Drillium Dude 

Dunno how rare they are, but they're the bomb:





DD

randyjawa 

These days I seek bikes with chrome lugs and socks. I have a few in my little collection.

1958 Rabeneick from Germany, top dog in the kennel...



1968 Legnano Grand Premio, second from top of the line...


1969 Torpado entry level and one of my favorite bikes...




And this summer's intended restoration project, unless someone buys it first (a 1971 Bianchi but a bit to big for me). No chrome socks but a lovely and rare integral headset...



Cheap? Only if you get lucky. Wanna get lucky? Mention your interest to EVERYONE you know. Mention your interest to your parents friends. I call this the "Word of Mouth" method and, believe it or not, it works pretty good once or twice. Bonne chance.

steelbikeguy

I like that chromed head tube! Very unique and clever, and I'm guessing that someone at Raleigh figured out that it only required half of the masking that chroming the head lugs would require.

I've always wondered what sort of production techniques Raleigh (and others) used to make masking easier. They did a lot of frames with contrasting panels, as well as the numerous contrasting bands on the Pro's seat tube. Perhaps they had some sort of tape that was die cut to the correct shape for the lug or other masked area??



Steve in Peoria (still harboring lustful thoughts about the Raleigh Pro)

Fahrenheit531 

Uncommon, but not especially rare.

smd4

I'm not even sure I'd say "uncommon."

"Less common?" "Not as many as painted lugs?" "Some companies did them, some didn't?"

seypat

Maybe the more important question is:

How rare are chrome lugs...............in really good condition.

Kabuki12

I have three bikes that have chrome lugs, and , yes they are cool. I have a 1972 ItalVega , a 1973 Windsor Pro , and a 1973 Super Mondia Special. And they are special to me not just because of the chrome lugs but it certainly helps.

steelbikeguy

a very valid point!
That's certainly an argument for picking up a used Waterford (or similar) with stainless steel lugs. Quite attractive and they won't start rusting a few years later.
Stainless dropouts are nice too!

Steve in Peoria

Bad Lag

I haven't seen any recent production bikes with chrome lugs or chrome plating, so, the supply is fixed. As more and more bikes are produced and the supply of chromed bikes diminishes over time, they become increasingly rare.

The various stainless steels I have been playing with are really quite soft. They might be okay for lugs but overall, it seems to me, you wouldn't want stainless tubing and probably not dropouts, either. Then, there is the issue of easily galled threads which can be a killer.

smd4

Well, the Cinelli Supercorsa still has chrome lugs and copious plating...

oneclick 

On a Rampar-built Raleigh recently I noted a white plastic (vinyl) sticker used to make the head tube contrast with the painted frame, looked die-cut and was an exact fit in between the head lugs.

Dean51 

'76 Schwinn Volare..."The Japanese Paramount".

IMG_3765

bamboobike4

+1
Cinelli Super Corsa
Colnago Master
I'm not sure of others.

As far as rarity, maybe medium rare.
Some are quite affordable, depending on where you live...
Raleigh Internationals with Nervex
Centurion Pro Tour and Semi Pro
Centurion Equipe (basically a Cinelli)
Mondonico
Motta? (not sure)
Colnago Super and Superissimo
Cinelli Super Corsa
Colnago Master (in one form or another)

Then there are some with chrome accents almost as noticeable as lugs (seat stay caps, fork crowns).
There are also many brands that came with chrome forks and then just accents on the dropouts, etc.
Plus some with chrome stays and not lugs, like Raleigh Racing USA Series, some Lotus, Centurion Turbo.
I'm sure I've missed some.

I remember a K-Mart model, the All-Pro, that had a lot of chrome on it.

seypat

Don't forget about the bikes that are fully chrome under the paint.

martl

eh? between 1940 and 2000, many medium level and almost every high end steel frame had chromed lugs, if not, that was the exception rather than the rule (my 1980 PY for example). It became less because of rerasons mentioned above, the masking is a pita, as is getting the paint to stick to chrome., the process has been heavily regulated because some of the chemicals involved are super nasty stuff. also the bikes sold today are welded Aluminum, Titanium, so there are no lugs, and CFK don't chrome plate so well

but from the happy land of no EPA they are still available
https://de.aliexpress.com/item/1005002897830738.html

There also are boutique framebuilders who use stainless steel lugs and polish them to a similar shine, but that is rare.

smd4

Mine are in mint condition; however, I am meticulous about keeping the bike clean and waxed.

bamboobike4

I like it.
Good riding, even without fine Corinthian leather.

Andy_K 

The metal isn't generally polished where the chrome wasn't intended to be shown. Sometimes it still looks good, sometimes not. When I got this Pinarello Montello it had no paint at all. Everything looked pretty good except the lugs, so I went the other way.



Here's a pic that shows the problem with the lugs.

seypat

Whew, that's hot!

smd4

Excellent choice. That looks like the way it should have been painted.

seypat

A former member sent me this frame. The paint is rough in places. The paint is gone from the TT cable guides. You can see the chrome coming through along the TT. It actually enhances the look I was going for with the build. It's a Road Warrier.

genejockey 

Well, if we're showing off, then....

Mrs. Peel on her first long Sunday ride, at Frenchman's tower along Old Page Mill Rd.

tiger1964 

But wouldn't you want to meet the guy in the Marketing Department with the nerve to name a Maxy-equipped bike "Semi Pro"?

Wildwood 

'If there's a top line = Windsor, why not market a lesser line?', asks Marketing?
In America if you close the deal you win, details matter less.
Sales&Marketing probably pushed the chrome head lugs on a top line Carabela, too.

or it could be....

Produced in Mexico = translation glitch?
Correct translation = Not-Pro (at least in the large size I owned)
"Semi"-Pro; therefore, Semi-OK.

Wildwood 

@genejockey - Wasn't Ms. Peel British? Regardless, nice bike!

How do you like the Giros?