Is pro-metal dead?

Strith

Rolf F wrote:

Strith wrote:

Simon Masterson wrote:

Strith wrote:

Steel bike are nice for pottering around town or as winter trainers, but thats about it IMHO.

You haven't much experience with them, have you?

Quite the contrary, I have ridden plenty of various kinds, and I still own one. What's your point?

I think he was assuming that you have good judgement!

Seriously, you've ridden plenty of steel bikes (presumably including good quality ones) and you genuinely don't think they are good for anything but pottering or winter training on? :shock:

Granted I've not ridden a 953 bike so I can't really say if it's as good as people claim. But I've ridden most reynolds stuff, some columbus and Japanese ex track bikes. I'll concede that steel is fine for more than just pottering around, it was an off the cuff remark, but I'd still rather race on a modern alu or carbon frame.

But that's all a bit off topic I guess as I still struggle to see a reason why a pro peleton racer would choose a steel framed bike of any kind. What possible advantage could there be?

mikepeters

stickman wrote:

Are there any non-carbon bikes in the peloton or on the track?



(Maybe we should say 'c*rb*n')

Some Vaconsoleil riders rode alu Bianchi Impulso's at this year's Tour of Flanders according to this - http://www.epic-cycles.co.uk/bianchi_impulso.html

lotus49

greasedscotsman wrote:

lotus49 wrote:

Added to which is the fact that steel bikes can be repaired, which will also extend their life.

That's not really going to matter to a pro team.

Indeed it wouldn't and I'm not defending steel compared to carbon for pros. There was a comment earlier in the thread that steel was only OK "for pottering about town" and it was that slander that I was defending steel against.

Small as the advantages that carbon give are, I recognise that that 0.1s may actually make a difference to pros. However, this doesn't mean that the rest of us should turn our backs on steel just because of that.

I don't know if you read this viewtopic.php?f=40013&t=12893343 thread about old steel bikes, but there are some beauties there. It would be a shame if bikes like that disappear for good just because Wiggo has a carbon bike.

greasedscotsman

lotus49 wrote:

I don't know if you read this viewtopic.php?f=40013&t=12893343 thread about old steel bikes, but there are some beauties there. It would be a shame if bikes like that disappear for good just because Wiggo has a carbon bike.

Agree! More located here, including a couple of mine.

viewtopic.php?f=40044&t=12824306

giropaul

stickman wrote:

greasedscotsman wrote:

stickman wrote:

greasedscotsman wrote:

Rolf F wrote:

To be fair, the fact that someone doesn't own a 953 frame doesn't give any indication of how much experience they already have of riding 953 frame bikes.

That's fair enough. OK, Stickman, what do you think 953 is the ultimate material to build a pro's bike from?

I did say "to me", not that every person should also think it.
I own four steel bikes so I know I prefer steel. I know about Reynolds, I know about 953, so that's what i'd want.

But I thought we are talking about Pro bikes, aren't we?

Yes, if I was a pro rider i'd abslolutely want 953.

IF you were a pro you might want 953, but you'd ride whatever the team told you to damn well ride.

stickman

Not on the Madison Genesis team! ......but obviously I realise that any in other team a rider would have to ride what they are told to ride.

Ber Nard

stickman wrote:

Not on the Madison Genesis team! ......but obviously I realise that any in other team a rider would have to ride what they are told to ride.

Aren't the riders on the Madison Genesis team being told they have to ride 953?

giropaul wrote:

Teams are supplied by bike brands who do this to promote bulk sales, of high end market bikes

Therefore they supply what they want to sell, and can make in big quantities. They even make their team issue frames look like the mass market ones. For example, Pinarello will sell a lot of Dogmas, but even more looky likey FPs and the like.

All this means carbon. There's profit in carbon, and it's easy to produce in bulk once the sunk costs are committed. The fact that it's also possibly the most suitable material for high end competition is probably secondary.

This is bang on the money, in my opinion.

Rob

stickman

Yes, but that's what i'd want.