Rapparee87
Retro Guru
Yada Yada all the above, but ordinary folk couldn't care less about all the tech stuff, but the simple truth is that when people can't afford the nonsense prices for carbon then steel will be back again...
Lightest Steel Frame?
- Thread starter Canuk
- Start date
ChromeChainstay
Senior Retro Guru
Sean Kelly's vitus's were super stiff 
Coalfield
Dirt Disciple
Oh NOOOOO !!!!!
Look at those oval chainstays at the bottom bracket ! On a custom lugged steel ! from 2003/04. The builder never mentioned Defeat. Wish I could find the buildsheet with tube selection, but it is packed away - somewhere. My mind thinks these are EL stays. The main tubes were Nemo & EL with an OS down tube. (at the time, my weight was almost 15 stone). Spirit seemed extravagant as it was just coming out as a new tubeset, and weight was not really a primary objective.
By golly, I loved talking tubes and geometries with a couple of custom builders. Always trusting their judgement - based in the subjective ride qualities preferred - rather than trusting my knowledge (mostly personal opinion) of specific tubes.
edit: BTW - I told the builder, I wanted this to be a "Forever Bike" ... for when I shrink a little bit (not much) and am less flexible. But still a 'fast bike'. I think he built me what came to be known as an "Endurance" bike. He gave me a top tube a tad short for future shrinkage (tho still sporting a 125mm stem), a slight head tube extention (reduce the # of wonky spacers), 8cm BB drop for stability, short front center to maintain a quick feel, 100.5cm wheelbase to prevent the handling of a touring rig. I've been happy.
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bulgie
Dirt Disciple
Practically all the best builders are using chainstays that are oval at the BB shell nowadays (major axis oriented up-and-down of course). Any slight disadvantage of that is very theoretical and mos def nothng to lose sleep over. I'm just a crotchety geezer trying to sweep back the tide — it's safe to ignore me.
bulgie
Dirt Disciple
Hah, no I'm in reduction mode, not buying anything. I'll be out of the state when Bob's having his thing, can't be there. Take pictures!
PanoIgano
Fat Chance Fan
This popped up in another conversation but I see it as relating to this one too:
Bianchi (Nth?) in Columbus Genius at 1256 grams must be one of the lightest MTB frames there ever was. At least, I haven't seen a lighter one from Columburs, Tange or Reynolds since.
I stand to be corrected though.
Bianchi (Nth?) in Columbus Genius at 1256 grams must be one of the lightest MTB frames there ever was. At least, I haven't seen a lighter one from Columburs, Tange or Reynolds since.
I stand to be corrected though.
I had a frame made from Deda EOM 16.5. It was a scary 1488g for the painted 54cm c-t frame. I swear if you put too much pressure with your fingers squeezing the downtube, it could leave an indent.
They used Deda 16.5 steel on some pro teams at the time (late 90's to early 2000's) before they went to full carbon or scandium/high-end aluminium & carbon rear-end mix.
For what its worth my year 2021 Planet X Spitfire titanium weighs 1561g for a medium size.
They used Deda 16.5 steel on some pro teams at the time (late 90's to early 2000's) before they went to full carbon or scandium/high-end aluminium & carbon rear-end mix.
For what its worth my year 2021 Planet X Spitfire titanium weighs 1561g for a medium size.
bikeworkshop
Old School Grand Master
A lot of frame weights in those days were somewhat speculative.
Happy to bet if someone locates one of those bianchi frames it's a fair bit heavier.
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