Originally Posted by
mstateglfr
First off, there is no best steel frame maker. There are a ton of incredible custom builders and plenty of great stock manufactured options.
As asked already, is it $4k for a frame or $4k for a full bike? That alone will determine if you go custom or standard manufactured stock.
- Custom will give you a lighter frame since it won't have to pass fatigue testing that stock manufactured frames must pass.
- Stock manufactured will be less expensive.
After you figure if you are going custom or stock manufactured, then you need to find a frame that has the geometry that you like.
Posters can list all sorts of options, but if you like a quick turning bike then a bunch of slower high trail suggestions don't help.
Part of geometry will be tire clearance. It sounds like you will want a 35-42mm tire clearance, but that's a guess.
Norco Search 725
Kona Rove LTD
Ribble CGR 725
Breadwinner
Ritchey Road Logic
Ritchey Swiss Cross
Brother Cycles
Fairlight Secan
Fairlight Strael
All City Zigzag
All City Cosmic Stallion
Jamis Renegade
Mason Resolution
Condor Bivio Gravel
Etc etc.
A stock manufactured gravel steel frame will not be light, even if it's an 853 frame or something similar. It will be overbuilt because it has to be in order to pass fatigue testing.
If I were to go custom, I would start with Breadwinner. I would also then look at local builders in my region. There are a lot, you just need to Google around.
If you go stock manufactured and want road bike clearance the Ritchey Road Logic, All City Zigzag, and Fairlight Strael would be where I would start as all are quality and have different geometries.
If you want stock manufactured gravel tire clearance then Fairlight Secan, Jamis Renegade, and Ritchey Swiss Cross would be four great ones to start with since all are high quality and geometry will vary.
I really appreciate this feedback as well as the feedback throughout the thread! Sorry for delayed responses - the forum doesn't allow newish members to post regularly. To answer some of the above questions:
- $4k for a completed for frame? Either way. My wife and I are both looking at bikes, and in the ideal world, getting something that is tailored to our bodies and needs is extremely attractive. We wouldn't even mind spending up to $6k given that this bike would be a purchase that we would cherish for decades to come.
- I have looked up all sorts of shops. I live in rural Mississippi, and there isn't many bike custom shops of note within a close distance. Thomson is in Macon, GA which is only about 5 hours from here which isn't awful.
- We would like to go custom if we can afford it given that we were already planning on dropping $3.5-$4k on a production bike like the Giant mentioned in the original post. When we add another set of wheels and tires, we would be looking at pushing $5k overall. Why not go a bit further and get something custom?
- The problem being is that there are a plethora of custom shops around. Breadwinner seems fantastic on everything I can find. Speedvagen seems cool, too, as did IndyFab, Ritte, Horse, and a host of others. However, I have no idea what separates them out. We want a bike that is well made, could handle centuries on the road and on the gravel, could do a few overnight trips by bike, and to join in on our club rides.
Thanks all!