I'm talking about all the Mondias,Alan,DeRosa, Pinarello,Guerciotti,Olmo,Colnago,Benotto style bikes. I see maybe 1 every 6-9 months.
Where did all the classic bikes go to?
- Thread starter daves66nova
- Start date
- Status
I am doing good just to pronounce those names out-loud. I will have to look up those classics.
I think they're around, they're just hanging on people's walls as art. It's a carbon fiber world. A lugged steel frame and fork weighs about 8 lbs, a carbon F&F will be less than half of that weight. The other issue is downtube shifter vs. STI. Those old steel frame were 122 and 126 spacing for the back wheel, so modern shifters don't work without some frame bending.
I meant to post this in the "carbon bike" thread, but about 3 weeks ago I grabbed my rain bike since I had a flat on my race bike and was too lazy to even move a wheel over. Standing up in a 30 second hill sprint on a training ride, my lugged steel frame broke clean through at the downtube. This bike had maybe 12K miles on it, no crashes. I like modern tig welded steel bikes with slightly bigger tubes, but you can have those old lugged steel behemoths. My carbon race bike is lighter, stiffer and rides better. What's not to like?
Interesting that of the names you mentioned, only Pinarello and Colnago really embraced carbon, and they're the only one really selling bikes in quantity these days.
I meant to post this in the "carbon bike" thread, but about 3 weeks ago I grabbed my rain bike since I had a flat on my race bike and was too lazy to even move a wheel over. Standing up in a 30 second hill sprint on a training ride, my lugged steel frame broke clean through at the downtube. This bike had maybe 12K miles on it, no crashes. I like modern tig welded steel bikes with slightly bigger tubes, but you can have those old lugged steel behemoths. My carbon race bike is lighter, stiffer and rides better. What's not to like?
Interesting that of the names you mentioned, only Pinarello and Colnago really embraced carbon, and they're the only one really selling bikes in quantity these days.
Originally Posted By: JOD
I think they're around, they're just hanging on people's walls as art. It's a carbon fiber world. A lugged steel frame and fork weighs about 8 lbs, a carbon F&F will be less than half of that weight. The other issue is downtube shifter vs. STI. Those old steel frame were 122 and 126 spacing for the back wheel, so modern shifters don't work without some frame bending.
I meant to post this in the "carbon bike" thread, but about 3 weeks ago I grabbed my rain bike since I had a flat on my race bike and was too lazy to even move a wheel over. Standing up in a 30 second hill sprint on a training ride, my lugged steel frame broke clean through at the downtube. This bike had maybe 12K miles on it, no crashes. I like modern tig welded steel bikes with slightly bigger tubes, but you can have those old lugged steel behemoths. My carbon race bike is lighter, stiffer and rides better. What's not to like?
Interesting that of the names you mentioned, only Pinarello and Colnago really embraced carbon, and they're the only one really selling bikes in quantity these days.
Doesn't DeRosa still do carbon frames (although I have not seen one recently)??
Casati actually does their carbon lay-ups in ITALY (NOT mainland China, or Taiwan), unlike most of the other Italian builders, save for certain Colnago models.
I think they're around, they're just hanging on people's walls as art. It's a carbon fiber world. A lugged steel frame and fork weighs about 8 lbs, a carbon F&F will be less than half of that weight. The other issue is downtube shifter vs. STI. Those old steel frame were 122 and 126 spacing for the back wheel, so modern shifters don't work without some frame bending.
I meant to post this in the "carbon bike" thread, but about 3 weeks ago I grabbed my rain bike since I had a flat on my race bike and was too lazy to even move a wheel over. Standing up in a 30 second hill sprint on a training ride, my lugged steel frame broke clean through at the downtube. This bike had maybe 12K miles on it, no crashes. I like modern tig welded steel bikes with slightly bigger tubes, but you can have those old lugged steel behemoths. My carbon race bike is lighter, stiffer and rides better. What's not to like?
Interesting that of the names you mentioned, only Pinarello and Colnago really embraced carbon, and they're the only one really selling bikes in quantity these days.
Doesn't DeRosa still do carbon frames (although I have not seen one recently)??
Casati actually does their carbon lay-ups in ITALY (NOT mainland China, or Taiwan), unlike most of the other Italian builders, save for certain Colnago models.
Originally Posted By: DB_Cooper
Well it is a carbon fiber world for some..not me..my Laverda. I've had it since the 70's
That's not what we're talking about (but maybe you knew that
).
I STILL would take a modern carbon fiber and titanium clad Aprilia ANY DAY over most else out there.
Well it is a carbon fiber world for some..not me..my Laverda. I've had it since the 70's
That's not what we're talking about (but maybe you knew that
I STILL would take a modern carbon fiber and titanium clad Aprilia ANY DAY over most else out there.
I have an ol' Schwinn Le Tour. It lives outdoors on the back of my motorhome on a hitch carrier so I don't want anything too pricey. It's a great bike for my needs. If it rusts a little or gets stolen it's not a very big loss money wise.. about $125 I have in it. I'll probably never own a bike worth more than $300 simply because bike theft mostly goes unpunished and is untraceable.
At least with a car you can have insurance so if it gets stolen and stripped down to the body, you can get some money back for the loss. With a bike... police tend to treat it like a toy unless they are bicycle cops or something. Then maybe they'd take it more seriously.
At least with a car you can have insurance so if it gets stolen and stripped down to the body, you can get some money back for the loss. With a bike... police tend to treat it like a toy unless they are bicycle cops or something. Then maybe they'd take it more seriously.
The heyday of the steel bike came in the late 70s, early 80 mostly with Italian manufacturers. Steel bike technology is really pretty easy, all you need is a frame jig, some miters for cutting tubing and a knowledge of brazing to build a bike. The good ones were all built by hand and the frame specs were easily changed.
So there were many bike manufacturers putting out some fantastic bikes. Colnago, Cinelli etc. had a very extensive frame choice. You could get a criterium bike, for example, with steep angles for sharp steering and a high bottom bracket to avoid pedal strikes in the corners. Or you could get a touring bike with lazy angles for a cushy ride, all from the same manufacturer.
Today, plastic bikes are all cookie cutter. You can get any angle you want as long as its 73. There is much less frame choice because when you make a plastic frame, the machinery to make it is prohibitively expensive, so very limited choice.
You can still easily race a classic steel frame. My San Rensho, with 9 spd STI and sew ups weighed in at a little over 19 lbs, and since the weight minimum for racing is 15 lbs, the weight difference is negligible in performance.
So there were many bike manufacturers putting out some fantastic bikes. Colnago, Cinelli etc. had a very extensive frame choice. You could get a criterium bike, for example, with steep angles for sharp steering and a high bottom bracket to avoid pedal strikes in the corners. Or you could get a touring bike with lazy angles for a cushy ride, all from the same manufacturer.
Today, plastic bikes are all cookie cutter. You can get any angle you want as long as its 73. There is much less frame choice because when you make a plastic frame, the machinery to make it is prohibitively expensive, so very limited choice.
You can still easily race a classic steel frame. My San Rensho, with 9 spd STI and sew ups weighed in at a little over 19 lbs, and since the weight minimum for racing is 15 lbs, the weight difference is negligible in performance.
Originally Posted By: Saab9000
My San Rensho
Ah yes, the bike of choice for MANY times world (Match) Sprint champion, Koichi Nakano.
My San Rensho
Ah yes, the bike of choice for MANY times world (Match) Sprint champion, Koichi Nakano.
There's a lot of hand built bike builders out there that will build you a lugged and brazed steel frame bike.
http://2014.handmadebicycleshow.com/
http://2014.handmadebicycleshow.com/
- Status
Similar threads
