Ever notice... (steel isn't real anymore)

[kingoffootball]

There's an interesting article here:

http://www.andbike.cc/steel-yourselves-for-a-revival/

about the revival of steel as a frame building material.

 

[elPedro666]

Nice positive article, enjoyed that, cheers

 

[outlander]

Was in Edinburgh cycles not long ago. They had a Whyte Mountain bike with 631 steel tubing. Looked nice

 

[elPedro666]

http://www.whytebikes.com/2012/bike_pag ... W-1-011-12

Not a cheapie but looks nice, do have a bit of a thing for Whyte stuff...

 

[Blackstar]

I wouldn't say steel isn't real.

Maybe it's a stereotype - heavy steel bike, sapping the joy of riding under your own steam.

I can see high end steel frames designed with a bit of flex built in to give compliance, but that can be done with other materials.

Having said that, high tensile stainless steels like 953 and Columbus XCR look promising.

It's possible bike makers could mass produce stainless steelies as the new Cro-Mo.

http://www.bobbrowncycles.com/stainless_frames.htm
http://fireflybicycles.com/bikes/road-stainless

Good technical read:
http://bikepro.com.au/ProductDetail...4/2724/CHAMPIONE-custom-stainless-steel-frame

 

[Radoslaw]

http://www.whytebikes.com/2012/bike_page.php?ModNo=W-1-011-12

Not a cheapie but looks nice, do have a bit of a thing for Whyte stuff...

Apparently olny 300 grams difference between steel and ti bike and ti is well over double price. Alu is ugly to my eye, more expensive and heavier? Steel would be definetly my choice...

 

[elPedro666]

http://www.whytebikes.com/2012/bike_page.php?ModNo=W-1-011-12

Not a cheapie but looks nice, do have a bit of a thing for Whyte stuff...

Apparently olny 300 grams difference between steel and ti bike and ti is well over double price. Alu is ugly to my eye, more expensive and heavier? Steel would be definetly my choice...

...and we know you can shed more than 300grams in a ride...

I hadn't looked the Alu, that is bizarre :?

 

[cannondale king]

Steel is always real it is defo a niche now but maybe thats a good thing good quality steel frames will convert people over cheapo nasty steel im now in the starting point of ordering a demon custom frame and matching forks corrected to 100mm travel and gonna sell most of my bikes off if it rides as well as i know it will so there will be a tange prestiage frame DB with hour glass seat and chain stays and a fat chance buck shaver coming up for sale very soon

 

[Rich Aitch]

When it comes to steel you to have to look at the World economy versus supply and demand; GB has virtually NO steel industry these days, nor the coal industry to support it (all our steel comes from the Far East) whilst China has the worlds fastest growing economy with the largest steel industry, most production of which goes into the demand from the construction industry...

Aluminium, carbonfibre, and even titanium, by comparison are cheap as chips and easier to produce.

Better to churn the basic components out using virtual slave-labour in the Far East then ship them over to the West to be rebranded by the Majors for distribution through the Chains.

Steel will always be the material of choice for the bespoke producers though...

I'm sorry to say that Reynolds have transferred most of their tube production to the far east now, I think they only do 853 in Britain [I had read that they also do 953, but when I checked on their site that is made for them by a co in N America http://reynoldstechnology.biz/faqs/materials/1]. So even Steel is a neo slave labour product now.

 

[highlandsflyer]

http://www.jensonusa.com/Jamis-Dragon-29-Race-11-Frame

I would be all over that if they had the right size in.