Is there still a place for a steel frame with a modern groupset and carbon forks in the lower echelons of UK amateur racing?

I’ve mentioned a billion times that my full on carbon jobbie might have had it. And might have to replace it in a month or so.
Anyway my racing season comprises of about ten at the most LVRC road races lasting an hour tops.
I’m thinking about getting something like an 853 with Ultegra and carbon forks purely for the aesthetics and hoping I could campaign it.

Yay or nay, I mean really honestly, none of this steel is real mularky.

Can’t see why not.

That’d be fine. You don’t need a full carbon jobbie, a friend does quite well on a cheap aluminium bike. A steel bike will be fine, as long as it fits properly and you’ve got the legs.

If you’ve got some money … this is gorgeous.

http://www.bikeradar.com/news/article/craven-gets-steel-condor-for-smithfield-nocturne-26623/

Tapered head tube, on a road bike?? Why?

Steel race bikes – ummmmmm ;0)

Tapered head tube, on a road bike?? Why?

Front end stiffness… As per MTBs. It came from the road anyway, I had a 2002 Trek 5900 with a 1.125″-1.25″ headset, and Principia did it long before any MTB manufacturers.

Back OT… Of course it’ll be fine. Whether a cheap carbon bike from Focus/Boardman would be better is another question altogether. If I was buying new and wanting cheap that’s what I’d get.

http://www.brianrourke.co.uk/mens-road-bikes-rourke-c-68_69.html am not a road rider,but his bikes are lovely (from watching that bbc4 program about that guy building his dream bike) 🙂

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DSC00227 by mr_mo12, on Flickr[/img]

This is my steel bike, if i was to replace it then i would want another steel bike, i can get some flex out of the frame. But i don’t race and wanted something comfortable rather than pure performance.

and it weighs 19.5lbs so not as light as some bikes for the money.

Interesting..this thread: “of course steel is good enough”

Last thread (on why pros don’t ride ti bikes) “of course carbon is significantly better!”

😐

We’re not pros. The question of whether steel is ‘good enough’ to enter a handful of chippers races is not the same at all as:

– is it the best material
– will it help me win
– should pro’s be riding it

Umm oldgit wants to be was competitive as possible no?

Seems a pretty similar Q to me.

“of course carbon is significantly better!”

BS

i reckon materials, as with all other weight weenieness, and chasing of the latest tech, is going to save you at most a second or two over a race.

not to say its wrong, i have a nice bike because i want to, not because it makes me faster….
thats just me though.

Until you ride for a team that tells you what to ride, Ride what you want, I switched from carbon to a simple steel surly pacer with full Dura-Ace 7900 and doubt I’ll look back such a lovely ride.

yes.

i use a Fixie Inc Betty Leeds with Sram Force groupset. so totally bog standard

and it rides fantastic

of course carbon is significantly better

When I an prime minister I an going to ban photos of broken carbon stuff.

cynic-al – Member
When I an prime minister I an going to ban photos of broken carbon stuff.

Especially spoons and scabs… 🙂

When I’m Prime Minister I’m going to ban carbon from breaking 😆

That condor is a thing of beauty.

And if there was no gain to be had from a steel frame the likes of condor would not be making something like that. Can defo see the idea behind it for crit racing.

That condor may be 8kg but it’s not built that light and it’s built for a big rider so I assume it will be a 58 or 60cm frame.

are you not supposed to be on Honeymoon Shep?

OT – sure a nice steel frame would be fine, but you never know what its going to be like until you’ve ridden it yourself? i mean, a good review is all dandy like, but when your on it, it may feel like a 5 bar gate?! 😯

i ride steel though, love it. 😀

yes of course there is about 3lbs in weight with carbon joints and a lifetime warranty…

I had an 853 lemon zurich a few years ago, now I have a look 565 carbon jobbie. The lemond was just as fast, but was a bit noodly on descents. The weight difference was probably not that much either, maybe a lb.

Hubba.I’d race this

or this

It might look good, but won’t be as fast as carbon. You know this.

If you ever come 2nd by a tyre width, you may end up hating the bike.

But then again, it does give you a brilliant racers excuse.

And whenever you win, you can come on here and tell us how you smoked some MAMILs on Cervelos on your steel ego chariot.

In reality, what does a decent steel frame weigh?

Quick look here…

http://www.enigmabikes.com/bike/bike-enigma-extensor.html

1530g for £1589. Just over a pound per gram.. For steel.. 😯

A decent carbon frame would shave off 300g easy. Probably be a fair bit stiffer too. But it wouldn’t make a massive difference.

Umm oldgit wants to be was competitive as possible no?

Well yes and no, the entire point in the thread is seeking opinion on whether the handicap provided by a steel frame is too much to make racing pointless. Everyone’s agreed it’s not. It’s similar to Rohloff/5″ trail bike for XC racing, it’s not the best, but it’s not going to stop you competing. Doesn’t mean we’ll see Julien Absalon on an Orange 5 with a Gravity Dropper any time soon…

I’m aware that a carbon frame will same me 400g and probably be stiffer (though we know not all carbons equal)
Typically an LVRC race is flattish, I’ve never used the 39t in an LVRC race ever. They’re not ‘whippy’ either, they are still fast though.

It’s like when I raced XC. Previously I’d had an 853 hardtail, probably the best bike I’ve ever had. I traded the frame for a lightweight alloy job and saved a pound right away. So I ended up with a light fast bike, but 95% of the time when I wasn’t racing it was never a match for the old 853.

It’s the old trade off of what you like as oppossed to what you need.

Actually I could claw back frame weight with a set of race day wheels/tyres?

I’d have the Rourke like a shot, those English cycles looks the muts too (shame about the name though).

I’m aware that a carbon frame will same me 400g and probably be stiffer

That 400g could be the crucial difference between finishing 26th and 27th, do you really want to take that risk? Will you lie awake at night wondering ‘what if’? Will your shame drive you to drink and drugs? In short, could going steel RUIN YOUR LIFE?

Just a thought.

Actually I could claw back frame weight with a set of race day wheels/tyres?

Yep, can’t beat the Planet X jobbies, 50mm ones for £400 look pretty awesome.

Jebus BWD I really wasn’t thinking was I 😳

27th instead of 26th…it could have happened.

i ride a lovely steel Enigma, sometimes i race it with my fellow bottom-feeding results landfill amateurs, and it’s fine for both, a set of decent stiff light ‘race’ wheels makes an enormous difference though.

however i’m playing on a carbon Cannondale Super Six at the moment, it’s over three pounds lighter, it’s stiffer, tracks corners significantly better and responds to a punch on the pedals in a way that the steel Enigma, whilst beautiful, doesn’t.

if i was a little more serious about racing i’d buy the Cannondale in a heartbeat, but the Enigma makes me smile every time i ride it

Anyway, it’s all a bit academic until I know if my bikes repairable or a write off, or if the MIB will shell out anything.

Theres a review in cycling plus this/last month of a steel condor, stiffness wasn’t an issue, unless you were looking for a frame that felt like steel.

Presonaly I’d love to replace my cannondale with something nice with skinny steel tubes for sunday club runs. But;

*an 853 frame costs as much or more than a pretty good complete carbon bike.
*in my head I’d always know it was slower.
*it’d probably be no more comfortable than my cannondale.

Mmmmmmmm…

Steel is still the thinking mans choice IMHO

Why have I never heard of English Cycles before?? Those are absolutely gorgeous. Nice to see a properly compact road frame that matches my mountain bikers aesthetic of what looks “right”. Love the super thin seat stays too. Bit Cervelo-ish but none the worse for it.

They’re not heavy either – the silver Di2 one above is 15lb….

not heard of Vanilla bikes before but this also looks luverly

http://www.flickr.com/photos/21427589@N04/2956447516

Seems to me (from reading) the fabrication and specification of a steel frame can make it every bit as stiff as any other race frame regardless of material. It will be a little heavier but between 17lbs to 18lbs being quite easily achieved.

So in answer to the OP – I’d say *yes* – go for it.
It’s going to look a lot prettier than that cloned CF racebike.

JoB – Member
i ride a lovely steel Enigma… however i’m playing on a carbon Cannondale Super Six at the moment, it’s over three pounds lighter…

there won’t be 3lbs difference in the frame.

and what’s with all the ‘steel will be slower’ comments? – why? skinny tubes are more ‘aero’.

people will happily buy heavy aero wheels (or even solid discs), this is basically the same thing.

If steel is such a BAD idea for a race frame why are Condor making protos for their pro continantal team to race??

I personally can see why they would want a strong durable race frame. Have you seen the national crit races this season?