[charlox5]

I'm trying to decide what my next project bike should be, and I can't decide if i'd rather build a retro-modern steel bike or a 15 lb fredcycle. I've lusted after a steel de rosa, colnago, olmo, merckx, or a gios for a while now, but I am also tempted to build up a carbon bike. Maybe a Look 585, or something similarly interesting.

My main ride is a Lynskey R330 w/ Chorus/Athena 11. My sunny day steel bike is an 83 Bianchi N. Alloro with Centaur 10. While i love my Bianchi, part of me regrets that it's not a Reparto Corse or something more exotic (SLX, TSX, EL-OS, etc). Also while i put a lot of sweat equity into restoring it, the primer i used didn't bond very well to the tubing, so the finish isn't quite as durable as i'd like. (Next time i'm using the right primer and a single stage urethane, or having it prof done). A steel de rosa or merckx would be cool to build, and I could restore the Bianchi to factory spec (i've got all of the original Campag GS/Ofmega/etc parts) and either sell it or keep it around.

Given what's already in the garage, a cool carbon frame would be nice too. I've got 70% of a SRAM Force group in a parts bin that I'd use to build the frame.

I'm not racing or doing anything competitive, in fact I'd say the primary motivation to add another bike to the stable is just to build another project. Idle hands are the devil's plaything.

What would you guys do?

 

[velodog]

I'd go steel.

In fact I got a Ridley Excalibur a few years ago, and while it's a Nice bike and was my #1 for a good 3 yrs I went back to my DeRosa a coupla yrs ago. Right now the Ridley has been stripped down to a bare frame and the components have been cleaned and put in a box waiting the arrival of a new steel frame. That frame, a Della Santa, has been built and was sent to the painter yesterday.

Carbon is nice, but I've decided through trial and error that I prefer steel.
But that's me.

Men of Steel Racing - Home

 

[LC]

Your not going to get anything with a nice steel bike your not already getting with your nice Ti bike except more weight. I would go for the CF.

 

[maxfrm]

Rodriguez Bike R+E cycles in steel or Stoemper steel also maybe as an option

 

[Kerry Irons]

I can't decide if i'd rather build a retro-modern steel bike or a 15 lb fredcycle.

Just for reference, your definition of "fredcycle" is WAY off. 15 lb. poser bike, maybe. 15 lb. Fred bike? Never.

 

[charlox5]

Just for reference, your definition of "fredcycle" is WAY off. 15 lb. poser bike, maybe. 15 lb. Fred bike? Never.

yeah "Fred" is one of those terms that needs further refinement. for the sake of this thread, i'm working with bikesnob's definition of fred, which is the cat6 poser on a $13,000 pinarello, vs. the hairy legs with baggy shorts and dropping posers like flies definition.

 

[charlox5]

Your not going to get anything with a nice steel bike your not already getting with your nice Ti bike except more weight. I would go for the CF.

You know, you would think this statement would ring true, but the lynskey and my bianchi feel pretty different from one another. can't figure out if it's geometry, the OS ti tubing, or the fork, but the bianchi rides much smoother than the lynskey. the lynskey is a faster bike but the bianchi pulls off "magic carpet ride" without nearly as much effort as the lynskey does (23mm wide wheels, 25's, latex tubes).

 

[Mike Overly]

Steel for the ages, carbon to sate your curiosity.

 

[rider9]

I'd go custom steel, but then carbon has no appeal to me.