Modern Steel Road Bike Appreciation Thread
 

I know there is a Classic & Vintage forum that focuses on old bikes and there is thread after thread about modern carbon and aluminum bikes, but the modern steel road bike riders don't really a place to hang their hat around here.

I'm hoping this thread can become that place for like-minded steel road bike riders can post pics of their bikes, discuss what they love about their steel road bikes, share knowledge, etc.

How do we define a modern steel road bike in this thread? I'm glad you asked:

Any steel-framed drop bar bike made in 1996 or after is welcome in this thread.

Let's keep it positive here and make it a good thread. Let's see and hear your favorite modern steel roadies!

Here are my current steel road bikes:

Gunnar Roadie:
http://jhinds7.com/images/bike/GunnarHouse.jpg

This is my newest and favorite steel road bike. My LBS had this NOS frame hanging and they built it up for me. I picked it up in November and have a 736 miles on it thus far. It came in around 18.3 lbs without pedals at size 58. The frame is True Temper OX Platinum with a Enve 2.0 fork. It's a really nice combination. It's the smoothest riding steel race geometry bike I've ridden to date. Really digging it.

Novara Verita:
http://jhinds7.com/images/bike/2015F.../BikeRiver.jpg

I picked this bike up late last year on double closeout from REI. $518 new with a one year return policy! The frame is Reynolds 520 with a matching steel fork, SRAM Apex groupset and Shimano long reach brakes. It's actually an XL size which is a little too big for me, but I've been able to adjust it down to work for me. I've had it out on one 200 mile tour so far and it did really well. Looking forward to more tours on it in 2016. I also use it as a utility bike around town and take it on the slower group rides.

Jamis Eclipse:
http://jhinds7.com/images/bike/2015Eclipse.jpg

This is the bike that the Gunnar replaced. It's has Reynolds 853 main triangle and came in weighing around 20+ lbs with pedals. It's super nice bike. I put 2200 miles on it in 2015. It's actually for sale right now. Hoping a riding buddy of mine is going to take it off my hands in February.

I'm happy that I've found steel road bikes. Their benefits fit my needs perfectly.

Let's get this rolling. What's your modern steel roadie look like?

That Gunnar is very cool. I've always had a soft spot for them. There's a few I see out fairly often in my area, very good looking bikes.

My 12 month old Ritchey Road Logic. Here's the picture of it from shortly after the build.

http://i.imgur.com/QKTPLBt.jpg

I should take another pic like this, I've changed it a bit, now it had blue Michelin Pro4 tires on it, and I changed the seatpost from a setback to a straight. I've put 2250 miles on this bike so far, and I can conclusively state that it's the best bike I've ever owned.

I built it up from scratch myself, which was such an enjoyable experience, I'm always tempted to do another build, but when I ride this bike I'm reminded that I really don't need or want another road bike.

I like the way you built up that Ritchey.

I hope I get a chance to ride on someday, they look like awesome bikes.

I've never seen one in the wild. Where do you live that you see them often?

I live in Austin.

There's a Waterford and a Gunnar in my front hallway so I see them every day. :)

I'll put up some photos tonight when I get home.

I'm in Chicago. There are about three people who ride them that I tend to see out at the same time I ride.

Bah! Carbon forks and aluminum seatposts. Only Steel is real. Bunch of posers!

(I like the Ritchey best of all, and not just because it has the same color scheme as my steel Raleigh. it just looks "right" to me. I went with blue Continentals, but I also bought some blue Vittoias for when the Contis wear out. But it isn't "modern" steel, so i guess i don't belong here.) ;)

My steel bike has it all! Carbon Fiber (forks, pedals, spacers), Aluminum (seatpost, handlebars, rims, stem), steel (frame) and even Titanium (err... saddle rails). It's the best of all worlds. ;)

You're my new best friend. :)

Yeah that Ritchey is amazing. The seatpost cluster is especially nice on those frame. I have a 2014 Salsa Colossal 2. I'm a big fan of the bike, it's heavy but feels very solid and is a joy to ride. I'm disappointed with where they went with the model in later years though (especially the paint). I've added a few more red anodized bits to mine to continue the theme, plus stem flip and Enve seatpost.
http://i.imgur.com/HsvVA6w.jpg

Gotta toss my hat into this ring:

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=499292http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=499293http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=499295http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=499296

Thank you.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/9y09kvu9yks45yp/021.jpg?dl=1

Mine are vintage, you don't want to see them. But one is an '97 Schwinn Traveler I bought 2 weeks ago for $20. It's torn apart for restoring, the frame is getting powdercoated with new replacement decals. But I can tell you that if you haven't ridden a steel bike with a longer wheelbase that fits 32's then you don't know what you're missing, especially on chipseal roads. It's more practical, handling is more stable, more fun and just plain sweet. The 25's I have on all my other bikes just don't seem as cool anymore. Now I'm lusting after one of these and may have one before long:

http://www.renehersebicycles.com/rs%...ull%20side.jpg

I have a 2007 ish Salsa casseroll, back when they used long reach brakes. I bought the frame because it was a modern interpretation of the classic sports touring bike with long reach brakes and horizontal drop outs. I'm running bar ends but I need to switch these out to STIs. Other than that, I'm largely happy with the build. I've had this frame in a box for a few years while I moved around and only got around to building it fairly recently.

http://www.bikeforums.net/attachment...7&d=1409428246

My GURU SIDERO aka: steel

Thanks man.

Yeah, the white frame on the new one looks awful. I ride guy who has the blue/orange 2013 Colossal and it's a great looking bike, and he loves it. Yours looks pretty sweet too.

That's a nice looking bike.

I really dig the color on that one. I ran into a steel Seven at Richardson Bike Mart once that had a color scheme somewhat like that and I would have bought it on the spot, but it was a 52. I'm so glad it was too small as my girlfriend was with me and I would have caught so much crap for impluse buying it in front of her :)

My 61cm 2007 Waterford RS-22 made with Reynolds 953 stainless. It's been my main ride for nine years and is as close to a grail bike as I'm likely to ever find. Campy 10-speed group...

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d7...psc1d9fd27.jpg

^ Men do Not "impulse buy." We make very swift acquisition decisions which our gender had learned to do over eons of evolution as hunters in dangerous situations.

Buying that bike would have been an utterly rational survival based decision made swiftly because wasting time would have been anti-survival.


Re: 2007 Waterford. Sorry this is a bike thread. There is an art thread somewhere else i am sure.

That is a really nice looking rig. Though I have to say you have a quite unique bar/stem angle configuration going on there.

Thank you but the bar/stem angle is not quite that unique. The fork just needs to be cut down a bit; I just haven't gotten around to it because I have quite decided on the final set up for the bike. I guess I could just flip the stem and call it a day. I still need to install a pair of brifters I have lying around. I've just been too busy with other bike projects.

My Crosshairs.
http://i1148.photobucket.com/albums/...psqle7zaqg.jpg

Winter/wet bike, a modern-ish substitute for my '74 Internat'l in that role.
Works just fine for it's intended purpose.

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=499309


-Bandera

I like that. The lugged headline looks cool. They don't make this frame anymore I think sadly.

I'm always thinking of getting a steel cross frame and the Soma double cross looks nice. Sadly the current paint color is a bit too close to my Ritchey for comfort. If I thought I'd ever go touring id get their British Racing Green touring frame in a flash.

This is my main road bike. It's a custom Waterford with S&S couplers. The whole thing will fit in a 26"x26"x10" case.
I got this in fall of '08. It was just repainted this spring and brought up to date with Dura Ace 9000 group.
Fork is a Ouzo Pro painted to match.
Velocity A23 rims and FSA SLK bars and seat post.

http://m9.i.pbase.com/g9/53/15653/2/...9.kfDA1xUw.jpg

I just got the Gunnar a few days before Thanksgiving in '15.
Basically built from the same blueprint as the Waterford, just adjusted a bit to be a Gunnar Street Dog.
I paid extra for the pretty steel fork with the curved rake and the nice crown.
Most of the parts are Craig's List or eBay finds. I got the Dura Ace hubs for $50.
I run it 46x18 fixed.
http://m8.i.pbase.com/g9/53/15653/2/...8.dTqB27H5.jpg