In the boot: Alan Super Record

mike_eb":465tfm5g said:

I think they will, a Guercotti badged Alan in New Zealand recently went for comparitive price to a similar era steel italian bike recently (I forget the name).

I still love my Vitus, very comfortable light and holds up fine to my abuse. Though I did stand next to it the other day, stood on the pedal and tested the bottom bracket deflection :shock: it moves about as much as my steel e-stay which are notorious for flexy bottom brackets. It gets checked for cracks every month or so and nothing yet.

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My 531 DB Norman Fay does exactly the same thing! Flexes by quite a few inches, but then that translates to a wonderfully compliant frame when tooling up a hill as fast as poss....

My Peugeot frame is some sort of strange 'push' together jobbie where the tubes are forced to gether. Not as nice as an Alan or Vitus, a bit scary to ride....

Elev12k":25lhwu8n said:

I thought the tubing was heated, the lug was put in and after cooling down it should be create a very tight fit. Have heard it was also the reason why the carbon ones were slightly less durable. Carbon tubing can't be heated like aluminum can.

I am wondering whether they (Alan, Vitus and co) will ever get the appreciation quality steel frames of the same era get now. The aesthetics should not be the problem. Imo a well polished such frame like in my boot looks ace. The palmares is also there.

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Yes but Vitus/Duralinox/979 etc. are 'internal' fitting lugs so expanding the tube with heat before fitting them will work well and make a tighter fit whereas Alans are 'external' lugs like a steel frame and the tubes fit into them so the 'gluing and screwing' is the only way to go. TVT are 'external' type as well aren't they? I've not had much dealings with them so I'm a bit vague.

I would think that Alu/Carbon frames of this type will become more desirable, it's just the durability question that could put potential purchasers off. It wouldn't stop me getting one.

On flexibility, all frames bend a little when the BB is pushed. Don't forget that the tyre also flexes a bit so some of the movement is here.

Old Ned":3kzhgqrb said:

I would think that Alu/Carbon frames of this type will become more desirable, it's just the durability question that could put potential purchasers off.

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I started my cycling live on a bonded bicycle. I think most miles made by me were on a bonded bicycle. During all years of them being in use with me I did encounter issues, but they never brought me in danger or even remotely near danger. I think that is for a substantial part thanks to those experiences, I feel perfectly safe and sure on bonded bicycle. If you never experienced a bonded bike and have only heard the vague rumours about a particular frame or fork that debonded with catastrophic consequences, you could have made up your mind pretty soon, probably easily too soon, and baned the bonded frame from your shortlist.

In general I view steel as the ultimate material for my use. The Alan or the Dyna-Tech does offer a ride experience that in terms of comfort I haven't seen matched by any steel frame I have ridden. Great light rides for long tours I would say.

Ooooooooh!

That Guerciotti is just pure bike porn. It's just not natural to feel this way about a bike.

The photos don't do justice to that Alan, it really is sweet as.

I too had a Guerciotti (or Gerry Cotty as my mate had it) badged Alan BITD although it had silver main tubes. Bought it from Cliff Dent who I understand was a fierce Surrey based road man. Lovely and, at the time, madly light but pretty flexible which made for a nice soft, rhythmic purr of chain rub when climbing well or an irritating, energy sapping noise when biting the bars over the top of the climb. Not sure if this will be an issue in Holland

Lovely machine

Fat Mike,
I agree, that Guerciotti truely is lovely.
After each ride I would clean it then hang it back on the wall. Usable art.

Jamie

I said exactly the same thing to Mrs Mike!

I've lusted after an Alan (or derivative) 'cross bike for the last 25 years. Unfortunately, being 6' 7" tall and heavy I'd never find one to fit and it would be like riding wet spaghetti!

size

Hi mike
I have the same problem with sizes, but the opposite end of the line, as I am only just nudging 5 foot 4 inches my size is usually 48cm c to c. It makes it hard getting anything small enough. Especially in a traditional geometry as lot of the builders never made anything below 50 cm, with even my Merckx being a custom sized 48cm.
I suppose at least with a bonded machine I could un bond it, take the pipe cutters to it then re bond it back together in my size, simples

Jamie

Hi Jamie.

I suppose at least with a bonded machine I could un bond it, take the pipe cutters to it then re bond it back together in my size, simples

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PMSL.

Can I have the bits you cut out?


Mike