Global Cycling Network I quite like it. my steel 80s road bike is super comfy and eclipses my very stiff aluminium frame for comfort over long easy miles
@mediumrick76677 жыл бұрын
I've had carbon frames, titanium frames, steel frames and aluminum frames over the years. The only ones I didn't care for the ride of were aluminum. No more aluminum for me.
@wierdalien17 жыл бұрын
Medium Rick what didnt you like about aluminium frames?
@NewYorker799247 жыл бұрын
Had a steel frame bike commuting to college . . . and still have it 20yrs later. It has big 1.5 inch tires and a great ride. Custom gearing but a little rust on the chain stays. Love it till the rust god takes it away. Did have one wreck, which destroyed the front wheel but no damage to the frame or fork. She is heavy but a blast to ride fast downhill with the tall gearing :)
@WillEyedOney7 жыл бұрын
Still riding steel bikes, mainly because I can't afford to replace them. :)
@seattlegrrlie6 жыл бұрын
Let's be honest, for most of us the extra weight isn't coming from the bike. It's on our hips 😜
@mikes19843 жыл бұрын
my extra weight is from a certain appendage
@NotShowingOff3 жыл бұрын
@@mikes1984 then I wouldn’t bike at all. Those saddles suck
@jwrobin212 жыл бұрын
What about people who are over 6'6" (2 m)?
@RiderBlitz1.02 жыл бұрын
😂😂😂😂😂
@pwood57332 жыл бұрын
Mine is not coming from my brain lol
@geoffduke23814 жыл бұрын
As a builder of steel frames I have to say this is a really good article. I have to agree that a lot of people do rave about "how good steel rides "' and " the feel of steel". I don't disagree that this s true but believe that the geometry of the frame plays a huge part in this . This is where custom comes into it. If you want that feeling, approach a custom builder ( small self promotion here) and talk about your needs. Make sure they hear what YOU are asking for. Be prepared to pay more for that experience and possibly wait a while because a well made item takes time, but look forward to not being disappointing in the end
@charliedillon14007 жыл бұрын
I was hit by a car while riding my 2002 Bianchi Chromo Lite. I dove away from the bike while the driver ran over my rear wheel. Crushed Campy wheel and rear derailleur. The derailleur dropout was bent in at a 90 degree angle. Took it to the shop and they bent the dropout back into shape with a crescent wrench. Checked the angles and have ridden it for six years since with no issue. Carbon frame would have been in pieces.
@wierdalien17 жыл бұрын
Charlie Dillon I assume this was steel not aluminium
@darkiee697 жыл бұрын
The "Chromo" in the name implies it. (CrMo steel)
@stevebradbury9847 жыл бұрын
That a carbon frame would have been in pieces is just speculation on your part. A car ran in the back of me, completely destroyed the wheel and damaged the rear derailleur but did nothing to the carbon frame, not even a bent drop-out. The frame is still going strong over 20 years later. Who knows what would have happened if I had been on a steel frame; I don’t because I wasn’t. In some accidents frames get damaged and in others they don’t, irrespective of the material.
@charliedillon14007 жыл бұрын
Did you have a replaceable derailleur hanger by chance? My point was my frame was bent to a full 90 degree bend, sat for a few days, and was bent back with a wrench. Carbon ain't doin' that. Anyway, glad you were lucky and got some good use out of your frame!
@stevebradbury9847 жыл бұрын
The hanger is an integral part of the dropout, but no, everything was fine.
@NielsHeldens7 жыл бұрын
Since there has been a lot of chemistry on this channel I think that physics should make a comeback on GCN. Maybe even make a video about the laws and theories of physics that apply to cycling(maybe even doing some calculations). I am ofcourse willing to help make such a video. I will only do it on these conditions: I want a GCN bottle, a canyon Aeroad disc, Matt's wig, a bottle of chanel no. 5, a Norwegian flag and a Si v.s. Dan lightsaber duel on Mustafar with Dan playing Obi-Wan and Si playing Darth Vader(Anakin). These terms are ofcourse negotiable.
@traviswrigg51587 жыл бұрын
Don't back down. All of those terms are definitely reasonable.
@r.sulfuratus7 жыл бұрын
I fully support your claims. Can Lasty please be Emperor Palpatine then? And if Matt wants to be included too, he can be Padme, so we can have the whole scene.
@NielsHeldens7 жыл бұрын
sulfuratus that was implied.
@richym20207 жыл бұрын
What will be in the GCN bottle, and what will be stuffed down the tubes of the Canyon. That is what we really want to know? How
@FlatSpinMan7 жыл бұрын
Niels Heldens It is rare to be in the presence of true genius.
@nikhilrm7 жыл бұрын
GCN I think the one bit about the steel bikes that was missed out, is how long they last in comparison to carbon and aluminum frames. Steel frames live multiple decades and I guess no other material but for Titanium will last as long.
@karlfonner75897 жыл бұрын
Nikhil Ram Mohan i've got a relay bicycle that was made in Nottingham prior to the war still ride it runs good
@mikiandfriends18204 ай бұрын
Plus small dmg and aluminium or carbon is likely scrapped
@nayr4977 жыл бұрын
I own steel, aluminum and carbon road bikes. They're all fun to ride. But, I do have a soft spot for narrow-tubed steel bikes with box rims, likely because I grew up watching Le Tour in the late 80s on ESPN when I was on summer break. My Tommasini Diamante has the Columbus Multi-Shape tubeset; my Casati Laser uses the Columbus Genius tubeset, and my De Bernardi uses the Thron tubeset. I like the Casati the best, but that is just because overall it's the perfect bike for me/
@Merseysiderful4 жыл бұрын
I rode the same aluminium mountain bike frame for twenty years. As I am in my early fifties, I began to notice the frame stiffness more particularly over rough surfaces. I had an old 1997 full cromoly Gary Fisher Marlin frame and recently transferred all the components from the aluminium frame. The bike although slightly heavier is much more lively as the frame and fork flex slightly over rough surfaces making riding more comfortable similar to Reynolds 531, Tange and Columbus tubing. I should have done it years ago
@DYCARBINE7 жыл бұрын
As a Materials Engineer, these recent videos are giving me stiffness in the pants. Where are you getting this information Si? Do you have a resident engineer in the GCN house?
@benstanden87847 жыл бұрын
Very much liking these engineering/design videos Si's been doing :D
@Maxmaxz7 жыл бұрын
Simon Richardson, a.k.a.. "Si Ri The Science Guy".
@Maxmaxz7 жыл бұрын
Simon is consistently brilliant in these technical vids. Truly putting the "Si" in "Science". Or, err... "Si-ence". :/
@holdencaulfied74925 ай бұрын
Damn, you stole my joke.
@sandstonewater7 жыл бұрын
After having 3 bikes, steel (reynolds 631), titanium (3al2.5v) and a high-end carbon bike, one had to be sold. Maybe not in terms of speed, but in terms of ride enjoyment and pleasure of getting on the bike early in the morning, the steel and titanium bikes made the carbon redundant.
@pastagreyhound7 жыл бұрын
I agree with you. I have everything from Tange Prestige, True Temper, Reynolds to Ti to Carbon as well as aluminum. I absolutely love my Reynolds 531 steel bike. But my GT Edge Ti is insanely comfortable. The carbon bike feels dead to me. I know a lot has to do with your tire width and pressure, but man, I love my steel and Ti bikes. I also admire the craftsmanship that goes into building a steel or Ti bike.
@noybiznatch7 жыл бұрын
How does the Reynolds 531 stack up against Reynolds 520? I'm considering buying the 2017 Jamis Renegade Expat but I'm second guessing the 520.
@pastagreyhound7 жыл бұрын
Sorry, I meant Reynolds 853, not sure why I typed 531. Not sure about the 520, never rode it. Good luck with your choice though!
@daveyponderosa95493 жыл бұрын
@@pastagreyhound 853 = Brilliant Tubes
@keithc95107 жыл бұрын
can you review bamboo as a frame material
@lmhr97 жыл бұрын
yes fam
@ChasingCornfields7 жыл бұрын
I'm no GCN but I live by and have meet the guys at BOO Bicycles, I plan to hit them up in spring to try the lot, road, commuter, CX, and MTB. They told me it shines best in MTB where you have a lot of torsional load on the frame that bamboo dampens a bit.
@nonfictionone7 жыл бұрын
wouldn't you get sick of being chased by Panda's?
@keithc95107 жыл бұрын
hahaha that comment made my day. but i dont think id have much of a problem living in Ireland. i hear the frame multiplies so buy one and you never have to worry about buying another frame again
@nonfictionone7 жыл бұрын
or you buy one for your kid and it grows with them so you never have to buy them another bike. Until they get inadvertently munched by a Panda.
@danielday7136 жыл бұрын
Your KZbin clips never disappoint! What a great service you provide. I ride an old 1989 Cinelli during the shoulder seasons, and a carbon Colnago during the heat of the summer here in Canada. I truly enjoy riding both bikes. You're absolutely right in declaring that one cannot reach the conclusion that one material is better than the other. It depends. At age 56, I'm finding a greater affinity for steel because of the forgiving ride quality. Speed, on the other hand, diminishes with each passing year. LOL.
@mikemarinojax7 жыл бұрын
American framebuilder Rob English showed his 9.9-pound stainless steel road bike at the North American Handmade Bicycle Show last year. The possibilities with steel are endless. Just like carbon "frubber" or whatever Simon said. :)
@mj8976 жыл бұрын
Mike Marino Rob is British ex pat
@SurpriseMeJT7 жыл бұрын
Having owned all materials, it really does come down to the engineering and in the case of steel, tube selection and most of all - geometry but my favorite bikes to ride are my steel bikes.
@JohnAIDoe7 жыл бұрын
It's steel relevant.
@mustang19ms5 жыл бұрын
I in love with my columbus steel bike, I like how I feel every pour on the road. It weighs just under 10 KGs, for me it's as light as a feather, no need for carbon
@mattchung17 жыл бұрын
I started with an aluminum frame and moved to steel. Never looked back, steel is more comfortable. And at 8kg for the whole bike it's pretty light
@shannontrainer58574 жыл бұрын
But it's no longer durable.
@KandiKlover4 жыл бұрын
Shannon Trainer yes it is. Way more. Can carry. Tons of cargo too, that’s why touring bikes are made out of it.
@Bartooc4 жыл бұрын
@@shannontrainer5857 It's easily the most durable material you can make a bike from while aluminium being the least durable.
@shannontrainer58574 жыл бұрын
Kandi Klover That’s because those use much thicker steel. The Trek 920 is made out of... wait for it... aluminum.
@comdrive38653 жыл бұрын
@@shannontrainer5857 I would never call a trek 920 the best bike.
@disgruntledtoons7 жыл бұрын
Also, a steel frame, being ferrous, will set off the traffic control switch that is buried under the pavement at the intersection. Other materials aren't going to work so well.
@ripp3rjak9344 жыл бұрын
Are you being serious though? No wonder the lights didnt turn for me when I was on aluminum bike lmao
@tedjohansen6535Күн бұрын
@@ripp3rjak934 Try tipping it over on it's side. An engineer told me an orthogonal loop of metal works best to trigger a lot of them (different types of sensors so won't always work). I forget exactly how they they work - something to do with induction loops - so his rec was to tip the bike over on it's side to help trigger. I believe this is why motorcycles still have trouble despite being largely steel - it's the geometry (and cars have enough metal they don't need the geometry). Also look for grooves in the street to pinpoint the sensor - sometimes it's in the crosswalk. Another tip I heard - try securing an active RF anti-theft sticker/tag (can't be deactivated by cashier) from a store to the bottom of a chainstay. I think I was able to confirm that one worked for me, but only slightly scientifically. For camera-initiated traffic lights, I think you can turn the bike sideways, but I think they work better than the induction loops in the first place for bikes.
@pkelly200916 жыл бұрын
I love the history of steel as a bike frame material, it goes back 150 years. It might not be the best, but it is the original, and I really like it !
@tenettttt7 жыл бұрын
I've had 2 custom steel frames previously and a few factory made and got a carbon bike for last season. I was quite underwhelmed. Naturally the lesser weight does make it slightly faster uphill and on fast accelerations, which was expected, but the overall character of steel and it's capability to soak up uneven tarmac and sort of spring load your energy (if that makes sense) makes up for the weight penalty tenfold.
@nimeq7 жыл бұрын
The steel vs aluminium/carbon comfort is certainly a common feature bonus that I've heard about. The thing is, you can engineer all of the materials, within limits, to specific ride qualities. I just wonder how much of this is about customer preferences vs. actual material performance. That said, I've never ridden a steel frame road bike, they went out of mass market before I got interested. Getting one just for the experience (and switching frames once in a while) is certainly tempting.
@lokedhs7 жыл бұрын
nimeq titanium should give you even more comfort, at lower weight. I got myself a titanium MTB frame, and it definitely feels great. I'll definitely consider it for a road bike but it would be great to see a video where they talk about it, since they are less common and it's hard to find a bike to test
@TheModernMillennial7 жыл бұрын
As much as I love my two classic steel frame road bikes, I would jump at the opportunity to ride a titanium frame. As you said, though, they are exceedingly rare (even in bike-friendly Minneapolis) and they are expen$ive.
@zencycle67577 жыл бұрын
I've ridden and raced different steel, carbon, titanium and aluminum frames since I first started racing in 1987. By far, the most agile and high performance ride has been a Scott CR1 (saunier duval edition). This is in comparison to a Basso Gap (columbus SL), Kellogg (ishiwata 020), Giant Team TCR, and a Merlin Road, in addition to others such as Devinci, Fetish, and cannondale. I still have all these bikes, btw, in addition to several others. My comment is - if you didn't have your mind blown by the performance of a well--built carbon frame, you weren't riding a well built carbon frame. There really is _no_ comparison. There is a reason the pro's ride carbon, and it isn't because they're paid to. They ride the bike that will help them win. This is why you sometimes see a pro riding a bike with a name on it (usually the teams frame sponsor) that was built by someone else - and it's never a steel frame anymore.
@ivanboesky15207 жыл бұрын
Zen Cycle - Complete BS! Loads of high level national cross and road races are won on titanium, steel, and aluminum bikes each year. Pro's ride what the sponsors give them, and by and large the largest bike companies out there that have the $$$ to sponsor pro teams are pushing carbon fiber bikes because that's what they mass produce and make the most $$$ off of. I've ridden a Crumpton, a Parlee, and a custom Calfee and none of them blew me away with their performance. Used to have a Look 585 carbon fiber frame, a pretty well regarded frame ridden by several top euro teams. Nothing overly amazing about it either. Have ridden both Specialized S Works, and Cannonale CF bikes (both have been ridden by multiple TDF Pro teams). Again, nothing that blew me away or suddenly out of the blue made my performance shoot to the moon. At the end of the day it is always about the engine, and no carbon fiber frame including a Scott is going to suddenly make anyone worlds faster or worlds better. Components and wheels have gotten so light that any reasonably well built steel or ti frame with a CF fork and a nice set of light CF wheels and can easily be brought down to at or very near the UCI weight limit so there is no huge weight advantage either when you look at the total bike package. I have a steel Vanilla as one of many examples that with Dura Ace and my Zipp wheels is 14 lbs and change in a size that would be the equivalent of what most frame makers call a stock 57 size. And that bike rides as fast and as well as any of the "high foot" CF frames I have ever ridden including the Look, the Parlee, the Specialized, and the Crumpton, which are all regarded as very good CF frames. A guy name Alejandro Valverde (not a bad rider, LOL) rides a Canyon Ultimate, yet often trains on old school steel frames, and is on record saying he could easily ride several of those frames in races and be competitive with the right groupsets and wheels.
@timothybradek35605 жыл бұрын
Excellent video! As an old "Biker" friend would say.. "there's only two kinds of bikers in this world... those that ride Harleys, and those that don't"! The advantages... and the disadvantages are not "cut & dried", more personal preference. I learned a lot about steel, thanks.
@craigrohrer73374 жыл бұрын
I still have a Spectrum built for me by Tom Kellogg in 1986. It's 8 spd. DA equipped built for Crits. It is STILL the quickest handling, fastest responding, bike I own. Every time I bring it out I wonder why I'm not on it more.
@briancartoscelli80297 жыл бұрын
I ride steel everyday ... unless you're riding for competition there's really not much difference
@OliverPickard7 жыл бұрын
un less your racing super enduro bat shit intercontinental masacisam and then steel ftw
@danfuerthgillis44836 жыл бұрын
Brian Cartoscelli I race a carbon Sava bike but my training is 90% on a GMC Denali 6061 30 lbs alloy. People always ask me why are you so slow during training but win on race day? I point to their bike and say : Is that the bike you trained with ? Their answer is YES . I tell them next time take a backpack and add 18 lbs to it then go train and tell me how it goes. They storm off looking pissed.
@sharifnaddaf79916 жыл бұрын
If you train for same amount of the time, it doesn't matter on what bike, because the watt you produce will be the same just at lower speed. if you train at same distance then you are right, because you maintain the watt output for longer period time on a slower bike Sorry for my English :D.
@danfuerthgillis44836 жыл бұрын
Sharif Naddaf Indeed it's the same 40 km course. On the Carbon it feels like a joke. On the 14 kg road bike it is a challenge. In my opinion ( just me ) a 6 kg bike does not add enough resistence to train for maximum output on shorter courses. 14 KGS with 175 lbs + 25 km wind going 32 km/hr is not that easy to pull off. And you will need some legs to pull that off for 40 km straight. Not many can pull it off specially on a 14 kg bike with 32c tires . That is the type of training I do. This is why I train on a heavier bike as the resistence is passed to the legs much faster and your body has to maintain a constant flow of oxygen to maintain those speeds. Some pros actually do this type of training. They use the same bike but loaded with bottle weights. This type of training is never discussed because it really is only for top level cyclists who want to have that extra edge. Looking at Chris Froome for example if we both did a short 20 km course with 14 kg bikes Chris Froome would be dropped in the first km. However if we both did a 200 km course on 14 kg bikes ( full max output ) I would be dropping out at 70 km and would DNF. Different bodies , different tools. Long distance smaller weight and lighter bike. I am built more for track cycling so 200km runs are not possible ( at full max output).
@bingrusginckle6 жыл бұрын
Idk the times for pros haven’t changed much since they still all rode steel so I think in reality it’s just like carbon, quality is what matters not material
@yetifanuk5 жыл бұрын
Still loving my On One Inbred after 16 years.....
@deezynar4 жыл бұрын
Ages ago I commissioned a custom steel frame. One day I saw a stock bike that was the same size, so for curiosity, I put mine right next to it to compare tube lengths and angles. I couldn't see any difference. But that doesn't mean other custom frames are just hand made versions of stockers. It did show me that I could have saved a load of money by finding a store bike that fit me.
@davecalanda74114 жыл бұрын
After watching your video, reason I bought my Mongoose Maurice Plus 2018 last week ago - thanks to your very informative video - from Philippines 🇵🇭
@philg67577 жыл бұрын
Still riding my 92 Merckx Corsa,Columbus SL,team Motorola scheme and loving it,there`s rarely a ride that I go on that I don't have to clean off other riders saliva off it from all the drooling. Steels not real,it`s unreal.
@bradsanders69545 жыл бұрын
My 1990 MASI is the same,Ive ridden it a whole lot and it doesnt have a scratch on it,killer paint and clear coat still looks new. Quad butted reynolds 753,silver soldered at low temp,internal lugs,MASI did some good work.
@thwangsworld11233 жыл бұрын
That's one beautiful bike you have
@protocollo7 жыл бұрын
I steel ride in winter my steel Bianchi 1998. When temperature is low (2°c-5°c) i feel the frame stiffer. But, when temperature change, out of the saddle i literally feel the frame torsion. Ma opinion is; power transfert is the worst point. Comfort... i don't now, in winter i ride less... Great video, thanks!
@sportbikejesus62975 жыл бұрын
I built a 15 lb bike with extra oversized 853 steel. Okay John Slawta built the frameset but I picked out all the parts and assembled it.
@nickadams89527 жыл бұрын
Great Article, thanks. Steel connects you to the heritage and romance of cycling. Just got hold of a Colnago Super frame circa 1982. She's a beauty.
@philward58277 жыл бұрын
Rave +1 :-) Still riding my 1980's frames on club rides with no problems at all.....
@bowsershark6 жыл бұрын
Phil Ward Me TOO
@EnergyTurtle1017 жыл бұрын
My bicycle(2014 Trek 520) and I survived a car incident. We are still moving great today. A Will of Steel along with a Frame of Steel make a perfect match.
@karlroberts31793 жыл бұрын
Definitely the most informative and credible source of bicycling information that I’ve seen. I’ve watched most of your videos, as well as many others, and consider yours among the best. Thanks.
@charlesarchuleta58922 жыл бұрын
One of your better, entertaining, informing issues. Thank you.
@claytonbennett77976 жыл бұрын
Quality content, keep this bloke on payroll.
@jorgea.garzav46507 жыл бұрын
My three first bikes were steel, the third one (my first serious one) were chromoly. I loved her.
@RobBastien5 жыл бұрын
I don't know who thinks about GCN's video subjects but he (or she) needs a hefty raise. Good job !
@dantemalla37537 жыл бұрын
I'm enjoying my 7005 alum bike with T800 carb fork. But I have to say there are still lots of moments when I'm missing my custom Tange 1 cromo bike. Indeed, there is a certain magic only a good steel frame can deliver.
@davidfleming69427 жыл бұрын
The informative shows on steel, carbon, and aluminum frames have been great. Has there been or will there be one on titanium? Thanks.
@WallyMay2357 жыл бұрын
Nice video Si, a few things I would like to point address, fatter tubes are not more prone to buckling assuming that the wall thickness is the same. Fat tubes are generally going to be thinner to compensate for the weight, because increasing diameter increases stiffness more than increasing wall thickness. However, if you make the wall thickness too thin, then you start play with potential impact problems, so you have to balance it. Next point, "elastic response" might be easier to explain as a material damping coefficient. Any material can be described as a spring and damper system. This results in a (very slight) suspension effect. A direct comparison is your modulus is your spring rate and your internal damping coefficient is well, your damping coefficient. So think of changing tube sizes, shapes and materials as changing the pressure, compression and rebound settings on your mountain bikes shock. If I finish my homework, maybe I will do a design of experiments on frame design: comparing over-sized BB's to standard, how and where seat stays attach to the bike and seeing how that effects vertical compliance and torsional stiffness (popular buzz words in the cycling industry). It might take a few weeks to complete but if you guys would like to do a video on the results, I would be happy to share them.
@simonrichardson52597 жыл бұрын
Wally May Yeah we'd love it, thanks!
@astrayagrarian7 жыл бұрын
Same here
@tommahnke4 жыл бұрын
Thank you for featuring a Campy equipped bike. Gets old seeing same old SHRAMANO equipped bikes.
@steffenmutter2 жыл бұрын
I had them all. Carbon frames, aluminium frames and steel frames. In my humble opinion no material can beat the ever lasting effect of a steel frame. Just got an old Columbus Aelle frame from the 1980th, the colour was removed and I measured the frame before reinking it. Apart of some small barely visible dents there was no sign it has ever been used before and it was perfectly straight. So if you don't want to compete with pros or ambitous amateurs a steel frame is always a good choice - as you may also inherit it...
@VegasCyclingFreak7 жыл бұрын
That's a sweet ride in your video there GCN
@greggpedder7 жыл бұрын
Steel most definitely is real! 👍. I ride a Mason Resolution and the ride quality is absolutely beautiful! Yes my Madone is lighter and faster, but I feel it lacks one important quality that the Steel Mason has LOADS of... Character! Just sublime.
@kellrockets1015 жыл бұрын
Good to hear about the Resolution....I was looking at getting a Mason bike
@scottmcelhiney3234 жыл бұрын
I still have my first custom built Ciocc from 1985... it's a thing of beauty and rides like a dream. 6 speeds in the rear with Shimano 600 SIS first itteration. Only issue after a 1/4 century was having a drop tube shifter fail and I found a new old stock one at a local bike shop that has been around longer than I have (and I'm about to turn 56.)
@Digiphex4 жыл бұрын
I rode a 50 pound Schwinn Fastback Stingray with a 5 speed stick shift as a kid. I did 10 miles a day on my paper route. I have considered all 30 lb. bikes a blessing ever since.
@dougmoore39697 жыл бұрын
Passoni Light Steel is my ride and it is nothing short of amazing.
@elliotharpour80617 жыл бұрын
5:12 ' Carbon fribreh frame '
@ireallylovegod7 жыл бұрын
thanks for that pmsl niice
@westinthewest5 жыл бұрын
0:44 'Maganese'
@williamkeys57017 жыл бұрын
There is most definately something to be said for a well made steel bicycle frame. I've seen some beautiful lugged steel frames in my day. But I'm an equal opportunity bike snob. I like beautiful bikes regardless of frame material.
@berenicebaker71912 жыл бұрын
Oh I was so pleased to read your comment. I just think that steel bikes are aesthetically pleasing, and thought I must just be some kind of nut!
@skooterbrah5 жыл бұрын
I had the luxury of having a steel bike custom built for me. I have owned many bike before, and since, made of all sorts of materials, but none have even remotely compared to the steel frame.
@ZOB46 жыл бұрын
The welds on that frame are f'ing amazing. A hell of a lot of care went in to making that frame.
@marc-andrelavoie75947 жыл бұрын
That Saffron is a beauty!
@rollinrat48506 жыл бұрын
Marc-André Lavoie A customer brought a Saffron into my shop. It was one of the prettiest bikes Ive ever seen !!
@chunhaylee6 жыл бұрын
The fancy internal cable routing- doesn't that open up the tubes to rust internally?
@thatalaskaguy4 жыл бұрын
I love steel bikes. I own four of them and there really is a difference in ride, they have a very nice ride and have a spring feel to them that propels you forward. Steel is real.
@lewis726 жыл бұрын
The polar section modulus was well presented. I've got a stack of steel roadies... 1989 Raleigh Record Ace [ Reynolds 653 ] 1985 Raleigh Road Ace [ Reynolds 531 ] 1985 Raleigh Competition [ Reynolds 531 ] 1985 Raleigh Sirocco [ Reynolds 501 ]
@oskarssativum7 жыл бұрын
I agree that steel is real. I ride Trek 520 for one year and it's more comfortable than the couch. Now I can go 100 km on "washboard" gravel without any problems.
@fordkend3 жыл бұрын
Thanks for your most interesting video. I enjoy your work. Much that recommends steel is lightly touched on here. Research over, say, the past five to ten years has suggested that a bike with the right kind of flex -- a flex that steel bikes with thin walls delivers -- yields higher performance. It gives back, especially during intense performance, say, hill climbing. Jan Heine in the U. S. terms this phenomenon "planing". You just hinted at this with "springiness". I suspect that the blind devotion to stiffness has gone by the way side in light of what I mention this. Also, the weight argument against steel is real, but not strong. Often it's the equivalent of the difference between a water bottle full or empty.
@seancolwell38157 жыл бұрын
I have 4 hardtail mountain bike frames all steel. 2 custom built. Reynolds 853 and True Temper OX Platinum (which is no longer made). I have owned Aluminum and Carbon frames. But will always prefer steel frames. Can't beat the ride quality and they last forever. Sadly once the custom builders I know are gone so are the custom steel frames.
@phillwhitlam69997 жыл бұрын
An excellent video, interesting and entertaining to watch. Keep em coming Si. One thing you forgot to mention is they are bombproof and you can customise them yourself. As a youngster starting back in the dark ages of the late sixties we used to get old frames strip the paint off and build them up into one off masterpieces. These we used to train and race on. Great fun and made a decent machine accessible even when you didn't have a sponsor or deep pockets. Also provided a great grounding and understanding of the basics of how to maintain your own bike. I can clearly remember on great masterpiece of an old Claud Butler frame lovingly stripped of its old rusty paint, sanded down and hand sprayed. A new set of transfers bought and put on then. the greatest expense was a set of decent secondhand Mavic hubs and rims with some tubs. I'll stop swinging the lamp now. great video as I said.
@TheCRB12347 жыл бұрын
You missed the most important point. That silhouette!!!! How often do you see and ugly steel bike?
@rollinrat48506 жыл бұрын
Steel IS real! Its tried, true and proven for 100 plus years. Its recyclable and EASILY repairable in most places in the world. IF steel fails it bends before breaking, it doesn’t shatter and throw you on the ground. Working in a shop I rarely see failed steel frames. We warranty or do crash replacements on carbon frames all the time. The bike industry simply cant afford to properly engineer ,produce and ensure the quality of composite bikes. They use consumers as guinea pigs. They give you crap like press fit BBs and internal cable routing and call it an upgrade! How do I know? I worked as a machinist building carbon components for satellites. I know what manufacturing carbon requires and its NOT affordable! Its merely marketing BS that youre fed.
@stokedmtb3334 жыл бұрын
Interesting. I’ve found that it’s the consumers who ultimately push the sales of carbon by demanding lighter materials, hidden cables, etc. It costs millions to manufacture the bikes so manufacturers simply aren’t going to do it if the demand is not there. True they will Do a test run of bikes to gauge demand but it’s ultimately up to the consumer. If the vast majority want alloy, then it’s what will dominate the market.
@KandiKlover4 жыл бұрын
Touring bikes are made of steel. They are reliable, low maintenance, and robust. You can beat/abuse them and they keep on going. Even after riding in the rain and not lubing the chain or anything but occasionally pumping the tires up for 2 years.
@vvviiixxx87454 жыл бұрын
Kandi Klover when you’re talking about not maintaining a bikes components (chain, derailleur, tubes, etc) you’re not really comparing frames anymore lol. Those components can be swapped out and have no relevance to this discussion looool.
@josboersema13523 жыл бұрын
When looking at what is available as perhaps an long term upgrade or replacement in case of theft or destruction for my “entry level” steel bicycle, I am reaching the conclusion that I need to hang on to my current bicycle for as long as I can, because they don't make them anymore as they used to. If you want steel including the fork and a horizontal top tube, your choice is almost nothing. It seems to be down in choice to the amazingly beautiful “Superleggera” made by Wilier (nice one!). The only option with choice and local availability seems to be titanium, which is rather expensive. The whole market for mid range bicycles which last well, seems to have gone down the tubes of aluminium or carbon fibre, and they all look like children's bikes with a sloping top tube, even though most people on “road bikes” (race bikes) are not competing in races. If anyone knows about more full steel road bikes, please leave a clue. People who aren't even racing, care too much for the last bit of speed, while disregarding the environment and the longevity / repair of the item. My “road bike” is 11.5 kg, which is just a few kg heavier than aluminium ones, which is about 2-3% of the total weight. This is marginal for all but people in competition, isn't it. Try beating the feeling of overtaking people on top end plastic bikes, on the beautiful harmony of a “real” bike, obviously a little heavier than theirs ! ;-P Literally everyone who sees my steel bike says “whoaaaa that is beautiful !” Conclusion: an entry level Bianchi (gold race special) made in 2000, is today at the top of the line in bicycles for people who are not competing. Because the building overall frame building just went *down* so much since then, just as it did for fixed gear commuter bikes, once Gazelle gave up on their craft (they now build their old version again, which is and will always be a superb bicycle). Most people want shiny throw away crap. You see this everywhere. The market for quality is tiny. I guess titanium is the future than, since it combines most of the benefits. I read alimunium does not deal with metal fatigue and eventually gives way. For me that's a non-starter. I don't even look at aluminium frames anymore after that, plus it is apparently hard to repair. Who needs a bicycle which will eventually fail, even if that is in 20 years, but for sure ? I don't understand people.
@SmurfPerfect3 жыл бұрын
Nothing rides like steel. Have ridden aluminum, full carbon, chromoly. All of it. For me, steel feels better than anything. Weight trade off is absolutely worth it.
@AndyRetroGamer4 жыл бұрын
I have now 4th steel bike and its great!
@valentinonguyen46097 жыл бұрын
it's snowing where I live and I tried biking and I fell in a hole -_-
@thoughtyness7 жыл бұрын
LameBeluga _23 That is precisely why you look as far ahead as you can and not 2-3 feet in front of you.
@BurnoutWien6 жыл бұрын
Thoughtyness so looking into the sky would be the best ? while technicly the sky is the most far away objekt i can look at ? doesn't sound that save to me :P
@timeslowingdown6 жыл бұрын
Thoughtyness The point was that the hole was not visible due to snow covering it...
@vinceking78785 жыл бұрын
Hilarious comments here
@ripp3rjak9344 жыл бұрын
Is the bike okay?
@D.Eldon_7 жыл бұрын
Nice video. Thanks. I will always choose a steel frame over an aluminium frame. I still have my Fuji quad-butted steel frame from 1985. Excellent frame!!! Regarding the comparison of tube size and thickness, I think some important points were omitted. Because aluminium is so much weaker than steel and aluminium has the nagging problem of fatigue (which, unlike steel and titanium, accrues at very low levels of stress), aluminium tubes must be made much thicker than steel. In fact, mechanical engineers are forced to design aluminium frames with much higher safety margins to account for this. So there is precious little weight advantage for a quality aluminium frame vs. a quality steel frame. P.S. As much as I like steel, my first choice today is composite. My main road bike has a composite carbon frame and I'd love to try one with graphene when it becomes affordable. Si hit the nail on the head when he acknowledged that much of a frame's ride quality is in the design and quality of manufacture. Most of my experience has been with high-quality frames for general-purpose racing. When comparing steel to aluminium to titanium to composite, you must make sure that you are comparing apples to apples. There is a huge variety in each (especially aluminium and composite).
@MicheleFerrariAX7 жыл бұрын
my first proper road bike was a steel Scapin. same frame ridden by Gibo to win in the giro 2001. Lovely bike, still have it
@jasonp32534 ай бұрын
WOW, you just brought me back to my Strength of Materials class in engineering school.
@gulfcitynd7 жыл бұрын
steel is plush and very good for rougher roads and its easy to fix if you know how to weld
@Bartooc4 жыл бұрын
Well to be fair you can weld aluminium too but chances are it will brake there in 1000km.
@comdrive38653 жыл бұрын
@@Bartooc Aluminium will break sooner and the frame will never feel as good after 10 years. Steel however, can feel as good as when it rolled off the shop.
@mattosullivan73567 жыл бұрын
steel is an amazing material i only ride steel if you never rode a propper steel bike i highly recomend you do
@Mike968CS3 жыл бұрын
This is actually a great technical summary of the properties of steel 👍🏼
@brianasselta92377 жыл бұрын
Great vid. I have 2 old peugeots one UO8 that is steel and a PS10 which is 531 reynolds. They ride wonderfully!
@TC-nc5ru5 жыл бұрын
I’m a big guy and steel is all I ride. Everything else wobbles and twists with every crank
@KillersFromTheWest4 жыл бұрын
Have you tried a high end carbon bike? One with thick tubes? I have a full carbon bike Nike (used to have chromo, steel, and aluminum). All the bikes were fun and I rode them all into the ground, but one think I noticed about the carbon bike is it’s intense stiffness. Tho I’ll say, some carbon bikes are designed to flex in certain areas to give the rider more comfort, it’s called Carbon Fiber Tuning. They can make the bike as stiff as they want, or make it flex. Try to find a stiff carbon frame (race variant, they don’t flex so much)
@KillersFromTheWest4 жыл бұрын
Sorry just realized this is a year old reply.
@comdrive38653 жыл бұрын
@@KillersFromTheWest Do you have a specific name of bike that has stiff carbon frame, what do you ride?
@EloraBlue7 жыл бұрын
Love my Surly LHT. For a touring bike I don't think there's anything better than steel.
@lmhr97 жыл бұрын
graphine.
@richym20207 жыл бұрын
A 183g graphene frame.
@bigring64246 жыл бұрын
famous for its chainstays that crumple with kick stand clamps. Might as well have carbon. Really though I like steel, just don't know why surly is so stubborn about saving a few grams on their chainstays. Seems they've just become dug in on being right on it.
@Lehmann10820 күн бұрын
Diving into a corner at top speed on a quality racing steel frame.....OMG, smooth as butter.
@tedolphbundler7243 жыл бұрын
My Gios Super Record is 35 years old and just as comfortable to ride as it was the day I built it up. I doubt that a plastic bike would even be safe to ride after that many years. The weight issue is a red herring. The frame weight is only about 20% of the total weight of the bike. You can save weight elsewhere where it doesn't effect safety and comfort.
@yoda1123587 жыл бұрын
Upcoming: Titanium.
@Cloudrak6 жыл бұрын
There already is titanium like on Litespeed bikes.
@pascccccaaaalllljear4 жыл бұрын
Upcoming²: Magnesium
@KandiKlover4 жыл бұрын
Magnesium
@Bartooc4 жыл бұрын
Upcoming: Scandium the least known frame material
@duncandehulst20167 жыл бұрын
So carbon is for weight whiny's, aluminum is for people that cant afford carbon and steel is for the tough guys that just want a great bike for what they do best... Riding... Seems legit
@QuickQuips7 жыл бұрын
Yep, steel's the best material for commuting.
@OliverPickard7 жыл бұрын
there are people who ride steel and ti and then a bunch of people who dont know what there missing lol
@sdolman797 жыл бұрын
Duncan De hulst wow your so tough and strong, I inspire to be as great as you
@duncandehulst20167 жыл бұрын
Steven Dolman lol you dont have to obey me my friend :)
@jeffk4647 жыл бұрын
Basically aluminum gets close to the rigidity of carbon fiber frames without the high cost. Steel, well good luck even finding one in your average local bike store. Also aluminum can easily be melted down and turned into other products when the bike is end of life. I think the best bike for commuting is the 15 year old bike that nobody really wants to steal(not steel) anymore.
@leopoldoparada764 жыл бұрын
Dear Simon, thanks for this video which makes justice to modern steel frames technology.
@pauldegrandis7 жыл бұрын
I have a late 80's Bianchi Campione, an early 80's Motobecane (fixed gear), and a 2002 Motobecane -- All lovely steel. The Bianchi is a dream to ride. These days I spend most of my time on a 2014 Lynskey (w/ campy Chorus/Record build out, Chris King headset, Wound Up forks, Fizik saddle, Campy Eurus wheels). It's all about comfort.
@mudathirg7 жыл бұрын
steel frame +campy = perfection
@gjmob7 жыл бұрын
+ Columbus Gilco.
@eddie95ee4 жыл бұрын
Carbon plus 105=perfection without rhe pricetag
@worbed7 жыл бұрын
Steel is real but Ti is fly!
@AndrewShackleton6 жыл бұрын
I've built two frames. Both OX Platinum. My XXL road frame is just over 4 lbs. Bike is 19 with pedals. A great material to work with!
@bicyclist26 жыл бұрын
I used to ride a lugged steel Bianchi Aloro. The first bike I bought for myself. Now I ride a lugged carbon LOOK. From personal experience carbon is best for racing and steel and Ti for long distance riding. Thanks.
@krsma2367 жыл бұрын
i had steel ram but i changed it to the aluminum its way easier to climb uphill with alimunium so i coulndt belive myself.
@stevensantana80495 жыл бұрын
I have a Bianchi Pinella 2005 steel born, been riding it for 13 years now has not rust at all very good frame that I'm riding
@marcusfollosco39864 жыл бұрын
I like my vintage road bike.Centurion Elite GT .steel frame Suntour, and fork Tange pure Japan.
@goosegoose53615 жыл бұрын
One thing you didn’t mention which is one of the most important factors of steel is its fatigue characteristics. Steel (without corrosion) can in theory last forever, under a certain stress steel can withstand any number of stress cycles, aluminium however no matter how much stress it receives will fatigue over time ending in catastrophic structural failures.
@_xO_Ox_5 жыл бұрын
I agree aluminum is the most dangerous material you can use for biking, I'm writing this from experience and I've used steel, aluminum and carbon.
@Metal-Possum7 жыл бұрын
It sounds like you're an advocate for carbon fibre throughout most of this, given how reluctantly you were to tout the benefits of steel. Rust is mostly solved by using stainless steels, such as Reynolds 953 or similar. Repairs on steel are much easier to guarantee, carbon repairs are a very risky business, and carbon itself is prone to many invisible flaws straight out of the factory.
@simonrichardson52597 жыл бұрын
Alex Paulsen Well it's tricky because steel just doesn't trump carbon in many areas at all. Yes stainless doesn't rust but man alive is it expensive. You can buy cheap carbon but not cheap stainless. Also, from what I'm told stainless is hard to re-weld, whereas actually carbon repair is very secure. Can't argue with your last point but mas sproduced steel bikes also break.
@Metal-Possum7 жыл бұрын
Simon Richardson 21 years later and my steel frame is still going strong. Composites are the future of lightweight bicycles, but the touring and randouneuring guys will definitely have a strong bias to "reliable" old steel. Either way, both are still more enjoyable than aluminium. Carbon repairs are still a specialist repair, especially if you want to be able to trust it. Any good frame builder can probably reweld one of their own frames and guarantee it.
@shmvon7 жыл бұрын
It's perhaps the only thing I don't like about GCN and how cycling is evolving: all the buzz about technology and materials, all the needs and wants you're talked into (electronic shifters, hydraulic brakes, sliders on your frame, 'aero'). That's not what cycling is about for me. That's as fascinating as hearing a carpenter talk about windows.
@ronaldfurr31325 жыл бұрын
Old has been triathlete here. IMO it is all about the training and bike fitting. When starting to hit the podium and the bike weight could truly make the difference between a gold , silver or bronze medal: then is the time to pony up the bucks for carbon. Of course I bought carbon wheels for race days at first opportunity. Carbon 404's made an obvious improvement for non draft legal triathlon racing.
@dogrudiyosun4 жыл бұрын
Steel is like an all around character/hero in gaming. Others are more case specific materials. Yet you can tank with an agility hero depending on your level(engineering/design/brand/model/ridingskill)
@mainzytrains99977 жыл бұрын
Steel all the way for myself
@jimmycooper73907 жыл бұрын
That bike is making me stiff.
@larryrobinson084 жыл бұрын
I love my Pegoretti Marcelo!
@cyclejockey43977 жыл бұрын
Thanks for the info guys. Always great videos !
@dansawyer11997 жыл бұрын
"sulfur", "aluminum", "fiber", "customizable". Y'all done got yourselves a subtitle writer from the US of A?
@gjmob7 жыл бұрын
And it will come back and bite you on the ass, wtf. This guy sure knows his ve- a-hickels!
@listofromantics7 жыл бұрын
As someone who rides an RLT 9 Steel, it is PLUSH!!!
@markstengel76805 жыл бұрын
Have a Nishiki Modulus SRT it's steel. Got it 1996 still runs great. Looking at Bianchi and Cannondale carbon or aluminium. Nice Presentation 🚲👍
@ayokay1234 жыл бұрын
2001 Steel frame Bianchi Eros (WSD) for a beginning female cyclist who may also use the bike to get around town in the city OR a carbon frame Trek 2018 Domane SL5 (WSD). Both are used, in super condition, and around the same $750 price. The former has old Campy Mirage, the latter has newer Shimano 105. I think of the Trek as leaning more toward road riding only and not really for city use, but I'd be curious to hear your opinion. My guess is that you're more of a roadie and would jump on the Trek immediately. Both my girl and I are in our 50's, so we aren't gonna be racing any time soon. ???
@juanbautista77417 жыл бұрын
steel is real
@lmhr97 жыл бұрын
real.. prone to rust
@darkiee697 жыл бұрын
Only if you don't do your maintenance every once in a while.
@HollyBoni7 жыл бұрын
Does that mean i'm not real? Wait, i'm typing this on a plastic keyboard. What's happening? Holy shit. I'M JUST AN ILLUSION
@granthardy28137 жыл бұрын
Juan Bautista I ride a Buff Mirage it is really steely good.
@richym20207 жыл бұрын
Prone to rust if you don't look after it probably and leave it out in the wet and damp! I know someone with a 50 year old steel frame. Resprayed looks great and no internal damage. Keep it dry and wipe it down after it gets wet. Superficial rust will form eventually, but can be removed. If you don't look after it, then yes it will rust badly after many years. If you don't shave or wash you will have a long beard and stink after a year! Look after your bike and it will look after you!