Steel frame bikes

[mustang1]

Thanks everyone for your replies so far

 

[J1780]

Looking at a few websites I reckon you'd get a steel frame from genesis in the price range you mention. I'd just checked a few cycleshop sites and mark steel as a preference.
To add my own question where do you store those lovely steel frames? Hardly ok to keep them in the unheated shed out the back or is it?

 

[compo]

There is a stretch of road near me that is slightly rippled. On my alloy framed hybrid bike I have to keep my mouth shut because the vibrations will shake my false teeth out. On my steel framed road bike I am hardly aware of the ripples. I admit I am not comparing like for like but I am of the camp that maintains steel frames soak up the vibrations more.

 

[Fab Foodie]

I've recently returned to steel via a 1982 531 Holdsworth courtesy of Biggs industries. And I love it after 8 years of very good Aluminium/Carbon Forked TCR.
The frame weight is neither here nor there for me within reason, wheel weight is quite another matter.
The ride of steel is simply nice! Fillings stay intact, the tarmac becomes instantly smoother and the bike has more of an overall 'zing' that makes the TCR feel efficient but ultimately lifeless in comparison
I'm planning a new bike build for after Christmas and it WILL be steel. There is a lot of choice out there, but this will be my first test-ride. Reviews suggest it's exactly the qualities I'm looking for in a best bike.

http://cycletechreview.com/2013/reviews/ritchey-road-logic-review/

OK, I'm not doing the white saddle or bar tape etc, but the same wheels but with silver rims and my existing Ultegra triple. ....

 

[threebikesmcginty]

That looks fab @Fab Foodie!

 

[mickle]

Anyone know what the usual warranty is on high end carbon and alu frames these days? We regularly see 20 and 30 yo steel frames in our shop workshop. The last alu frame I bought had a five year warranty. How long until the resin starts to deteriorate in your fancy carbon bike?
All my bikes are steel now, I can't imagine ever buying something which is non ferrous ever again. The narrow margin of performance advantage is just not relevant to me any more - if it ever was..

 

[Dusty Bin]

Anyone know what the usual warranty is on high end carbon and alu frames these days? We regularly see 20 and 30 yo steel frames in our shop workshop. The last alu frame I bought had a five year warranty. How long until the resin starts to deteriorate in your fancy carbon bike?
All my bikes are steel now, I can't imagine ever buying something which is non ferrous ever again. The narrow margin of performance advantage is just not relevant to me any more - if it ever was..

There's no obvious reason why the resin would start to deteriorate, now or in the future. Naked CF can be sensitive to UV, but then naked steel can be sensitive to water. The answer, in both cases, is a coat of paint and a bit of looking after...

 

[mustang1]

Looking at a few websites I reckon you'd get a steel frame from genesis in the price range you mention. I'd just checked a few cycleshop sites and mark steel as a preference.
To add my own question where do you store those lovely steel frames? Hardly ok to keep them in the unheated shed out the back or is it?

With the exception of the supersix, all my bikes live outdoors regardless of weather.

 

[J1780]

With the exception of the supersix, all my bikes live outdoors regardless of weather.

mine are in an unheated garage including my cervelo and I've no problems. Its been years. I was just wondering how steel would cope

 

[Mr Haematocrit]

Anyone know what the usual warranty is on high end carbon and alu frames these days? We regularly see 20 and 30 yo steel frames in our shop workshop. The last alu frame I bought had a five year warranty. How long until the resin starts to deteriorate in your fancy carbon bike?.

Specialized offer a lifetime warranty on all carbon frames including low end

 

[Mr Haematocrit]

Respected bike builder Bob Parlee recently stated in an interview with cycling magazine "People used to say steel is real, but look at the process we go through. When I started building bikes I just had sheets of carbon fibre, and I built my own madrels to roll the carbon fibre onto so I could manipulate it. I can make it stiff, I can make it compliment, I can make it lightweight, I can make it strong, I can manipulate the tube to do anything, within reason, that I want to do. A steel builder or a titanium builder or a aluminium builder has to go and buy a tube from somebody that everybody in the industry buys tubes from. Its the same tube, so what can they do to manipulate that material for performance? The only 'real' material out there is carbon."

Thought it was a interesting perspective

 

[Paul.G.]

Steel everytime for me, it will outlast you, won't crack and need expensive repairs if it falls over in the garage. You can clean it with what the hell you like, no stressing on over tightening parts of the frame like seat posts and if its 2lb heavier than a carbon equilelent, either loose some weight or have a good s*it before your ride, that should be good for a pound or two

 

[Dusty Bin]

Steel everytime for me, it will outlast you, won't crack and need expensive repairs if it falls over in the garage. You can clean it with what the hell you like, no stressing on over tightening parts of the frame like seat posts and if its 2lb heavier than a carbon equilelent, either loose some weight or have a good s*it before your ride, that should be good for a pound or two

Steel can crack - and is just as sensitive to over-tightening as any other material. Also, I'm not sure how useful it is to have a bike that outlasts you.

 

[J1780]

Specialized offer a lifetime warranty on all carbon frames including low end

so they would replace a broken frame no matter how old as long as the owner was not negligent in their use of the frame assuming its original owner and proof of purchase would be required. Does that also mean that there is no reason a bike shop should not be receiving 20 or 30 year old carbon frame bikes for repair in the ? I'm interested because I'd love to get many more years from my bikes.
Don't trek also offer life time warranty on their frames?

 

[J1780]

Respected bike builder Bob Parlee recently stated in an interview with cycling magazine "People used to say steel is real, but look at the process we go through. When I started building bikes I just had sheets of carbon fibre, and I built my own madrels to roll the carbon fibre onto so I could manipulate it. I can make it stiff, I can make it compliment, I can make it lightweight, I can make it strong, I can manipulate the tube to do anything, within reason, that I want to do. A steel builder or a titanium builder or a aluminium builder has to go and buy a tube from somebody that everybody in the industry buys tubes from. Its the same tube, so what can they do to manipulate that material for performance? The only 'real' material out there is carbon."

Thought it was a interesting perspective

very interesting but Parlee bikes ain't cheap and for most bike manufactures a Chinese factory builds the frames for them. The same factory could and often is building bikes for several bike companies. It could be that a steel bike builder has their tubes made to their own spec and then they build the bike which is more or less the same thing.