lenA

I've been mostly taking day trips and short tours for the last 2 years on my LHT with bags full of food and beverages and cameras and all that stuff, but now I'm getting in good enough shape to want to try some faster striped down riding as well. I'm old and sorta set in my ways ( and on a fixed income) and I just can't get with the new bikes. Then again, I'm not enamoured with the vintage stuff either. From my recent research, it seems that there was a period from the late 90s to the mid 2000s when there were well designed welded steel bikes that had modern components and are available in a price range that I can handle right now 600-1000 USD. For example a LeMond Zurich

I don't know if this was the golden age of steel frames from a performance standpoint, and I'm sure there isn't one answer....just curious about what folks think.

BTW... 54-55 31 stand over if you have something for me

Thanks!

hueyhoolihan

i would imagine you'll get a lot of argument, as always, about a definition, whether it's "golden age" or anything else. but IMO, there were a lot of excellent bicycle frames and forks made during the late 90's and the mid 2000's. they should be comparatively inexpensive about now.

triggahiccups

You can get Bianchi Classica Steel throwback bikes complete for less than $1000. Of course they come with 2300's but still excellent bikes for the money.

For example:
https://www.bianchiusa.com/bikes/road/steel/brava

chasm54

You should certainly be able to pick up a good example of a ten year-old steel bike with a relatively modern groupset for a sum well within your budget.

But you may not have to go that far back. Kona make nice steel bikes. You could probably get a deal on a 2012 ***** Tonk that would meet your budget, too.

Edit. Wow, now we have a censor function that takes exception to the name of a bike. So I can't post a link because the word Hon k y is replaced by asterisks. Absurd.

surgeonstone

Golden age of steel mid 90's to 2000? Puleese. See below, my steel Italian bike I purchased in 1976 and still going strong.

sloar 

Trek 520. Great bike loaded down and a nice quick ride stripped down

MetalPedaler

I think the 70's and maybe the 80's were the golden age of steel bikes. I recently bought a '97 Klein (Aluminum) and I love it- and I also want to keep my eyes open for a vintage steel frame- like a De Rosa or 859 Lemond. I think if I got a good deal on a complete bike, I'd ride it "as is"- downtube shifters and all....otherwise, just buy a frame, and build it up with more modern components. But really, the only big diofference between the older stuff and the newer, is the STI brifters.....which are nice...but not a deal-breaker, IMO, if a bike doesn't have 'em. I mean, your LHT doesn't have brifters anyway, right?

I'm definitely with you, though- these modern plastic look-a-like bikes do nothing for me.

Bandera

lenA, "Golden" Ages imply someone like myself looking back at the bicycles/cars/motorcycles of their youth and seeing them in both nostalgic and functional terms, which explains some crazy-stupid prices being paid for the SL/Muscle/Cafe' of one's "Golden Age". I've found it most rewarding to buy "just behind" the curve in all three of those vehicular categories and snap up lightly used quality examples that are just un-cool for rock bottom prices. In fact I just did that last week on lugged frame Soma. Be exacting in your fit & function requirements and enjoy the search, your time range is replete with quality machines gathering dust waiting for rescue.

Bacciagalupe

A few thoughts

• If you drop $1000 on a 15-20 year old bike, and are not good with bike mechanics, chances are you'll rack up enough repair costs that you might as well have bought a new bike anyway.

• There's a few modern steel bikes which are probably just as good as a 20 yr old steel deal -- Jamis, Soma, Surly, Salsa etc

• I really don't notice a difference between my 80s steel bike and my 2011 aluminum bike, except that the new one is ~5 pounds lighter.

On a side note, if I was older and getting into road biking after touring, I'd consider an endurance bike -- e.g. Specialized Secteur or Cdale Synapse. Smooth ride, reasonably light, stable handling.

mpath

There's a resurgence of high-end steel road bikes today. The best road bike honours at NAHBS a couple of weeks back was this Reynolds steel-framed Bishop. Integrated Di2 and Enve wheels? Enough said.


And check out this stainless steel Passoni. Neither are inexpensive. As much as I'm a carbon junkie, this Passoni is hot.

MetalPedaler

Steel....adorned with Di2 and carbon? Heresy!!

Dunno about the OP, but personally, I'd like the ride of steel...without paying more for it than what my truck cost!

lenA

In one of my other areas of interest (acoustic guitars) golden age represents the highest level of refinement and quality, which in that case (and not easily debatable) are the ones that are currently being produced, but I gather that the last of the mainstream steel frame era might not necessarily be the peak of that material's engineering.

I think I'll keep looking for a steel deal.

Thanks

Bacciagalupe

Di2 alone will blow the OP's budget.

marqueemoon

Those steel Lemonds are great bikes. If the fit is right go for it.

Bah Humbug

I'm a huge fan of how the Felt F4130 looks. No idea how it rides, and I'm unlikely to get it, but it's just PRETTY.

Bandera

[I think I'll keep looking for a steel deal.]

And well you should, they are out there.

Looking for the analogue of a classic Martin ( BTW I know Nothing about guitars ) at your price point may be fruitless, but you may luck out.

My advise is to concentrate on:

1) Fit. Take it from someone who bought a '68 Paramount that was too tall. Fit trumps spec, price and all else.

2) Functional Requirements: What is the machine to do? Forget make/material/color/age/pedigree/etc.
Is it to be a lightweight Audax/Clubman/Century ride? A criterium bike?
Whichever function requires unique features: fender clearance, high BB, beefy stays, etc.. No feature no deal. Well designed maker/materials matter less, if at all. The most Golden Age criterium bike I owned was misery on long training rides, but looked cool (sold it).

I like my steel bikes. They fit me and my Town, Fixed and Clubman requirements and experience/size/style/budget/aesthetics.

Have fun w/ your search, stick strictly to 1) & 2) and your patience will be rewarded.

I'm still riding my '74 International that I built up new out of the box. It fits well in all roles and met and meets my requirements almost 40 years on.

Bandera

lenA,

Perhaps not but modern mass produced steel frames are a mature technology, how "good to go" need it be?

A new custom Waterford, and others, is Peak.
Peak quality = Peak $.
Same w/ guitars & hammers I'd imagine.

The Soma Stanyan that I snapped up last week meets my Fit & Requirements but was mass mfg. in 2011, straight & clean.

I've seen & ridden some "Golden Age Classics" that were at best dicey in construction and some of amazing craftsmanship.

BTW

Have a competent shop check alignment for you, there are a lot of rusted/crashed wrecks as well a dusty diamonds out there.

MetalPedaler

This is right on!

We're not talking about from OUR golden age....but from the age when they were produced to the height of their beauty and functionality...and in great numbers, at that.

I'll bet it would cost $10K to buy a new bike today that replicates what one an have in a vintage bike for anywhere from $140* to $1400- if it can be replicated at all. Even steel itself isn't what it used to be.

[*=See the deal someone got in this thread over in C&V: https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...-Champion-find]

halfspeed

From a performance per dollar perspective, you won't do better in steel than a tig welded Reynolds 853 frame with 9 speed Shimano or 10 speed Campy from the late 90s to early 00s. From a pure performance perspective the best steel bikes ever made are made today.

halfspeed

It's better.

Arabesque

I believe the OP is looking for a bike made in the '90s with SL/SLX with a first generation Campy integrated brake/shifters around the $1k mark.

With the re-introducton of the brand new Master 30th from Colnago which I saw in a shop with a tag of $9k, demand for old Italian steel bikes might just become popular again.

rpenmanparker 

I like how you didn't consign this to the vintage restoration category but upgraded it with modern components.

mpath

Sans DT shifters though.....

Nick Bain

Yeah, If you were to use the term golden age the first thing that comes to mind is ornate lugged steel frames.

easyupbug 

+1