Suggestions of light steel frames!

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shimmeD
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by shimmeD

Another plug for English, as Rob's building mine! 'Custom' brought me to Rob but I'll let you know what weight it comes in at.
Less is more.

by Weenie


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genesis692
Posts: 60
Joined: Sat Dec 18, 2010 11:54 am
Location: Brisbane, AU

by genesis692

I've got a 58cm Stoemper built with True Temper S3 and it weighs about 1700g. Like others have said it's hard to build a truly light steel frame.

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kbbpll
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Joined: Wed Oct 20, 2010 5:56 am

by kbbpll

Slagter wrote:...Colnago Master X Light. But it´s old and therefore quite expensive. ...

Not sure what you meant by "old" since Colnago still makes them. Expensive is relative but yes they are not cheap.

Wingnut
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Joined: Sat Jun 23, 2007 12:41 am

by Wingnut

I think he may have meant "old" in way of construction...lugs, heavier tubing etc when compared to more modern Tig welding and tubing such as Spirit which results in a lighter frame...

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prendrefeu
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by prendrefeu

This thread is relatively relevant to my interests as I've been searching for a good steel frame to start with on a special build, however not custom.

Has there been any consideration of Enigma's Extensor (Columbius XCR): http://www.enigmabikes.com/bike/bike-en ... ensor.html
and their Elite (Columbus Spirit): http://www.enigmabikes.com/bike/bike-enigma-elite.html (I actually prefer this one. Can't explain why, really, but I loved how my last steel frame rode, and it was built with Spirit tubing) (utter pains of its theft now creeping in again as I write this)
Exp001 || Other projects in the works.

Wingnut
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by Wingnut

That sky blue Enigma is really nice Prend!

I think I weighed my Tig 853 that I'm still slowly hand painting and it came to approx 1600 gms...?

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prendrefeu
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by prendrefeu

That's a really nice weight Wingnut! What size is it?
It's a slow project, but I look forward to seeing how that frame turns out when it's covered with your hand's work and built up. And ridden!
Exp001 || Other projects in the works.

Wingnut
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Joined: Sat Jun 23, 2007 12:41 am

by Wingnut

I'm lazy...I need to pull my finger out and finish it! I would love to build it up really light but I don't have any cash atm so it'll be old 10 speed Chorus with square taper cranks etc...

It's 49ctc on the S/T & 56ctc on the T/T with a 73.5 degree H/A & 73 seat angle...

Image

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kbbpll
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Joined: Wed Oct 20, 2010 5:56 am

by kbbpll

My search 4-5 years ago was for "big steel" not light steel. I was looking for 65cm. If it helps:
Colnago (Master X-Light)
DeRosa (Neo Primato, Nuovo Classico)
Bianchi
Torelli / Mondonico
Guerciotti
Tommasini

A number of these have Columbus Spirit tig (mentioned above as being a lighter choice). My preference at the time was lugged. My eye today is drawn to Torelli and Tommasini (but still not my size). Claimed weights are on some of the specs. prendrefeu says "not custom", and I'm not sure what OP is looking for. I won't bore you with details of my own search for 65cm and steel, but I did try a few custom builders including a visit with Zinn in Boulder, but their geometry etc ideas seemed wacky to me so I settled on a stock Master. Costs at the time were not that far apart.

KB
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Location: HULL UK

by KB

KB wrote:About the lightest at the moment is Columbus Spirit; lighter than XCR and 953.

I have two custom frames in this that are size 58 ST, 57 TT. One came out at 1,700g that was tig welded, the other was fillet brazed at 1,800g. I doubt you would get much lighter than this. ...

I've got a TI Omega which was the forerunner to Enigma and rides very nicely (it can be seen in the TI thread, which I've just had resprayed). The one underlined above is an Enigma in Columbus Spirit. I haven't ridden it yet as it's not built up. Will post some pics when I'm back in the UK in early September.

Spirit rides very nicely in my opinion. I've had them in 531 up to 853, plus Ultra Foco, but the Spirit is my favourite.

mattydubs
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by mattydubs

Fah, I failed at WW-ing when I got my Spirit tubed Avery County, but I can say that its 17.25 pounds in training mode and 16.3 with race wheels. I could get it a wee bit lighter with a different saddle/seatpost and lighter pedals (keo max 2). But it works well. I've had some good finishes on it this season.

The reality is that it will never beat some of my friends bikes, weight wise, but I'm also short and it's more like a 52/53. A bigger frame would certainly weigh more.

Josh, the man behind http://averycountycycles.com (who was NAHBS rookie of the year) thinks he could get it down to the UCI limit with S3. That seems like a great deal, but I'm also using the heavier ENVE fork and a conventional Chris King. I'm happy with it though. I accept that its a little heavy and worry more about parts selection and my own weight.

As for stock frames: what's the Ritchey Road Logic weigh? 1700 or so in a 55? Guess that's kind of heavy. Hard to beat a custom, fitted to you frame.

maxxevv
Posts: 2012
Joined: Wed Feb 09, 2005 4:51 am

by maxxevv

Had a size 53 equivalent compact frameset in Reynolds 953. It came in at 1350g.

It rode pretty nice, only reason I sold it off was that it came in a little too small (bought it at a trade show when 953 first came on the scene years ago).

I believe you can get a new Reynolds 931 in TIG construction in size 56 (compact) in the ~1500g range and still build a frame that's plenty stiff.

pocketbeagle
Posts: 73
Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2009 2:05 pm

by pocketbeagle

+1 on Rob English being able to build a light steel bike... this is one he built for me!!

http://flic.kr/p/9pYSMz

dvincere
Posts: 198
Joined: Fri Jun 01, 2012 6:40 pm

by dvincere

Do all lighter steel frames have thicker tubing? I'm very interested in a classic looking frame (thinner tubes, horizontal top tube, etc) and getting it as light as possible. What should I be looking at with those goals in mind?

pdmtong
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Joined: Tue Mar 02, 2010 10:31 am

by pdmtong

I had an Independent Fabrication SSR SEC 953 that was 1540g painted. The carbon rear stay undoubtedly helped, but with ouzo pro and modest components (force)/wheels (kysrium) it was 17.2 with cages and pedals.

Other steel frames I have/had are more in the 18.4-6 range pedals and cages

I have a responsorium in XcR - it rides much differently than the SSR.
SSR noticeably stiffer, respo stiff enough but much smoother (1.2# weight penalty versus SSR though)

by Weenie


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