Best race steel hardtail... ? ?

[Retromtber]

Right then... I suppose this is a lot to do with personal choices ,, however I'd like to ask the opinions and views of the retrobike community ..


....in your opinion , what is the best retro race hardtail between say 92-99 ? and reasons why ??


Now .. I'm far too old and buoyant these days to actually race the damm things, but I'd love to own a retro race rig ..

So far the ones that are jumping out at me are :

Chas roberts dogswhatsits, Orange Clockwork ,Serrotta T-max,Fat chance yo eddy, Ritchey P series , Breezer lightning..

Any views on any of these ?? any good or overated ?

thank you all in advance..

rob..

 

[feetabix]

I've slung a leg over several of those on the list and they are all worthy of the hype.......I bought my Dave Yates with the same intention and it too is wonderful, probably the best bike I've owned. I have to try hard not to constantly use my stumpy too, it's more than the sum of it's parts......

 

[longun]

my saracen rode really well with a slightly shorter stem,the same goes for konas imho.

 

[captaincosmic]

Orange P7 is quite fantastic and there are Yeti and Rocky mountains you need to check out also

 

[yo-eddy]

For the heavier riders I would say FC Yo-Eddy and Grove Assault,
prefered these above Salsa/Bontrager/Scapin etc.. especialy when looking for a strong ad stiff steel frame.

 

[WayneO]

I've owned a Yo Eddy and now own a Bontrager, and for racing the latter. The Yo was a bit too twitchy, but if you were taller than me ( and many are) you might swap the choice.
I tode an FRO once and thought it too long, but likely perfect for the 90's NORBA races it was made for.

 

[FluffyChicken]

Take the clockwork off your list*, it's not designed as the 'race' frame (you are talking best).
Prestige was the race model.

I would also think the P7 was the racier version of the C16 when the Clockwork/Prestige was discontinued.


I couldn't tell you which is best for 1992 to 1995 as I didn't race any top end steel frames of that years, well the Prestige but I wouldn't class it as the best. Very good but not quite there to be called the best.

Go see who won the race events, see if it's steel and then they have a right to call it the best.

*Though the clockwork in the UK could be considered a 'best' race frame, they where commonly used as they where affordable, making many people happy in their racing, what more could you want.

 

[JeRkY]

The stand out one for me was the Roberts DB, I cant admit to having raced back then (I would of been 10) but in later years it was the one that became iconic of the era and started a small competition of its own with other small UK builders (yates/loyd). What's more its a frame that is still being produced today in much the same way it was 20 years ago.

 

[Bristol]

I thought the serrota timax was titanium? columbus "max or" tubing if I recall correctly. lovely frame though, still contemplating whether to build up the 1994 timax frame I've got or to sell it on? hmmmm......

 

[yo-eddy]

I thought the serrota timax was titanium? columbus "max or" tubing if I recall correctly. lovely frame though, still contemplating whether to build up the 1994 timax frame I've got or to sell it on? hmmmm......

Timax = Titanium
T-max = Columbus Max OR (Cromo)