I've got a Zukas cross bike and all I can say is that I can ride that bike all day long! The geometry is spot on and Nate as you can tell does beautiful top class work!!!

I think the idea behind it was that it made riders more supple, i.e., you had to pedal fast on the flat, but the gearing was a bit high for tackling hills, therefore providing strength. I never subscribed to that view myself.

If you want a nice steel fixie, Dave Yates still builds exclusively in steel and there are a few others as well.

Can't lie.

Been thinking of a stainless bike for a little while now...

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Baum Ristretto, Baum Mondrian Corretto & the '89 Merckx! | "If you could eat it in one sitting, hold your line." | twitter.com/Tinea_Pedis

Love steel bikes. Thinking of starting a project by finding a complete Camy 90's record set - pre carbon era, with ergo shifters, and building them on a Colnago Master or Cinelli SuperCorsa. Bike will not be light by modern standards, but I think it would be beautiful.

I think the idea behind it was that it made riders more supple, i.e., you had to pedal fast on the flat, but the gearing was a bit high for tackling hills, therefore providing strength. I never subscribed to that view myself.

Probably simpler than that, before the rise in mass car ownership and growth of continental style mass start racing starting in the 1950's most club riders rode the same bike to work, on the track and in TTs. I once heard Hugh Porter (4 times pro-pursuit workd champion and current BBC commentator) say that one shouldn't ride fixed, but should ride a single speed freewheel unless training round Heathrow (i.e. somewhere pan flat).

I'm pretty sure the Campagnolo Pista wheelset features aluminum rims, hence the ~1900g weight.

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My drawings:
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My bike:
http://weightweenies.starbike.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=107451

Probably simpler than that, before the rise in mass car ownership and growth of continental style mass start racing starting in the 1950's most club riders rode the same bike to work, on the track and in TTs.[/quote]
I joined a club in the late 60's. So, my comments post date the 50's and I remember seeing riders up to the 80's riding fixed even though they all had geared race bikes that they put away for the winter. There was a long discourse on riding fixed on Veloriders a few years ago, so some people still argued for it!

Thank you all. It is cool to learn so much from one site and have it applicable to your everyday.

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On Plastic Existence

I love selling the bikes we make, obviously but there are so many cool options for steel right now with some young guns just killing it!
I have a semi-chubby for a bike from this dude who builds bikes in Maine under the Dornbox(http://www.dornboxbikes.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;) name
He builds good shit and sells bikes with wicked cool paint much cheaper than he should.

Give that dude a tip if you buy one of his bikes- at that pricing he's giving you a bike for free!

Also- Mike Zacanato is doing tig work now, and damn well to boot. Zank knows his shit! He likes lower, slacker and longer compared to me but a double oversized or Max-mix frame from him should be on anybodies list, especially if you want something capital-S stable. He makes some sweet lugged steel forks- I'm partial to the straight bladed stuff personally.

There are so many options for tig steel bikes here in New England these days. It's hard to build a bad one, go with your heart and buy as local as possible.

We do have 2 pretty sweet models(although I never make 2 bikes exactly the same) that are conceived to do what you want.
I try to use downtube shifter bosses on all of our bikes. Having the ability to throw a pair of cheap shifters on a bike let's you have a lot more bikes!

My personal version of a pretty lightweight but stiff and durable steel bike looks like this-


Schweet looking steel fork made with MTB blades for plenty of strength, Columbus MAX tubes mixed in with Spirit, parts from the parts bin(a nice parts bin) really strong brakes with lots of clearance(just barely wedge in some fenders or 34c cx tires) and a really fast set of durable wheels.
Last time I weighed it was floating around 18 pounds. DT shifters save SO MUCH weight.

It's a pretty strong and confidence inspiring bike...

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I'm that skinny guy who runs Spooky Bikes
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Very nice work!

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Wilier Cento Uno
Colnago Master X-light
Wilier 18carati

here's my steel bikes collection







there's a few changes on this one but i haven't shoot a single picture ;( , i'll post the update later

Woot Spooky!
That Dornbox suggestion is a really good find, his paint is HOT.

Those lo-pro bikes are soooo cool, especially the Merckx one. I am thinking of getting one myself as a second bike.

@roelez: can you use a lo-pro for group rides, or is it just suited for time trialing?

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My Renovo R1 wooden bike project

Check it out: the most amazing vintage Colnago, Merckx and Pinarello collection

Hey i know you bought my self few frames last year from you via ebay last year

well honestly i never ride my rossin since i build it with all nos component and consider for keeping it as my private collection , but i often ride my merckx with group and its feels great !

Ride report: Awesome. I've done two 35 mile rides and a 75 mile ride. The frame is smooth and stable, absorbs road noise nicely. The ENVE wheelset is amazing, spins up very fast and is very stable. The last ride had nothing but headwind and crosswind and the bike was very stable. I'm very pleased with this build.