aballas

So I think I've decided to build up a nice modern steel frame. I love my carbon frame and everything, but I'm not really a road racer and it's pretty harsh. I race mountain and CX, (both on steel frames) and would really just prefer to have a nice comfortable road frame to use for training, and still occasionally race it. I do like road racing, it's just not my priority.

My budget is between $400-700 for the frame... I already have a fork picked out (Alpha-Q Carbon). I'd like it to have a decent tubeset (I.e. Reynolds, Columbus or equivalent), and traditional geometry.

I've looked at the Soma Smoothie, and I'm close to pulling the trigger on it, but I'd like to see what else is out there.

I've also looked at the Salsa Pistola, but i'm not sure if i'm sold on the geometry...

Any ideas?

sced

How do you know that a new steel framed bike will be less harsh than your current one?

aballas

Because that's what I'm looking for in the frame's characteristics....Plus my current steel framed bikes just have a nicer ride.. (my CX AND 29er).

Namenda

The Soma is a good frame, and you can probably get one for even less than your budgeted amount. Jamis makes a nice steel frame, but I'm not sure its available as just a frame. I saw one owned by a shop mechanic that was surprisingly light, for steel. He claimed it was a super-smooth ride, too.

Can you stretch your budget enough for an Indy Fab? They make great steel frames, as well as titanium. Or, how about a Bianchi? I think Specialized has a steel Allez available. Are you looking for new, or is a used frame acceptable? The possibilities are almost endless.

aballas

It doesn't need to be new, and I'm always scouring ebay for a used Bianchi... a 2000-2001 XL Boron in 58cm in particular (used to have one...my biggest regret is selling it). I'd also go for a Colnago Master or Serotta if the price was right...

I'm drawn to the Soma because my SS 29er is a Soma Juice, and I love how it rides. It is at the lower end of my budget though. If I can't find something nicer I'd go with it.

Indy Fab is awesome, but deifnitely out of my price range...

Barrettscv 

I've been very happy with my Soma Double Cross. You should be happy with the Smoothie. Last year I rode the Double Cross 5000 miles. This year I added a Titanium road bike, but still like to use the Double Cross when I need to carry enough supplies for a solo & unsupported century ride.

Michael

Oostal

It seems to me that the new steel frames are somewhat overpriced. It is inevitable, since the market is rather small. I was hunting for a Columbus or Reynolds steel frame last spring and went the ebay route. I was always looking for frames/bikes which look as good as new with minimal or no scratches at all and no other defects. Here in Europe there were several options available, but it inevitably takes time. I spent one and a half months at first just observing the market situation and then another month to find the suitable frame.

Nice bikes from late 1980s to mid 90s are available for 300-600 Euros. I bought a complete bike (Reynolds 708) but since then I have replaced nearly everything on the frame (wheels, cassette, saddle,...). The total cost of the bike is may be around 800 Euro now (+extras). I admit that I was just very lucky with the initial deal in ebay. As I have kept an eye on the auctions since spring, I have only seen 1-2 similarly good deals, but that is ebay...

Check my last post to see how my bike looks like:

https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...t-Peugeot-quot

What I have also noticed is that manufacturers used to put more emphasis on all the small details: chrome, welding, etc. The new steel frames look much more simple in comparison.

In case you go for Ebay, then I was usually searching for Peugeot, Pinarello, Colnago, Ciocc, Bottecchia, Koga-Miyata, Razesa. I did not like down-tube shifting, so such bikes (the majority) where out of question for me.

aballas

@ Oostal

Nice peugeot! That's sort of what I'm noticing in my search... all the old frames have nice details the newer ones don't... Unless I'm willing to spend $$$$... which I'm not...

I'll be swapping my wheels and group onto this frame, so I don't need a complete bike, and would prefer not to have to flip old/vintage parts if i can avoid it...

dstrong 

Lemond Zurich? Reynolds 853 (which I'm partial to because of my Interloc) makes for a nice ride when paired with a carbon fork. Lightweight, durable, smooth. There are several on eBay right now.

aballas

I saw those....the one that's my size is an ugly color scheme though...the 57cm one...

Homebrew01

You can put modern shifters on old bikes. Put cable stops where the shifters used to be. Go look in C&V and the thread specifically for old frames with new components.

https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...STI-s-or-Ergos

big john

I rode a friend's Smoothie and it felt springy and comfortable to me. He says it's almost as nice as his Moots. I have a Gunnar which has been great for 4 years. I paid $700 for the frame.

aballas

Oh I know...i've seen quite a few... My Surly Cross Check has the same cable stops...

aballas

Gunnar was a thought as well, but I thought they were more expensive than that....did you buy used?

Oostal

I know, but since I had a bit of time and patience then I decided to wait for the "real" deal, which was made for contemporary shifters. Not a big difference, but the way the cable exits the tube probably looks a bit better. Depends on the C&V model though.

bradtx

aballas, Not in production at this time, but I'm a big fan of the steel Ibis Spanky/Sonoma. Raleigh is also producing new steel bikes https://www.raleighusa.com/bikes/steel-road/ . I don't know if they're available as a frame/frameset.

Brad

aballas

Nice! That international is hot!

NormanF

Salsa Pistola... if you can add $100 to your budget, you can get a high end frameset. The tubing is True Temper Platinum OX tubing, the equivalent of Reynolds 853. Its an air-hardened steel.

If you can afford the almost $800 that sells it for, you get a great comfort/endurance road bike frame.

aballas

I mentioned that in the original post, I like it, but i'm not sure I like the geometry..

NormanF

Buy it and if you don't care for the color, have it powder-coated to one you do like!

What's stopping you?

NormanF

I would say on the Pistola, the compact frame geometry is to give you a more upright position on those long rides. If that's not what you're looking for, then a standard frame geometry like the Lemond might be more to your taste.

BikingGrad80

Even bikesdirect has a few 853 models. They are still around. I just upgraded to a carbon frame from 853 and a carbon fork, I feel the carbon does dampen smaller vibrations from the road and does accelerate easier.

Al my only experience is an old Trek epoxied frame which did not seem any harsher than my steel but it has 25c tires and the epoxy frames were known to be less harsh than welded Al frames.

However, I will still be keeping my steel. I am thinking about having it powder coated as the paint is pretty beat up and has more testor's paint for touch-up than original.

aballas

True that... I guess my main issue with the pistola would be buying it sight unseen... I don't know a lot about fitting compact geometry, and don't know anywhere around here that I could test ride one... Im better at looking at the geometry chart of a standard frame and knowing how it will fit... More of a comfort zone thing than anything else...

aballas

Looking for something a little less common than a bikesdirect frame...not that there's anything wrong with them...I just see them everywhere, and the design doesn't really do it for me..

jrobe

I bought a Bianchi Imola / Vigorelli steel frame last December on Ebay for a good price. It is a nice steel frame and I had it made into a travel bike with S&S couplers.

Not sure what carbon frame you have but it must be a dog if it is "pretty harsh" and making you spend money on a new frame. Going away from carbon because of harshness isn't the norm.