Steel is real – and within your budget
Tell me this isn’t a thing of beauty (£1450 from J E James)

though you might not be so pleased with it after you fit your £50 parts.

those ritte frames are just rebadged Pedal Force CG1. specialized venge, canondal system6, trek madone, crevello,
or some other Taiwanese Chinese carbon straight out of the pattern book.

FTFY

I’d go for a custom 953 Steel frame from Paul Quiros or something titanium (which is what I chose before 953). You aren’t racing after all. Higher pride in ownership for a non-plastic frame.

You aren’t racing after all. Higher pride in ownership for a non-plastic frame.

Subjective, why would I ride a ferrous donkey when I could have a plastic pony?

FTFY

no. those frames are quite different whereas a pedalforce 1 is very similar to a ritte. the others are not simply rebadged but have very different layup and tube profiles.

Because mine is a work of art that will appreciate and I intend to hand down 😆 . Don’t get me wrong, some carbon bikes are nice, and if I was racing, I’d probably have one, but I can’t see them retaining their collectors appeal in 30 years time.

Because mine is a work of art that will appreciate and I intend to hand down

i guess if it cracks/breaks you can still hang it on the wall 🙄

Someone’s stuck a doily on your frame btw

My granny has some net curtains with that pattern… Joke BTW.

What about a Cervelo S2? THey are 1200 I think or roughly around that price. Not sure what it would give you over what you have now. Maybe a bit more aero.

no. those frames are quite different whereas a pedalforce 1

Maybe if you squint its a ZX3’s seatstays CG1’s chainstays and seatpost, and the front end off somethign else, but then I’m sure if you lok hard enough they do something that looks like just about everything.

They probably do come out of the same factory, using the same moulds, but they’re not hiding that fact, they say it’s an open mould with tweaked layup,

Tell me this isn’t a thing of beauty

But if it rides like shite then what the point?

Never ridden one of these fancy “old skool” looking steel frames, but they just look like they’ll be shit.

A carbon frame looks fast and purposeful. Forms follows function and all that. Get one of them new planet x’s or something and save your money.

I can’t see them retaining their collectors appeal in 30 years time.

WGAF.

I buy a bike to ride now, not to sell in 30 years.

Never ridden one of these fancy “old skool” looking steel frames, but they just look like they’ll be shit.

I have – a Merckx Columbus SLX – and I can assure you it was anything but shit.

DOes anyone know how much Ritte Bosberg’s cost? Roughly talking.

Ive discovered by Bianchi with Ultegra & Ksyrium elites weighs 19lbs the frame 2kg (4.4lbs) so looking for something to bring it down a bit. Was thinking about a Ribble Stealth – or is it a De Rosa – anyway who cares

Certainly not my cup of tea!

I can’t see them retaining their collectors appeal in 30 years time.

I’ve aquired a steel raceing frame (columbus with reynolds forks) for free recently, and my previous one was 531 ad cost me £20. My tourer was £100 for the whole bike (reynolds something or other form the 50’s/60’s at a guess).

My aluminium cannondale R500 cost me £300, a year ols on ebay 7 years ago, they now sell for £350-£400.

Yea, a steel frame retains it’s value………….

DOes anyone know how much Ritte Bosberg’s cost? Roughly talking.

£1400 according to the importers.

Dolan Ares is a chunk cheeeper, and ‘Brittish’ (spend the £500 change on parts and you’d save the weight difference).

Druidh: I have all the kit ready for a new frame and fork. The GTC will still be used and I’m planning some tri bars on it for TT duties. Head down over winter earning cash and wanted to buy something I’d take great pride in and enjoy riding/racing on.

Steve @ Squarewheels is also looking at a Cube upgrade but just thought I’d see what else was available on t’ market.

Can’t believe that 1.5k won’t buy a frame and fork that will surpass the Cube.

Yea, a steel frame retains it’s value………….

for the doe-eyed stovepipe loving market

It’s not that 1.5k won’t buy a frame better than the Cube. It’s that there is little choice at this price. Most manufacturers start their road frame sets at £2k.

You could get a good discounted frame for around that price.

Such as this, this, or this from Wiggle.

DOes anyone know how much Ritte Bosberg’s cost? Roughly talking.

They are EXACTLY £1400 🙂 .. frame, fork and headset … contact Pearl Distribution for nearest retailer … there are NO online retailers as personal service via shops has been selected as a preference over shifting boxes.

Alek – Member
Druidh: I have all the kit ready for a new frame and fork. The GTC will still be used and I’m planning some tri bars on it for TT duties. Head down over winter earning cash and wanted to buy something I’d take great pride in and enjoy riding/racing on.

Ah – so it doesn’t need replacing?

Can’t believe that 1.5k won’t buy a frame and fork that will surpass the Cube.

Well you’ll certainly be able to get one with a more prestigious name on the stickers.

I’d spend the money on something that can take full length ‘guards for winter and splash the cash on Di2 or some bling for the Cube.

He is racing it though 😕 and TT’ing it.

I wouldn’t want a Venge if sportives were on the cards.
In my race region three bikes rule. The Giant TCR, Madone and Cervelos, All three are out and out race bikes, but they’re more than fine for day to day use. Giant and Cervelo go a bit head to head, Giant go stiff and compliant to get their riders over the line first. Cervelo go stiff and aero to do the same. Madones are just great anyway.

As you have racing ambitions forget steel and Ti, no one in their right mind would choose either as a first choice for serious racing no matter how wonderful they might be.
I’ve riden the Cube including the 2012 model. You will get better for not much more, my old TCR (Giant Telecom era) is a far better ride even five years on. That’s why I’ve just spaffed 2.5K on it’s rebuild.

Thanks ‘OG’ I’ll look into all three (although not a fan of Trek but thats just me!)

paul78 Love those Rittes. I knew about their honesty policy some time back.

http://www.canyon.com/_uk/roadbikes/bike.html?b=2531
bang on budget and awesome

Cyfac ABSOLU. a pure work of art and one of the best out there. look into them.

You sure?

As you have racing ambitions forget steel and Ti, no one in their right mind would choose either as a first choice for serious racing no matter how wonderful they might be

a friend (who writes for the cycling press) races a deda eom Rourke and prefers it to the Cervelo he had before, he also liked that hideous green i.F. titanium that did the rounds of the mags last year.

a member of my club went from 4th to 1st then elite in 2 seasons and came second in the perfs last year on an aluminium canyon.

i wouldn’t dismiss any particular material for a racing bike (apart from quill stemmed small diameter lugged stovepipe)

That hideous green IF (thought it was steel was a great bike) and I’d prefer your mates Rourke to a Cervelo, but that’s me.

And indeed an old friend became the US national masters champion on a aluminium frame. I personally think they make a better race frame than cheap carbon.

Thinking more of the boutique pretty pretty stuff when I piped up.

neilforrow, aren’t those 6K plus frame only?

You can’t do well on steel or ti? LOL!

C’mon he wants to go racing on a 1.5k budget. I don’t think, and no offence OP that he is a racer that’ll win on anything. Carbon has to be the way to go.
Buy a nice Mercian, or a cheap Ti or an over budget Colnago Master by all means, but I’m pretty sure that the best frame for the job at that budget will be carbon.

I don’t think, and no offence OP that he is a racer that’ll win on anything. Carbon has to be the way to go.

If he needs carbon to win, then he’s probably not going to win. As much as I like my carbon bikes, I’d suggest that if he’s in the middle of the pack on a decent alu, steel or ti bike, then at best he’ll be one or two places further forwards in the middle of the pack on carbon.

Never ridden one of these fancy “old skool” looking steel frames, but they just look like they’ll be shit.

I’ve ridden my mates master a few times and it is a dream to ride, most pleasing bike I’ve ever been on.

Cycling Plus have their bikes of the year this month so worth looking at. BTW, they weren’t all carbon.

Thanks Phil.w

Liking those Giants in the links and are top of the list so far.

Has anyone mentioned a hand made Parlee carbon frame yet?; they make me moist