\relief that is a must for comfort. It's a little softer but has a great shape.

Thanks. Now I get to do all the fine tuning and find a modern seat - I will take a good look at the one you use. This weekend it will come with me to the house in the Sierras and try it out on some real hills and see if I guessed right on the gearing.

Did my first real ride this morning - ouch. I bit off WAY more than I was ready for. Went out for a mile or so and then attacked a few hills in the foothills. I was not ready and paid with pain for going for a huge hill on my first ride in 7 years. When Ｉhit my low gear of 30-23 and pretty much stalled I knew I was fat, old and out of shape I'm really glad that I did not do my planned ride that started out with going down hill for 5 miles and then coming back up a different route - I would have died or walked barefoot back home.
Now I have to get less fat and less out of shape. I just put the 26 tooth rear cog cassette back on the bike and will hit some smaller hills in the morning.
I forgot to mention that this frame/fork combo is like riding on a cloud compared to that nasty crit frame I used to ride - really very nice and I can't wait to get back on it.
Steve