Mixte frames & Carlton Courette question

[M_Chavez]

Hi All,

Now that I'm in my "steel is real" mode, I'm considering building up a mixte frame for SWMBO.
Am I right in thinking that most mixties, even with Reynolds 531 stickers will have gaspipe for everything apart from downtube & seattube? And if the main tubes are not butted, a 531 sticker ain't worth much as the bike will be almost the same as, say, a carbolite pug anyway?

A specific question about Carlton Courette - If I understand correctly, these were made by Raleigh? In which case, would they have the proprietary 26tpi threads?

Any suggestions on what to look out for on evilbay are welcome, but I imagine Mrs will be getting a much better performing frameset if I stick to a high end small square frame instead?

Thanks.

 

[pigman]

if performance matters, you'd be better off with a standard frameset rather than mixte just from a design point of view - two sets of stays will be heavier than a single top tube and the seat area might be less stiff.
the problem is, if you want retro steel, there werent many women specific frames around, so she'd be on a man's 19" (assuming she is typically proprtioned)

 

[Woz]

https://www.retrobike.co.uk/threads/ladies-faggin-road-bike.438442/

 

[M_Chavez]

Thank you - yes, that's what I've been thinking. Whether there were any high performance mixte frames ever made.
Some of the ebay adverts list frameset weight as about 3.5kg for a small frame.

Mrs has a do-it-all alloy & cf hybrid built by yours truly at the moment, but we were hoping to start venturing a bit further on tarmac, so I've got a few months to build a dedicated road machine.

 

[M_Chavez]

Woz - thanks. Looks like a very nice bike. Not quite the same style as a double sloping tubes, but this way it's stiffer and lighter I guess.
I don't have a fetish for campy stuff , which makes up most of the price. (the only way I've ever run campy is via the shimergo solution with a shimmy rd & cassette). At that price one can build a new titanium&carbon fibre beauty these days.
Anyway, I'll keep an eye for one of these frames on ebay - high end step-throughs do exist!

 

[mdvineng]

Mixte frames are flexible in all the wrong directions.

 

[M_Chavez]

Mixte frames are flexible in all the wrong directions.

Just like my principles then.

 

[bagpuss]

Mercian built a nice Mixte frame back in the day.
Picture of my friends wifes Miss Mercian . {Now with a new owner}

2008 Miss Mercian . by rebalrid, on Flickr

 

[M_Chavez]

Found this one on evilbay.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/324786436429?hash=item4b9ec7b94d:g:mDcAAOSwsEVhPOet
Looks very nice, but the seller clearly put a decimal point in the wrong place for a frame with dented stays.

 

[non-fixie]

"Nice" step-through frames do indeed exist, but finding them, especially at a reasonable price, does take some time and effort. I've found a few over the years.

This De Vos is Belgian, made with Super Vitus 971 tubing:



My most recent find: a Columbus SL Zieleman:



Mrs non-fixie's favourite, however, is this Méral. Designed by Francis Quillon, and made with unknown tubing (Camus is mentioned on the interwebs) she finds it comfortable and quick: