steel bike ideas!

matt.rochfort
matt.rochfort Posts: 147
edited December 2007 in Workshop
Question also posted in MTB forum - By mistake!

Any ideas for a steel road frame that could also be used for fast and light touring (just bar and saddlebag)? Budget for frame only - £650 ish. Bike mostly used for 20 mile per day fast commute and longer day rides at weekends. Would consider frame with eyelets for 'guards etc. Thanks!

Comments

  • JWSurrey
    JWSurrey Posts: 1,173
    Worth giving Condor a ring.
    Not sure what price the Fratello frames start at, but I find mine excellent.
    Edit: GBP500 including headset.

    Has specially curved seatstays.
    It's normally sold with a Deda Black Rain deep drop carbon fork which has metal dropouts with eyes for a mudguard, and I think a steel steerer tube.
    Hiddenset.
    Room for 25c with mudguards - poss. 28 at a squeeze - maybe not enough?

    I guess you already have some deep drop dual pivots, or are you thinking something more sturdy such as cantis? Shimano and Tektro (Quartz) do some deep drop dual pivots.

    I run mine with a light pannier load.

    Might be worth calling Pearson/GB Cycles, amongst others.
  • morrisje
    morrisje Posts: 507
    The Thorn Audax bike matches what you want:-

    http://www.roadcyclinguk.com/news/artic ... 9332727368
  • Philip Davis
    Philip Davis Posts: 965
    Its a lot cheaper than your budget, but the Planet X Kaffenback frame sounds like it would do the job you are looking for - you could spend the left over money on some pimpy wheels....
    I hate to advocate drugs, violence or insanity to anyone, but they\'ve always worked for me.\' Hunter S. Thompson
  • Mayfly
    Mayfly Posts: 3
    I hear the Salsa casserolle is great. I've got a Hewitt Audax which i love (it's fitted too)
  • edeverett
    edeverett Posts: 224
    Someone's got to say it:

    At that price, you could start looking at custom frames if you have the inclination and time.

    I've recently been looking for a do-it-all bike for fast comuting, light touring and possible racing, and reckon that there isn't much out there commercially. It seems like a bit of a gap in the market. There is of course the Kinesis Racelight T frame, but that's aluminium, and the Kaffenback.

    I ended up going over-budget and upgrading from steel to a titanium frame from Justin Burls, but for a nice steel frame you can have everything you want at a good price compared to off-the-shelf alternatives. Plus it's a lot more fun and - most importantly - you get to choose the colour.

    http://www.brianrourke.co.uk/brian-rour ... l?cPath=86

    http://www.burls.co.uk/prices.htm

    (Having said that, justifying the cost over the Planet-X Kaffenback is something I still find hard...)

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