Best Steel?
#76
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What's the frame material? I just read an article on Phil Anderson's 91 Motorola Merckx. He prefers Columbus Max but he is also 6' 1".
#77
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Reynolds 753...it was one of the mountain stage light weights, though it's not light weight as built. It's badged Columbus TSX, but that's a fib.
#78
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Unfortunately, because it dates from 1987, it has some
limitations in terms of what it covers and is also hard to
find. Nonetheless an interesting intro from a guy with
an M.S. in Metallurgical Engineering -- and how many
of those do you run across?
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What about Dedacciai? My Pinarello has Dolmen-OS 25Cr Mo4(not oversize, though) propietary tubing. I couldn't find much information about it, except it was made for Pinarello by Dedacciai.
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Tange Prestige OS
Best I've ever ridden.
Best I've ever ridden.
#82
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I really like my Team Pro with 753r Tubing, very light yet strong, and nimble. Sorry for the old Picture, it now has a Brooks Pro, and black bar tape.
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Cool chart. A lot of people aren't aware of that "Speedstream" tubing, but it's pretty cool. You don't see a ton of bikes built with it.
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I could post a bigger picture of it, whats the limit in picture size on the forum??
#85
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#87
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Has anyone had a chance to ride the new stainless "super steels", ie True Temper S3 or Reynolds 953 (Columbus makes one too but i forget the name). I know these are quite hard to work with and are therefore very expensive. S3 seems to be the most affordable and therefore the most attractive to me.
Also, I'm surprised no one has mentioned MX Leader tubing. Could anyone explain what this exactly is/was and maybe speak to how it rides.
Also, I'm surprised no one has mentioned MX Leader tubing. Could anyone explain what this exactly is/was and maybe speak to how it rides.
#88
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I would LOVE to try Reynolds 953, especially after seeing Scooper's drool machine. I can't afford another custom build and it'll probably be some time until they are affordable on the used market.
MX Leader is, as I understand it, essentially Columbus MAX with some differences in the stays and maybe lugs. It's a Merckx proprietary enhancement of MAX. I LOVE my MAX bike...maybe it's a coincidence, but I have generally preferred my more modern steel bikes to my older steel bikes. I especially seem to love my Nivachrome steel frames. The MAX is about the same weight as SLX, a touch lighter actually, and is a LOT stiffer. The ride on mine is terrific.
MX Leader is, as I understand it, essentially Columbus MAX with some differences in the stays and maybe lugs. It's a Merckx proprietary enhancement of MAX. I LOVE my MAX bike...maybe it's a coincidence, but I have generally preferred my more modern steel bikes to my older steel bikes. I especially seem to love my Nivachrome steel frames. The MAX is about the same weight as SLX, a touch lighter actually, and is a LOT stiffer. The ride on mine is terrific.
#89
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I couldn't agree with you more, Aaron! I know one difference between a MXL and a regular MAX bike is that Merckx flipped the top tube around to where the small end is attached to the head tube instead of the seat tube.
Aaron I'm still waiting on the head to head comparison between the Marnati and the Primato.
Mutt
Aaron I'm still waiting on the head to head comparison between the Marnati and the Primato.
Mutt
#90
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I couldn't agree with you more, Aaron! I know one difference between a MXL and a regular MAX bike is that Merckx flipped the top tube around to where the small end is attached to the head tube instead of the seat tube.
Aaron I'm still waiting on the head to head comparison between the Marnati and the Primato.
Mutt
Aaron I'm still waiting on the head to head comparison between the Marnati and the Primato.
Mutt
The Primato is on tubulars. I never appreciated how different a good set of tubulars was from good clinchers.
The Marnati has a saddle I like more - I'd have to put the B-17 on the Primato to judge. I could do that, but haven't yet.
The Marnati has 11sp Ergo, and as much as I like 8sp Ergo, 11sp Ergo is just...sheesh. It's smooth, precise, quiet and the hoods are the best I've ever had under my hands.
We have very similar tastes Muttleyone - we also both obviously like Miyata. I'm wondering - are you a bigger guy? I have some extra meat, and I think that forms a lot of my preferences in steel. I'm also a masher.
Last edited by KonAaron Snake; 07-30-11 at 06:15 PM.
#91
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Depends on the ride qualities you're seeking. I've ridden many, but only put in significant miles over a long time on Reynolds 531 and Columbus SL. Both were excellent tube sets back-in-the-day, and I still prefer the ride qualities of my Pelizzoli-built Ciocc's Columbus SL frame to the modern carbon fiber frames I've tried.
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Mutt
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Mine seems to be quite stiff...and it's definitely holding up to pushing it. I like it - it's also got a nice comfy feel.
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Last edited by well biked; 07-30-11 at 08:07 PM.
#97
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Really hard to say how much of your experience is directly attributable to the tubing, if any. All that rifling in the TSX tubes was largely a marketing gimmick. From an engineering standpoint, it was a solution to a problem that didn't exist.
Note that I'm not saying a TSX bike couldn't have ridden really well. Just that it was not a great tubing design but one that was marketing-driven.
Note that I'm not saying a TSX bike couldn't have ridden really well. Just that it was not a great tubing design but one that was marketing-driven.
#98
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i still prefer the ELOS tommasini tecno for road riding
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drivetrain pic with the wheels off the "other bike"
(no, she was not rode cross chained. i quick threw it on the big ing for the picture)