Steel frame bike in the price range - £750?

[CharlesF]

Hi
I really enjoy reading everyone's opinions about the bikes available today. At present I ride a Claud Butler Voyager which, before anyone else says it, is too heavy, too big (for me), and laden with poor quality parts. Sadly sold to me by the LBS, now closed.

After a lot of research, I have decided on a drop bar steel frame bike that can take mudguards for my commute and I have almost decided on a Cotic Roadrat.

However, does anyone have a better bike in that price range - £750?

Not sure if this is a commuting or road question.

Over to you guys!

 

[RedBike]

I really want a Cotic road rat too. You do realise they're not super light frames? Although obviously the bikes going to be pretty light being single speed.

The planet-x Pompino is worth a look. Although again it's got a heavy weight frame and fork. or the Kaffenbak which is basically the same bike but with gears.

I ended up going for the Ridgeback Solo. (A single speed, steel framed bike with mud-guards.) I would of prefered the Roadrat but the Solo was only £230 Whereas the Roadrat was £635.

 

[cheadle hulme]

Do you want gears or single speed? The Cotic is nice, especially if you want discs, however if its just steel you're after what about a Jamis?

http://www.jamisbikes.com/usa/thebikes/road/aurora/09_auroraelite.html

Buy a bike had these at £700 when I bought my Quest (Quest can't take mudguards)

 

[CharlesF]

Cheadle Hulme - the Janis looks brilliant, just had a quick look before replying and will study it further; a real contender. If I go for the Roadrat I would have a hub gear, definately not fit enough for a single speed or fixie!

 

[MacB]

Charles. worth considering the drop outs on the Cotic, they are rear facing and, if you intend to use mudguards, could make rear whell removal tricky. This was the main reason I went for a Surly Crosscheck frame instead. This is my commuter and built around a 9 speed hub gear.

 

[Tynan]

condor fratello

 

[CharlesF]

Mac, thanks for your advice, I hadn't thought of wheel removal. Who did you get your Surly from, I would need lots of advice on what parts to use.

Condor - too expensive!

 

[Gerry Attrick]

I think we should start a new forum for steel frame fans. The material has been unfairly eclipsed over the last ten years with aluminium, carbon and titanium, but a good steel frame is a wonderful beast.

I have a carbon framed road bike which I love and is a joy to ride at speed, but I also have a 631 steel framed tourer which is the mutt's nuts. I could not possibly say which one I like the most because they are both superb, but different.......if you see what I mean.

The old steel frame builders of the sixties and seventies knew thier job well. Never let anyone tell you they are inferior to carbon etc. (OK, lecture over)

 

[RedBike]

I've got track dropout and mudguards. I thought getting the rear wheel off was going to be nightmare too; but it's not too bad.

I just loosen the bolts that attach the mud-gaurd supports to the frames dropouts. I can then slide the supports over the bolts heads and off. With the mud-gaurd supports free there's just enough flex in the guard itself to allow the wheel to slide that inch or so backwards and out of the track ends.

 

[MacB]

Mac, thanks for your advice, I hadn't thought of wheel removal. Who did you get your Surly from, I would need lots of advice on what parts to use.

Condor - too expensive!

Charles, I bought from Wiggle for the frame and all over for the bits. Building up, unless you have stuff already, is not a cheap option. I went for the SRAM I-Motion 9 hub gear which isn't cheap, built into a wheel using Mavic A719 rims, and including the shifter/cables etc, came to £367. I matched rims for the front wheel and left the LBS to sort the chainset. I think that the bike has cost me about £1400 in the end. But I wanted a robust, low maintenance, commuter, first ride was on 04/05/09 and it's now done nearly 700 miles. I must say that I do enjoy the ride the steel seems to give.

One other thing re the Cotic, it won't take the Son front dynohub, I verified this with Cotic themselves. But Cotic do complete bike options and, if you already have some parts, they'll do a partial build for you.

 

[CharlesF]

Great response from everone, and stack to think about. I know have to consider Cotic or Planet X or Sury or Jamis or Ridgeback!

Plus I have charity run bike shop nearby and they only deal with old steel frames. They will build an old frame up to my specs/budget but at present don't have the frame size for me - 21"

IU will keep you updated

 

[MacB]

Great response from everone, and stack to think about. I know have to consider Cotic or Planet X or Sury or Jamis or Ridgeback!

Plus I have charity run bike shop nearby and they only deal with old steel frames. They will build an old frame up to my specs/budget but at present don't have the frame size for me - 21"

IU will keep you updated

Charles, could be a candidate for a freebie from another CC'er in return for a donation to the CC funds drive.

Come on folks, who's got an old 21" frame kicking around, you know, the one you've been going to build up for the last 20 years

 

[CharlesF]

Mac, that would be an ideal solution, come on everyone ask around!