[Closed] Stainless steel gravel frame

No experience of them but might be worth investigating (if your pockets are deep enough 😬)

https://www.condorcycles.com/products/condor-gravel-stainless-frameset

you dont need any specific knowledge to get a custom frame. just need to get measured and have it built to fit.

you dont need any specific knowledge to get a custom frame

But you do sort of need to know what you need in your custom frame that isn't available in a ready made frame otherwise it is missing the point (assuming you are a standard size that fits standard ready made bikes)

Victoire. Join the long queue. Not sure if they do their production line bikes ('Distance') in stainless.

Genesis did a Croix De Fer 931 stainless a year or two back. Might be one about somewhere or used.

Sven Cycles do the Pathfinder in Reynolds stainless, i've had a go on one and it's really rather very lovely

I was really liking the look of that Pathfinder until I saw the price. I think I might just buy a couple of Ti frames instead 🙂

Standert Erdgeschoss .... when it's actually possible to buy one again. Last batch sold out in hours. Some good details and reasonable price. 650b builds though as er standard, which may or may not suit.

Standert Erdgeschoss

Genesis did a Croix De Fer 931 stainless a year or two back. Might be one about somewhere or used.

I know, I have one!

It started out as a 'super commuter' but thanks to Covid it's now fully Gravelised, a bit dated compared to the latest gravel geometry and its still Q/R with I.S. brake mounts which was a bit of a faff as you can't use GRX flat mount calipers.

The rear can take a 700 x 40c no problem, but the original steel front fork couldn't so I had to swap it out for a carbon jobbie, something to bare in mind.

It's a wonderfully easy bike to live with and built like a brick poo-shack, a bit traditonal looks wise but a true workhorse, if you can find one in your size 2nd hand I'd certainly give it a look.

Wow, thanks for all the replies. I was expecting zero!

That standert looks outstanding and reasonably priced too.

As much as I like those condor and sven frame sets unfortunately my pockets aren’t that deep.

That standert looks outstanding and reasonably priced too.

Aye. Any brand that can slide references to golden-age hip hop legends into their colour options is onto a winner for sure...but other big hitting deets are the T47 BB, King headset included, neat internal routing, on-the-numbers geo, multi frame zits...The spec of the stainless tubing may not be as chi-chi as 953 or XCR but at the pricepoint its hard to beat. I'm sure those natty Berliners could order up a container load ten times bigger next time around and they'd still sell out fast...

Would be a nice choice - one issue with 953 and XCR is that the tubes are very hard and do not lend themselves to manipulation so going for big tyre clearances / shaped chain stays might be a challenge.

I think Rourke will build a custom gravel frame but they tend to only do traditional tube forms and no plates so clearance may be an issue. Worth asking though.
I've just starting using by 953 Rourke road bike again after 3 years of gravel so the idea interests me too.

it’s now fully Gravelised, a bit dated compared to the latest gravel geometry and its still Q/R

Curious what the latest gravel geometry is? (as a man riding a QR CX frame and contemplating a custom build 😎 ).

Rourke warned me off stainless gravel builds although that's not to say they wouldn't do one if pushed I guess. 7 month lead time right now I think.

It’s worth considering the Thorn Audax, the latest iteration being disc-equipped.

Rourke do a 953 option.

What's the thinking behind stainless being not so suited to gravel then? Is it more brittle or something, or just not so easy to manipulate for tyre clearance as mentioned above?

bump. Curious, did Rourke give an explanation as to why it didn't recommend stainless for gravel? Would've thought it would be strong as an ox for this application...

No, they just said 'not really suitable for gravel use'.

I hadn't told them my weight at this point so I don't think it's a weight thing, and although I had asked for canti mounts he didn't say specifically that was the issue, just the 'gravel use'.

Edit: I had asked for clearance for 45mm tyres which might have been more challenging as a lot of gravel bikes still only have clearance for 40mm (even mine is tight with 40mm tyres in it). Perhaps that's what he was referring to.

I would have enquired further but was very conscious of being an annoying window shopper, in theory I'm committed to a custom frame but not necessarily Rourke, and part of me thinks money would be better spent on a £2k full suss...

The wall thickness of steel tubes in bike frames can be quite thin. Stainless steel tends to be slightly more dense / heavier than steel. So stainless steel tubes used in bike frames, Columbus XCR, KVA MS3, AerMet100, Reynolds 921 etc, tend to be the thinnest wall thickness to keep weight down. This means that these tubes can be more difficult to form, and put smooth bends in without damaging the tube, buckling and denting and rippling etc. Therefore straight round tubes are preferred to more elaborate shapes.

http://www.kvastainless.com/tubing-info.html

http://www.kvastainless.com/bicycles-frequently-asked-questions.html

http://www.equusbicycle.com/bike/aermet/index.html

Paton speaks! 😎

I thought you were just a bot designed to post (usually very helpful) video links? 😁

i also spoke to Wayne at Rourkes and he suggested the walls are thin on 953 which may make it prone to cracking dependant on how hard the gravel riding is ( gravel means different things to different people I suppose)
He suggested if ss was still a desire 921 would be a safer bet as its a bit thicker and possible more comfortable?