[gb155]

I've built a couple of bikes over the summer, now I want to build a winter
Training steel bike, what suggestions would you make for the type of tubing I should go for ? That will be good for winter and also value for money , is it reynolds 631 ?

Thanks

 

[Mark Kelly]

Have you looked at the newish MS2 high strength stainless tubing from KVA? It would appear to be ideal for what you want and the prices are pretty good, around $400 for a tube set, certainly way cheaper than XCr or 953. Like those it's a martensitic stainless (think 400 series not 300) so corrosion resistance is good but not perfect, they recommend using Boeshield to assist with this.

The website says they'll sell single framesests or even single tubes, from my experience they are very customer focussed. I've been asking them technical questions about re-sizing and post weld heat treatment of their tubes for something I'm working on. The bloke who answers the email felt he couldn't answer one of my questions authoritatively himself so he referred it to the senior engineer who got back to me in a few days with a very detailed answer. Not many companies go to that trouble to help out some random on teh interwebz.

BTW no affiliation except as customer, I'm not even on the same continent.

 

[MR_GRUMPY]

You can't go wrong with True Temper OX Platinum.



Tig or lug.

 

[Kontact]

631 is an air hardening tubeset, as is Ox Plat. I've heard the argument recently that there is no point using air hardening tubing if you aren't TIGing, because brazing temps are too low. But Ox and 853 start out heat treated, but 631 does not.

There's lots of good tubesets, but they have different strengths. What are you trying to accomplish?

Personally, I really like the stainless frames that are fillet brazed.

 

[SantaCruz]

What are you trying to accomplish?

Personally, I really like the stainless frames that are fillet brazed.

+1 - Whaddaya want in the frameset?

Nice fillet brazing is most desirable.

 

[gb155]

+1 - Whaddaya want in the frameset?

Nice fillet brazing is most desirable.

I want stiffness - something comfortable for 100+ mile rides in the winter - something that I can throw around in the harshest conditions

 

[kaliayev]

For a winter bike I want something that can take a pounding and take wider tires. 853 is really nice, but can bruise pretty easily. I just converted my Trek 660 to a winter bike with 28mm tires and a set of Cruds. 531cs is comfy enough for me and can take quit a bit of winter punishment.

 

[Ramjm_2000]

Sounds like a fun project! Congrats.

 

[maxxevv]

If you're going full custom order, check with your builder if they handle Reynolds newest 931 tubes. Stainless in the same vein as 953 but lower grade and similar properties in strength to 853 as they say. Somewhere between 853 and Columbus XCR in terms of cost too it seems.

It was info I got in Feb this year, so not sure if its still accurate.

 

[Scooper]

Reynolds 931

 

[gb155]

If you're going full custom order, check with your builder if they handle Reynolds newest 931 tubes. Stainless in the same vein as 953 but lower grade and similar properties in strength to 853 as they say. Somewhere between 853 and Columbus XCR in terms of cost too it seems.

It was info I got in Feb this year, so not sure if its still accurate.

I'm not im looking at an off the peg frame tbh

 

[Scooper]

I've built a couple of bikes over the summer, now I want to build a winter
Training steel bike, what suggestions would you make for the type of tubing I should go for ? That will be good for winter and also value for money , is it reynolds 631 ?

Thanks

It's not clear from your post whether the couple of bikes you built over the summer were frames actually built (brazed or welded) by you or stock frames you built up with components.

If you're planning on having a custom winter training bike frameset built for you by an established builder, I'd recommend finding a framebuilder with experience making stainless (953, 931, XCr, KVA) frames. If you're set on steel, stainless is the ideal material for a winter training bike since you don't have to worry about corrosion. My unpainted 953 bike is my primary ride, and I've been riding it in all kinds of weather for over four years. The frame requires virtually no maintenance and still looks brand new.

I'm not im looking at an off the peg frame tbh

Now I'm really confused.

 

[gb155]

It's not clear from your post whether the couple of bikes you built over the summer were frames actually built (brazed or welded) by you or stock frames you built up with components.

If you're planning on having a custom winter training bike frameset built for you by an established builder, I'd recommend finding a framebuilder with experience making stainless (953, 931, XCr, KVA) frames. If you're set on steel, stainless is the ideal material for a winter training bike since you don't have to worry about corrosion. My unpainted 953 bike is my primary ride, and I've been riding it in all kinds of weather for over four years. The frame requires virtually no maintenance and still looks brand new.



Now I'm really confused.

I wanna build a steel bike using an off-the-peg steel frame but there are so Many types of tubes that I'm asking for suggestions

 

[Scooper]

I wanna build a steel bike using an off-the-peg steel frame but there are so Many types of tubes that I'm asking for suggestions

Ahh... Now I get it. The lack of punctuation made "I'm not im looking at an off the peg frame tbh" completely incomprehensible (to me).

If I were you, for a winter training bike that's stiff, I'd sacrifice a pound or two of weight to get a frameset built with oversized or double oversized tubing with thicker tubing walls than the typical uberlight road racing tubesets. You might want to consider a cross bike frame.

Just make sure you treat the frame with J.P. Weigle Frame Saver or similar corrosion inhibitor.

BTW, congratulations on the weight loss. That must have taken a huge commitment.

 

[gb155]

Ahh... Now I get it. The lack of punctuation made "I'm not im looking at an off the peg frame tbh" completely incomprehensible (to me).

If I were you, for a winter training bike that's stiff, I'd sacrifice a pound or two of weight to get a frameset built with oversized or double oversized tubing with thicker tubing walls than the typical uberlight road racing tubesets. You might want to consider a cross bike frame.

Just make sure you treat the frame with J.P. Weigle Frame Saver or similar corrosion inhibitor.

BTW, congratulations on the weight loss. That must have taken a huge commitment.

Yeah sorry dude, posting from my phone is a PITA at times

 

[Peanya]

I wonder who makes an off the peg frame with the above recommended steels though? Wouldn't they be mostly custom, or almost custom like IF for example?