Charge Bikes have dropped Steel

Charge appears to have dropped steel frames. Apart from a Charge Steel” Plug 0 which is probably hi-ten.

That’s a shame. I guess they are trying to reduce costs.

A shame really, as their Tange steel was really nice and quality paint.

After their 2014/15 awesome range, they have issued aluminium and titanium frames. Seen steel on their fixie.

Wanted a Plug 4 in white with a Plug 5 tubset.

When I got my ’14 plug 3 it was end of season so discounted by around £300 and there were a few retailers trying to shift them.

Everyone I know that rides one comments on how nice they ride, but people get hung up on weight and the components bolted to the frames. For what the steel bikes were retailing for people could buy lighter bikes with nicer group sets, and I suspect many did, hence the change.

That said although my plug is a little hefty I knew what I was buying and chose it for the steel frame and forks with discs. I am not planning to change any time soon.

I’m building a Plug 5 steel frame soon for the old man.

He lives in the Fens/flat areas so he’ll be ok.

To be honest never had a problem riding up Park Street with a 731 Reynolds frame or an AVR tru-temper frame.

Sure the carbon and alu frames are faster but quakity steel rides are lush!

They are dead to me now

I dunno, I was previously a Charge fanboy and always meant to get one of their skinny dusters, but now I’m disturbingly drawn to this one…

Can’t help but think it’ll probably still weigh a tonne despite the aluminium tubing, and nobody seems willing to give a weight for it…

With developments in carbon and aluminium frame design and construction there’s no actual benefit from steel these days.

(expects lots of “what happens if your frame brakes in deepest Africa” responses from folk who never get further than their nearest trail centre)

Fond memories of a blender ownership.. should have stashed the frame in the back of the shed

(expects lots of “what happens if your frame brakes in deepest Africa” responses from folk who never get further than their nearest trail centre)

I had a lovely steel frame years ago, a Kona Caldera in the classic Kona geometry. I broke it as I bought some 125mm travel Bombers from a shop (who shall remain nameless) who didn’t think to advise a 15 year old kid that maybe 125mm travel on a lightweight steel XC frame was a bad idea 🙁

Anyway the inevitable happened and the frame developed a crack in the downtube. My local marine welding place agreed to weld it back up for me, sat on it for a couple of weeks then eventually admitted they didn’t think they’d be able to carry out any sort of repair they’d be comfortable with.

Wonder how good a repair you’d actually get in deepest Africa! 😀

With developments in carbon and aluminium frame design and construction there’s no actual benefit from steel these days.

(expects lots of “what happens if your frame brakes in deepest Africa” responses from folk who never get further than their nearest trail centre)

Yea, but I do apply a level ‘dont give a s***’ care and affection to my steel bikes that would kill aluminium frames. They wear battle scars well where my aluminium bikes always just look tatty and dented after a few years.

That and steel tubing looks different. And steel tech isn’t standing still either, stronger steel’s, bigger diameter and thinner walls.

With developments in carbon and aluminium frame design and construction there’s no actual benefit from steel these days.

I think you’re mostly right but I like the look of skinny tubes and steel’s a tough and affordable way to get it.

Bad move by Charge imo. Nothing in their current range appeals to me. I bet steel makes a comeback in their catalogue next year.

Shame. Had a Blender and a Plug for years.

slimjim78 – Member
They are dead to me now

This…

Based on the Plug I rode the second or third year after they came out they were dull, heavy pig iron things anyway. I shan’t be mourning their loss.

Just building my Blender back up…again! Just to go out to the park and the like with my 6 year old…of and down to 417 project & Chicksands 🙂

I always thought steel was their ‘thing’ sounds like they’ve got a bit lost!?

I always thought “hipster” was their thing.

Their thing is being owned by the same people as Cannondale and GT. I can’t see the multi million dollar parent company giving two hoots as charge is likely less than pocket change to them.

always meant to get one of their skinny dusters

One of the most under-rated and sublime ‘general XC’ and singletrack frames ever produced in my opinion.

very sad they stopped making them, and never made a 650b version…

Their thing is being owned by the same people as Cannondale and GT. I can’t see the multi million dollar parent company giving two hoots as charge is likely less than pocket change to them.

True, I’m surprised they didn’t get forced into making bigger market steel versions of Cannondales or GT’s for that matter, but carried along making bikes which were unmistakeably ‘Charge’ with high BB’s and steep angles. Seems an odd waste of the brand to just make what will just be cheaper (in £££ terms than say a cannondale, no saying they’ll be cheap and nasty) aluminium bikes.

A mass marketed Columbus Spirit/SL/HSS XC hardtail based around the cannondale geometry would be absolutelybloodyflippinfantastic!

Mass market steel hardtail?

I guess it depends what Charge see themselves as being. A niche brand for beardie-weirdies or something that will sell more.

Always liked Charge for the look. But never had them anywhere near the “quality” end of steel frame building. Niche and trendy? Tick. Quality steel frames? Nope. Not bad mind for what they were

am glad i still have my duster skinny 26″ steel ht then 🙂

Quality steel frames? Nope.

If you let the low end plugs and fixies sway your judgement I can see how you’d think that, but some of the Tange Prestige and Infinity frames really were very good, not niche custom good but as good as many off the peg steel frames from other brands.

Anyway, as ever it’s not about the material as such, but how the finished product rides!

I have a tange infinity plug frameset which I’m not using but reluctant to sell as it rode really well. TBH though was underwhelmed by Charge as a company, they seem a bit of a mess when you try to talk to them.

Just for a bit of balance, this change significantly increases the chances of me buying one.

I guess it depends what Charge see themselves as being. A niche brand for beardie-weirdies or something that will sell more.

My point was that dorell probably don’t give a crap about nicheness, they just was a return on investment, which is why it seems odd they haven’t visibly interfered more with Charge, it’s still the same slightly weird geometries hardtails they were making 10 years ago.

My point was that dorell probably don’t give a crap about nicheness, they just was a return on investment, which is why it seems odd they haven’t visibly interfered more with Charge, it’s still the same slightly weird geometries hardtails they were making 10 years ago.[/quote]Could be a bit like QBP though. Surly, Salsa etc are all (more or less) allowed to develop their own brand. Or maybe this change is at the behest of Dorel.

I was thinking of selling my 26″ ss duster and buying a 27.5″ plus cooker one. Rode one at a demo day a couple of weeks back and loved it.

Could be a bit like QBP though. Surly, Salsa etc are all (more or less) allowed to develop their own brand. Or maybe this change is at the behest of Dorel.

True, but Salsa and Surly do occupy slightly diverse niches, and where they do overlap it’s overlapped with obvious cost savings eg Surly tyres and rims on Salsa bikes, and I bet a lot of the OEM kit is identical with just branding changes, along with tubesets, fittings etc. So they fit together well as brands because they’re similar.

The Dorel brands are really more diverse so it seems odd that they wouldn’t milk that by having a range all the way from steel hardtails to aluminium to carbon. I can’t imagine they’ll be making a steel GT so now they’ve just got a choice of aluminium charges GT’s or cannondales.

Charge Bikes have dropped Steel

Did it go “KLAAAAANGGGGGGG!!!!”?

I’ll get me coat.

I’d have assumed they were bought for their components as much as their frames and it wouldn’t surprise me if Fabric was the new GT / Cannondale in house oem brand

Given the majority of saddles etc are made by the same Taiwan company (google Velo Saddles and Stella Yu) so I’d be surprised if they couldn’t more easily have the parts made for them elsewhere.

Given the majority of saddles etc are made by the same Taiwan company (google Velo Saddles and Stella Yu) so I’d be surprised if they couldn’t more easily have the parts made for them elsewhere.

This, I’m pretty sure my cannondale came with a ‘knife’ about 8 years before charge made one.

Really like the Plug4. Less than a grand it looks great value.