Sunday best steel road bikes

Off the peg rather than bespoke.
Genesis equilibrium looks nice, but what else to consider?
Also, how is the ride going to compare to carbon? I can’t decide between something like a specialized roubaix or something in steel.
Use will be for 50 milers + in the dry.
Suggestions/ ideas?

They’re lovely, a real pleasure, but you notice the extra kilo plus if you’re out with others.

My Sunday best is a classic bike which is having a respray soon, metalic amber. Already bought the electric blue Bennoto tape 😳

Retro/vintage/whatever is an option if you allow for a bit of tidying up?

Doesn’t have to be heavy. My Columbus Spirit Scapin is v close to 17lbs with a Chorus groupset & A23/Strada/C-Xray wheels.

Not all steel bikes are created equal. an oversize thin walled tigged with a good carbon forked bike will ride better than a stovepipe cheapie with poor tubing choice with small O/D’s

Good steel bikes don’t ride heavy even if they carry an extra 1lb and half , as long as its under 19lb you really aren’t going to notice, it’s only 20lb bikes with their 2kg wheelsets that feel sluggish to ride.
Personally I would prefer a sorted alloy bike if my budget was limited and you couldn’t stretch to a rourke, scapin, pegoretti etc.

one of each please 😉

Thanks guys – more to think about. Has geometry changed much over say the last 30 years? I like the idea of a vintage projects, but not if the angles are all wrong. I know it may sound like a stupid question, but we have grown taller and fatter over that period, I’d expect the geometry to change too?

Moda have just realised a couple of lovely steel bikes and I reckon Genesis won’t be long with a retail version of the team bike.

I have an Equilibrium and love it but defo want to lose some weight on it this spring. New wheels will be the start point.

A bit, 30 years ago I’d be on a bigger frame than I use now, that’s because they were square and you’d have far less post.
My 86 steel race bike is very compact, lovely to ride though and a joy to just look at. Beautiful cut out lugs, slotted bottom bracket and internal rear brake routing (it’s not a new idea kids)

A modern Giant Defy is going to be a lot more forgiving than a 30 yr old bike, regardless of material

Enigma make lovely looking bikes.

Seem to be pretty consistently well reviewed, too.

I do think about a new road bike from time to time. My Equilibrium does the job just fine (OK I’m biased..) and makes a great bike for winter miles, would happily ride it year-round, but I do look up S/H Master X-lites from time to time – just a gorgeous bike but I wonder if the ride lives up to the looks / price.
Otherwise, I don’t think a Rourke 953 custom can be beat for £1600. 953 can make a stunning road bike and Rourkes are a bit above the rest in that area imo. Looked at a lot of bikes at the Bristol shows and they really were a stand-out both years. Waterford would be another nice option for S3 or 853 – really well put together.

thomthumb, the Master looks a bit wrong nowadays. Perhaps it’s the OS stem or the huge Ergos?

iainc, I don’t find myself agreeing with that. I got back my old Gios that I used to race, the Campagnolo and Cinelli was S H one T by modern standards, but the frame was a delight. As is my SL tubed frame I have now, it can still show it’s colours if you put the hammer down.

This is my favorite Master, shame you can’t still buy one in Molteni Orange.

Give Paul Hewitt a ring, he makes some very nice Alpine steel frames, quite light as well

James – so the equilibrium is one of your designs?
Anything similar in the pipeline under a different brand name perhaps?

De Rosa.

I have Gios steel road bike it’s a great ride and not harsh at all
:0)

By no means a posh steel bike, but I do like the look of the Ribble winter bike.

geoffj, it was.. don’t let that put you off! ) Just had to declare my bias. The original proto frame was built up with my old road bike’s parts and is hiding in a cellar in Provence, waiting for a long trip over Ventoux and down to the coast. Been doing more things along those lines but prob a bit OT to discuss.

For dry/summer 50 milers, buy something that appeals to the soul ) Like having a classic 60’s 911 in cream and chrome for summer evenings..

Be aware that many modern steel frame suppliers are cagey about the steel they use. All sorts of fancy names can’t hide the fact that some or little more than gas pipe as we used to call it. Eg Planet X say lovely things about my Kaffenback and it rides fine but its noticeably heavier than my older and bigger 531c frame. Ditto my Cotic X. Weighs a ton. Weight isn’t every thing of course.Save a few pounds with a light groupset and wheels? Reynolds 520 isn’t anything special and steel forks that are not identifeid are always hefty. 725 is nicer.
Of course the new super steels and wonderful.
You could happily buy a classic 531 tubed bike and enjoy it for decades.

James, I already have more of your bikes than is probably good for me; one more can only be a good thing 🙂
The 725 Equilibrium does look very nice.

I like the look of this Enigma Elite.

That enigma is a visual delight!! I’ve got an etape, but I’m on the look out for an elite to go with it

I’ve got a salsa pistola, but if I was buying now I would get this:
http://www.charliethebikemonger.com/ritchey-wcs-road-logic-frameset-3394-p.asp

Not really my thing, but I do really like these:

Pedals, saddle, stem and wheels have changed but this is mine…

Nice De Rosa but needs silver seat pin and stem/bars. 😆

You might well be right there.

Mine

This was when first built, lot different now.

What’s the Rourke up to these days? Still a favorite of mine.

This is my old steel bike. For 2013 it’ll be getting a long overdue paint job and a bit of tarting up.

Looking for someone to make some frame transfers.

Mine says hello
Was originally more modern stis etc, and did loads of miles, but had to put the old 7400 dura ace on it.

oldgit – I’m trying to work out which is shinier, the bike or your cooker.

Looking for someone to make some frame transfers.

I’d stick with the ‘R’.

I would swap the R for a T

this is mine

or take the ‘n’ off and add part of it to the ‘p’

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Shand Skinnymalinky[/url] by shandcycles[/url], on Flickr

Finicketty I know, but doesn’t modern rubber look awful on skinny steel frames?

Mine is a Tom ritchey road logic….

This is mine (red stem has now gone)

This is what they look like it you are trying to sell them..

Handling is lovely, impeccable manners. You can wind it up easily, but it also does an excellent job of shrugging off our crappy road surfaces. I got it for 50 to 100 mile runs (partly because less than 50 is not long enough) and it delivers comfort and speed. I am crap at sticking to tarmac, and this bike sees a lot of dirt and gravel, which its pretty good at if you ride fast and light, pick a good line. I am very fond of this bike. Seriously the last road bike I will probably ever buy for myself.

And here is a link… http://www.charliethebikemonger.com/ritchey-wcs-road-logic-frameset-3394-p.asp

Someone should ban that Shand fella! 🙂 After clicking on another of his traps I now HAVE to have a rigid custom built 29er belt driven Rohloff mountain bike and one of those ^ as well.