Why I Ditched My Super Bike For This 1980s STEEL Road Bike

[@mericanignoranc3551]

I was beginning to think the biking community was insane with their obsession with menial gains, good to see some common sense .

[@DavidCasebeer-wf8by]

My Mercian Prolugless (2004) with Record 11 set up, Mavic rims (32 x 3) is 8.3 kgs with everything but water in the bottles. Oh, it is 61 cm and I am 69 years young. Am I as fast? Not like when I was 75kgs and 23. But then I am an old goat. Also, stopping power with rim brakes on carbon is not great period, try an aluminum rim.

[@hanchi8710]

steel is real, but best for gravel. Too heavy for consistent speeds

[@obsidianclorox]

@@hanchi8710 Too heavy? It's only a few hundred grams heavier than a carbon bike with disc brakes. If you're slow you're slow, if you're fast you're fast. No amount of aero and/or weight bs is going to magically make you faster/slower

[@hanchi8710]

@@obsidianclorox 9.5kg is quite a bit heavier (2-3kg) than a lightweight carbon (around 7.1kg). For the price difference of course it's gonna be worth no argument there. Riding extremely hilly tours however like Passo Del Mortirolo or Passo Gavia are gonna be a pain that 2-3kg is gonna matter.

[@wandering_pete]

@@hanchi8710 2.5kg does sound like a lot, but most people won't notice the difference. As for riding hilly terrain, that's more about the rider, their own weight, their climbing ability, and their own strength. For me, with the amount of weight training I do, I doubt I'd notice.

[@333wheeler]

External cables and rim brakes (use alloy rims mate ) are game changers when it comes to service time and lack of headaches.. Nice bike it has great character .

[@stephensaines7100]

[ (use alloy rims mate ) ] For a bike like this, I couldn't agree more. What this machine is besides the retro look is durable. And the carbon rims aren't that, let alone stopping power. It's serendipity that you mentioned that, as his calipers are dual-pivot, and on my Eighties Classic Reynolds 531 (Renovated by Argos late Eighties, original builder unknown) one of the best upgrades was to dual-pivot brakes and appropriate levers. And they work well in the wet. I built up my present wheels (36 db spoke for strength, I do cross county gravel as well as trails, back roads) on Mavic A319s some twelve years ago, running 28c 4 Seasons. Wheels have only needed one slight truing in that 12 years. For many people, a "racing bike" is the last thing they need, or can afford.

[@einundsiebenziger5488]

Rim brakes, yes. All external cables, not so much. I like cables hidden under the bar tape instead of them flapping around and the rear brake cable routed inside the top tube for a cleaner look and more comfortable carrying the bike over the shoulder instead of ugly clamps and miles of cable housing to increase friction.

[@markymarknj]

All my bikes have rim brakes with alloy rims. They stop me VERY well, TYVM! For the riding I do, I don't need discs.

[@yateswebb]

true but they aren't game changers, per se. That would imply they changed the game. External routing and rim brakes created the game. lol

[@brockjennings]

Bicycles of this era were built during the apex of my cycling journey. As such, they have a special place in my heart. It's nice to see a younger generation appreciate these frames despite not being cutting-edge.

[@TheSlowoldman]

Same here, and the are beautiful in a way frames these days can't match. Even though they outweigh todays bikes they appear so sleek and slim.

[@hananas2]

These frames might be older than I am, but I love riding one as my only road bike :) (with modern parts) There are still so many of these good quality old bikes in a sorry state for dirt cheap prices here in Belgium and I really have to stop myself or I'd buy them all to fix them up and get them on the road again.

[@rob-c.]

For the shifter clamps, just replace them with a pair of old ones meant for the size of handlebar. They’ll bolt through the Ultegra shifters just the same.

[@richcrompton6891]

Just perfection. I’d still go for aluminium rims though! I do like my brakes to slow me down when necessary!

[@markymarknj]

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@gam1471]

Dual pivot sidepulls are in my opinion as good as discs - I've used both.

[@gam1471]

Postscript: I've never used carbon rims, hence my comment applies to alloys only.

[@radfahrer875]

@@gam1471 As he said in the video carbon rims and rim brakes are bad when it is really soaking wet. First 30 to 50 feet after pulling the brake lever absolutely nothing happens. After that when the water is cleared of the rim you get some breaking. So you have to ride really anticipatory.

[@BuffsVintageBikes]

Welcome to the Vintage Bike Club, good to see a youngster willing to try something different and loving the ride quality of steel.

[@shafieklevy3175]

Steel is real.

[@MLRomo]

For a mortal as myself a bike that weights 9.5kgs is still very light. Love the build! And you probably love it because it is your own creation. 🍻

[@Andi_1966]

My neo Vintage Puch Mistral Equipe have 10,9kg.....with 2x9 and old Bontrager Wheels

[@supafrancis]

I was going to say the same... Any bike that is sub 20 lbs is feather light feeling to me when I'm in the saddle! but that's coming from an X mountain bike racer from the 90's

[@frankfotofilm]

I ride my dad's old steel bike from the 80s with downtube shifters^^ with 11 kilos and relatively heavy gearing it's a bit of a hustle going uphill but on the other hand I love the retro feeling and the look of it!

[@Rich_Mitch_Creative]

Stunning. As someone who recently refurbished a steel bike I found at the tip for the total cost of £190 to commute to and from work on. I love channels and publications like 'The Weekly' showing that you can really create a beautiful bicycle for a much more modest budget than the usual new off the peg bike in '24. Long live steel bikes and long live second hand gems.

[@JackY-pu5nh]

My custom Reynolds steel bike weights 9.5kg too! Except mine is with alloy rims and down tube shifters, but I really like the idea of “the modest protest” against ridiculously expensive super bikes.

[@user-ep6iw9he7e]

That sounds like a false dychotomy. Between 9.5 kg steel bike and modern superbikes there are bikes that are fairly light, good quality and aren't ridiculously expensive. Carbon Gaint TCR Advanced 2 could be found on discounts for about 1600 euro; Merida Scultura 4000 for about 1800 euro; Look 765 optimum for 2000 euro, just for example.

[@JackY-pu5nh]

@@user-ep6iw9he7e yes you’re right, but I built it myself and it only cost me about €700 in total, plus I really enjoy building it. Every part of the bike was chosen by myself.

[@murphykenji]

Downtube shifters are dope.

[@johnandrus3901]

Nice. I still ride my 1981 Miyata 1000, bought brand new. It's been upgraded to 105 and SPD and still rides like a dream. I'm 66 now and ride about 25 miles a day. Cantilever brakes, with proper pads, stop quite well, even when wet. I'm sure that they make pads for your carbon wheels that work well when wet, also. I upgraded my Kuwahara tandem in the same manner. Great bikes, all the way around.

[@peatyxxjxxx1494]

Just picked up a cheap Marinoni with the same idea. Lets start the bicycle resto mod revolution!!

[@FL-ym6hm]

Love the ingenuity to get this bike on the road. That’s a beauty. Thanks for sharing.

[@SeeYouUpTheRoad]

Well done mate! You're so young to have made the change to a 1992 bike lol! I love it!! I am only riding steel bikes and rim brakes as well. I am a bike shop owner that can ride a top tier bike from Basso, Bianchi or De Rosa but choose to ride my Ritchey Road Logics and Tommasini XCR steel bikes. Coke cans are incredible for shimming. Get yourself some HED Ardennes Black Alloy wheels with a textured brake track the braking performance is incredible. Carbon rim brake wheels in the wet were never a good idea hence why everyone thinks disc brakes are better. Alloy wheels and rim brake will give you the stopping power you need in the dry and the wet.

[@Aragorn.Strider]

any bike is a good bike if you actually ride it

[@s.j.5850]

The bike looks fantastic. It's good to see someone who used to race that knows it's not about the lightest & fastest bike that is important. Riding a bike is about the joy & exercise that it brings. Classic bikes are like classic cars - they have a certain quality that the "latest & greatest" just don't have. Amazing that having your bike stolen brought you to a new sense of awareness when it comes to riding. Remember how it felt as a kid riding a bike? It didn't matter what kind of bike it was to have fun!

[@daniellarson3068]

I was curious and read all the comments. I saw only one negative comment. People seemed very enthusiastic about the steel bike. The bike seems durable, practical and fun.

[@biketrybe7071]

Good on you, my friend. Steel is still real.

[@Groaznic]

I honestly hope this trend continues. These bikes are gorgeous especially with one or two modern components swapped on to them.

[@JamesSmith-qs4hx]

Rim brakes for the win in 2024❤

[@nestorarcilaosorio2457]

Long Reach Brakes like Velo Orange Grand Cru Long Reach or TRP RG957 and you can use big tires even with fenders, easily 700x32c and without fenders you can fit even bigger ones.

[@rob-c.]

@@PP-cm4re I ran a set of Fulcrums with their recommended pads for years and they were fine for everyday riding wet or dry - out-performed a friends Zipps with aluminium breaking surface.

[@montrose252]

Long live rim brakes!

[@montrose252]

@@PP-cm4re They're fine

[@David..]

@@PP-cm4renever had an issue with braking on my 404s ever. Plus they sounded like a turbine spooling down vs dog shit like my disc brakes sound and I never really had to mess with my brakes or live in fear of getting something on my rotor. Would gladly go back if I could be assured I’d be able to get components in the future.

[@twgq]

Yes, it´s good! I´m cycling a 90s steel frame with r7000 groupset, Ritchey classic parts, Campa Zonda wheels and Columbus 1" carbon fork. Also owing and cycling a Spezi allez sprint, with same wheel set. Weight difference is only about 600g (steel bike 9,6 Kg, Spezi 9 Kg) but the whole ride experience is different. For daily rides I prefer the steel bike. The Spezi I´m using for climbing days, not only because of the minimal weight difference but more for the stiffness. As riding bikes in XL, I´m 193cm and about 95 Kg heavy, it´s noticeable stiffer at less weight. I bought booth bikes used and upgraded with some new parts. The steel frame cost me about 160€ with steel fork, upgrades were Columbus carbon fork (220€), wheels Campa Zonda (250€), Richtey parts (80€), saddle (60€) and the groupset (350€). So realistic is a price around 1000€, everything below is bombastic. Also the Spezi cost me used 550€ and needed some new parts for change, the whole price was around 950€.

[@joeyslats31]

25yr old '88 Peugeot rider here, daily. Keeping parts maintained and riding as fast as possible 😎

[@otepdotnet]

what I like about classic road bike is the geometry, straight top tube with long headtube. Aesthetically pleasing and comfortable to ride

[@johnnydoe66]

I am currently riding a restomod, 1986 Specialized Allez SE frame. The original bike was bought by a friend right after graduating college in the 80's. I have built it out using 2012 Shimano Sora/Tiagra mix (from my daughter's bike she out grew), Fulcrum Racing Quattro wheelset, a 1997 Profile BRC carbon fork, and bits from my carbon "wonder" bike that I am selling. I absolutely love how it looks with the 35mm deep aero wheels and the skinny steel tubes, plus it rides so much smoother than my carbon Masi Evolusione ever did. To fit the newer 10 spd groupset and wheels just required me to cold work the frame by spreading, realignment of the dropouts, and aligning the derailleur hanger.

[@David..]

I went to a steel bike a few years ago. Still have the same times up Mt Lemmon, still can hang just like I did in the A group, don’t race anymore but based on my number I’d still be able to mid pack a 3/4 road race with an I’ll advised breakaway attempt early. The only functional innovations in cycling over the last 20 years have been proliferation of low cost power meters and training plans, deep section wheels, clearance for wide tires, good clincher tires and low bb/increased trail that I think Lightspeed pioneered? Would rather the brands put some of the R&D budget into QC and manufacturing vs gimmicks.

[@Fordworldrallyfan]

Yes, 15k-20K USD for something with an out of round, creaking crunchy carbon bottom bracket shell is flat out CRIMINAL!! 😡

[@7gibbens]

I picked up a red Colnago 1990 Super steel 8 speed road bike for less than 500 pounds. With some equally retro kit I love taking it out for a cafe ride down the Adelaide, Australia beaches. 😊🚴

[@tomrachellesfirstdance7843]

Hard to believe somebody would just throw an ultegra groupset and not sell it

[@markj.a351]

If you're pretty new to cycling, it's possible you don't know what you're throwing away. Talk to non cyclists or new and they don't know anything about groupsets and how much value the word "ultegra" adds to those parts.

[@tomrachellesfirstdance7843]

@@markj.a351 You could guess from the price, you wouldn't be getting any type of ultegra bike for less than a couple of Grand even 5 years ago

[@davidmundowyahoo7839]

I almost stopped watching at that point. It's disgusting someone could consider doing that

[@splashpit]

I found a broken carbon frame giant with an ultegra groupset on the sidewalk in a rubbish pile , been sitting in my loft for years awaiting a project.

[@starwf07]

That's one thing that's a bit of a letdown in the "I built a budget [insert type of] bike" videos. And then within the video, it's "I was gifted this [$600 component] and had this [$500 part] lying around my spare parts bin. So the whole thing only cost me $400." I mean, no hate on using parts you have or taking advantage of others' generosity, but at that point, I kind of can't help but sigh...

[@CaptainRon956]

I recently rode a century on my green with chromed dropouts 1974 Raleigh Grand Prix 10 speed upgraded with a Suntour cyclone groupset & 700c wheels with Shimano 600 hubs on 25mm GP 4000 ii tires. I did it in 5 hrs 19 min. A well spec’d steel frame bike is an absolute joy to ride. They can be just as fast as newer bikes, ridiculously reliable & guaranteed to turn a few heads at large charity rides.

[@patrici509]

I have ridden classic road bikes for a while now. And I don't worry about it. I lock it with a cable but I don't have to check on it. I ride a Schwinn steel frame with full Campy. It's actually quite fast. And it looks great. It's my only bicycle. Downtubes and rim brakes. The speed was 17.8 mph, for four miles.

[@СтефанДимов-ы7ш]

Got a MASSI MASTER + Campa Headset / BB for 125EU ! One of my favorite bikes to ride ! Aesthetical perfection !

[@jimo4449]

What a beautiful bike, I still ride my mid 90s steel when I don't need to keep up with others

[@MichaelWilliams-iv6dj]

Reminds me of my first nice bike. A small Italian brand named Faggin. Columbus SLX tubing, with a mix of Campy Chorus and Suntour Superbe Pro. A total tank at 23 lbs but it had that super smooth feel of a steel bike.

[@MandyH1972]

In the past year I've switched from a Pinarello Dogma F10 to a pair of hand built Mercians. Best thing I ever did.

[@lars1588]

I'm the proud owner of a one-of-two, custom-built, steel road bike, hand-built by a local builder in 1989. It was one of his first frames, and he offers to buy it off me every time I come in the shop he works at (and that I used to work at as well). I don't think I'd sell it for any amount of money, unless he would trade me for one of his later frames in a different color (mine is bright, glossy yellow). It handles excellently, weighs 21 lbs (9.5 kgs), looks flashy, and only cost me $350. It even has an early 2000s Ultegra groupset (partially-- the front derailleur is 105, and the crankset is a 600 from the eighties). I get comments all the time when I'm out riding. Everybody loves it.

[@davidide1525]

Really nice bike ! You might try experimenting with brake pads. My Campy Bora Wto wheelset stops fine in the wet, one revolution to clear the water and the next is good braking. There are a lot of us out here riding our mechanical rim brake bikes with no need or desire to change.

[@scottishcontentcreators]

Beautiful bike. I'm doing the same with a Fondriest Columbus gara, slightly older 6400 components and alloy mavic rims. can't wait to finish it and ride it. Old school bikes are just so cool!

[@SylvesterCartier]

Sweet build! That's a bike that starts conversations with old guys like me.

[@markhancock7527]

I did this with a 1992 Cliff shrubb 531,i put 10 speed Dura ace on from 2008 & Had some hope hubs wheels made up.I had the frame refurbished & spray McLaren Orange.I already had the Groupset & frame so cost was £1400.Weight is 9.1kg now when i had the bike set up in 1992 with 8 speed 105 it was 10.5 kg.I love riding this bike on a sunny day in summer.

[@Scrooks1]

Awesome bike. I have an 80’s/90’s Columbus tubing SOMEC and a BASSO. Both have fairly modern Campy group sets, they’re great and will last for years.

[@PatrickJamesKiernan]

So cool! Nice to see a bike with a bit of individuality!

[@Firstnamelastname-r5y]

I just bought a 1966 mercier bike in pink. I am so excited. Going to get it serviced and ride my new baby till I am too old to ride. I love vintage bikes. Cant wait to strap up my toe clips. Your bike is pure beauty on two wheels. You should be proud.

[@TOMMYOOST]

I've been using one of those as a commuter bike for the past 7 years now, they are truly great. You go a lot faster than usual and maintenance is always easy! Up to now i've always fixed it my self by using youtube clips, much better than integrated braking and cables.

[@edjack1993]

Looks Glorious! I bought a 1990s Peugeot carbon bike on eBay for about 250 quid. Amazing condition and looks fantastic. Rides beautifully. Sometimes I choose it over my 2021 Venge for a casual, fun ride. There’s alot to be said for “older” bikes. 🎉

[@MrMrdlegend]

Nice bike! I have a soft spot for steel frames and currently have 3 late 80s converted fixies - a Bianchi, Puch, and Miele. They all ride fantastic. I also just recently did what you did and added Ultegra 10 speed groupset to my 89 Merckx Corsa Extra. As you say, not the lightest but rides like a Cadillac

[@benjaminsande6511]

This is wonderful! I put newer components on two 1980s steel road bikes. I converted one road bike into a gravel one. Vintage steel bikes are gems!

[@jimmansi9046]

That’s one beautiful BIKE, I bet that ride is so smooth, best of luck with it!

[@artificialarmtelly5192]

Good move mate, lovely (neo) retro build, but i dare you to put some skinny amber-wall tyres on it also :) ....so much more interesting than a sea of black carbon faster or not

[@christopher_hopper]

This makes me happy. About to set my wife up on a 1999 Quintana Roo with an Ultegra group set, so seeing your commentary on your Massi just added a smile to my already happy face. Power to the reclaimed rim-brake bikes of yesterday year!

[@harryrowland4734]

It's fillet brazed, not welded and I believe, built in Italy for Massi. If you store for any length, grease up the chrome.

[@СтефанДимов-ы7ш]

I own a MASSI...are you talking about this model or in general ?

[@harryrowland4734]

@@СтефанДимов-ы7ш that exact model, I've had two and still have one. I know it's fillet brazed because it has been resprayed and I've seen the unpainted frame

[@СтефанДимов-ы7ш]

@@harryrowland4734 It is an extremely pretty frame ! Love the fork so much ! Kind of reminds me of some Colnago geometries ! Do you have information on where the frames were built beside the one you have ! I don't care much if it was build it Spain or Italy but I am curious ! Have a great day !

[@harryrowland4734]

@@СтефанДимов-ы7ш I'm a bicycle dealer, and when Massi discontinued this model, I bought up the clearance stock. The Columbus Brain model came in two colour options, plus a few in yellow with Italian bottom bracket shells. There was also a cheaper Columbus Thron frameset in Salmon Pink / orange, it was a strange colour and some people saw orange and some saw pink. I was told that they were built in Italy, possibly the same as Sab and the Pinarrelo training frames

[@harryrowland4734]

@@СтефанДимов-ы7ш It does have the low bottom bracket ,typically Italian, which is why they look smaller than they actually are

[@wilyamiyooo]

You might say it's not the latest, but it can complete for the greatest part. Nice looking bike and sensible mix of modern parts into it. Cheers!

[@simong5964]

I bought the exact same Frameset NOS from eBay maybe 15 years ago for about £90. Workmanship on the fillet brazing is as good as any I’ve seen and if it was Italian branded would be many times the price. That’s the price of cycling brand vanity I guess.

[@jed7644]

I don’t understand these complaints about rim brakes. Ok, you need to pay attention & think ahead in the wet, but if you can grab the grips & throw yourself keister over pie-hole off the bike you’ve got about all the brakes you need, & you can do that with decent rim brakes. The exception, of course, might be long mountain descents where you’d probably prefer not to heat up your rims. Since my career’s not riding on doing that hill at 11/10ths, I just keep speeds under control to begin with - no problem.

[@martinwarner1178]

Well done fella. Sometimes, people are too dismissive of old tech. Great points made, love the bit about steel frames. Enjoy your bike that you created. Peace and goodwill

[@zypang1447]

As someone who has built up the lightest, fastest carbon mechanical bike I could afford, thing I want most next is a steel bike. I'm probably going modern though, Soma or Ritchey. But this bike is gorgeous, great video. Rim brake steel bikes simply are the most beautiful bikes.

[@robertsouza3273]

I vote for Ritchey. Triple butted steel😁🚲

[@Fordworldrallyfan]

Maybe if enough people start upping the demand for NARROWER rim brake wheels (even alloy braking surface, deep section carbon ones like the first gen Cosmic Carbones) by building/sourcing vintage style/configuration steel and Ti frames, these asshole, recalcitrant, could not give a shit, wheel companies will start producing and offering wheels we can use once again (instead of solely mile wide, only cross spoke pattern, disc brake shit!)?!?

[@winstoncat6785]

Great bike! Back in the day, we climbed (and descended) alpine passes on similar things. The only thing I would not be happy about was the one you mentioned - carbon wheels with rim brakes. If only you could find open 4 CD rims again! Although Shimano Ultegra level wheels from the 00's were really good and bomb proof.

[@urouroniwa]

This is something I've been contemplating for a long time. In the late 80's I had my very first good road bike stolen after only owning it for 2 weeks. It wasn't insured and I was a student, so it kind of turned me off riding for a long time. For the 2 weeks I owned it, though, I loved that bike and I *still* dream about it. I don't even remember exactly what it was (pretty sure it was a Bianchi and I paid $800 in a crazy 50% discount sale, so it was a relatively good bike). I keep thinking of buying a frame and building it up in a similar hybrid way. The problem I have now is that I live in Japan and people who rode bikes in the 80's and 90's treasured them and kept them in practically mint condition. It's hard to buy anything from that era for a reasonable amount of money...

[@ilovephotography1254]

Retro bikes and Contemporary, both are fun and make me smile.

[@wojciechpawowski1613]

I love your bike, mate! I had a caad12 on durace 9700, but after a bad crash with a car, its frame was garbage. I decided to get a custom-made 1980s columbus tubing frame from a local shop in Bergamo where i used to live back then. Maestro Giorgio found one never used (!) in his storage and transplanted all my gear onto it. It is the best road bike I ever rode, and I have loved it ever since. Cheers and thanks for sharing!

[@p.g.reitsma7245]

You made a wise choice! It's a gorgeous bike. Fantastic retro paint scheme. Lovely classic dimensions, and the straight blade fork really ties the room together, like a fine oriental rug. I recently let go of my TIME VXRs carbon with full Record for a mid 90's steel handbuilt Joe Gardin frameset, of Columbus SL. Cinelli bb. Full Chorus 8 speed, Chorus/FIR wheelset. It's perfect for my limited road rides, now close to 60 years, and it feels wonderful.

[@wildeturkey2006]

I still ride around in my 2010 Specialized Globe Roll steel track bike. Its a heavy Reynolds 520 frame that i've had resprayed, with all new mostly NJS approved components. I have 2 cockpit and saddle options to mix it up from a Brooks leather option with bullhorns to a Brooks cambium with riser bars. I've stayed with this bike, because this bike makes me happy. It's not new, its not light, but it makes me want to ride it day and night!

[@annetteanderson6845]

I ride a 97 steel ibis hakkalugi smashing gravel and moderate single track, good times !!! Well done young man - Enjoy the Ride !!!

[@kangacrew540]

I have had my 1998 road bike which was a cheapie from a reputable bike shop and I am still riding it today. Updated tyres and rims and new derailer and hope to have it going in 2040. It goes. It's heavy and its solid. It's a work of art.

[@PhilOsGarage]

Wile I love my modern 2022 Vitus, I also love my 97 Olmo Giro, there is still a lot of enjoyment in a good steel road bike

[@julianwinn4502]

Great video. I was given a 1983 Raleigh Quasar last year and with a few parts replaced have been happily riding it through the winter. I have stayed with the downtube shifters but changed the gearing to suit my local hills. Wheels had to be replaced as they were showing signs of cracking so it now rides on some new wheels with tan sidewall tyres. Gets comments and interest from cyclists wherever I go.

[@larryt90745]

I recently restored a 1986-1989 Centurion steel bike and it looks similar to your Massi. I installed a 50mm carbon wheels with rim brakes. Shimano 105 R7000 brakes, Shimano Tiagra 10 speed shifter/brake levers, tiagra rear derailleurs. I kept the original crankset a Shimano 105 Biopace 170mm. I changed the stem to accommodate a 34mm handlebars. It looks great. I like the classic look with more modern groupset. It is heavier at 9.9kg but fast enough and comfy.

[@n22pdf]

Beautiful dude I did the same a few years ago.. never looked back.. rim brake, mechanical, steel what a great combo 😊❤ Pete 🚴🏻👍

[@Rafskat]

Really nice bike. Personally, i'm about to build modern road bike, but i'm happy rider and owner of "mostly" (in look deparment) period correct bikes from '94, '87 and '74 with matchning kit. I love that throwback and aesthetic. It isn't for everyone, but wintage builds have their fans, it's same with classic cars.

[@ramansharma6986]

Really nicely done. Classy and very individual. Plus, you clearly love it! Great to see you young fellas warming to something from my generation.

[@taichihead42]

So happy for you buddy, welcome to the family of people who love tradition and steel. Happy riding and God bless you.

[@taz1109]

OMG I too got my Specialized Roubaix stolen from my garage and went with the steel frame as a replacement. Got a brand new steel frame and new modern components. Like you I'm very pleased with the outcome.

[@Keyprinciples9]

When I first started I was sure I wanted fat tires, but after a lot of testing out different options it turns out that 25c is where it is at, great road feel, running a 2002 Cad 4 with a suspension stem, and seat post. The bike has great road feel, and it hurts a lot less than my carbon bike with a proprietary Seat post. Also looks great with some aero wheels, and an affordable 1x crank set from china. For people who just love to ride a great feeling bike that looks cool, what you did here is the way to go. It is easy to get motivated to ride with a great looking bike.

[@abedfo88]

absolute beauty, i want my next project to be a steel retro mod!

[@BFin26]

rim brake mafia for life

[@danielakerman8241]

Nice bike. The angles of the handlebars and the hoods are a bit odd, but it’s cool how you updated an old bike

[@andrewdwyer-rm1io]

Couldn’t fault this build, well done

[@aaronalto3034]

Old steel frames are better in any cross. winds too, compared to fat tubed glam bikes. Good for you for breaking the rules and being sensible, not insecure as a roadie. Enjoy, and enjoy all the money you saved.

[@einundsiebenziger5488]

... better in *cross *winds too.

[@martinkrautter8325]

My road ride is a 1990 Bianchi Rekord Cromor, it comes out only when the sun shines and the experience is a bit like driving a vintage Alfa Spider or a Dino - of course, any modern hot hatch is faster. But it is just pure bliss and makes me smile the whole ride.

[@nathanielyoung3479]

Love this build. I just Aquired a basso gap old school yellow/red paint job and I prefer it over my more modern disc brake bike. The loss of speed is easily outweighed by the enjoyment of the ride !

[@CharlieMetcalf]

Who cares how much it weighs. It is amazingly beautiful. Back when bikes were works of art and not plastic crap. You can upgrade to more modern bars and still keep the same aesthetic. Too many non pro racers feel they have to have the lightest and fastest bike. I dont know why. That Massi is freakishly beautiful and will outlast and outclass any modern plastic bike. As for rim brakes, they work just fine and have for a very very long time. Just last year there were still Tour riders running rim brakes in time trials.

[@s.j.5850]

Plastic - exactly what I call carbon fiber bikes!

[@einundsiebenziger5488]

Who cares how much (...)?* And carbon is no plastic, it can be just as sleek and elegant like a classic steel bike. The latest iterations of high-end carbon fiber bikes admittedly are mostly incredibly ugly.

[@bennovp]

As a steel fan I bought a Temple Cycles Road a few months ago. For me that thing combines the best of two worlds: classic looks of a steel frame with a steel fork and modern disc brakes. Weight is about 9kg and it rides like a dream…

[@brunocyclist]

6 months ago I was offered a great deal on a new but retro Creme Echo Solo. It is a bit slower and about 4 kg heavier than my modern road bike, but it's more comfortable, gives me more confidence with a superior ride feel and I love the way it looks and rides. Last month I did my hardest ride ever on it, a 140km alpine ride including the Stelvio pass. And it was absolutely awesome. I'm selling my modern road bike now.

[@aluminati9918]

Looks awesome! Great build.

[@steveprice9737]

My 80s race bike is fast, really fast. It gets raced in hilly time trials where aero isn't so important and its quicker than the aero carbon bike on really steep stuff.

[@richdubbya]

9.5kg isn't bad at all. Especially, being steel. I love it!

[@dinodaniel2237]

Excellent video, well said!

[@jimihendrix731]

Vintage steel bikes ride great on 23mm wide tires at max pressure, proof modern bikes are overly stiff, poorly riding faff-mobiles.

[@RebestedBikes]

Agreed. It metaphorically scales to driving a McLaren as a daily driver. Why would you put yourself through that?

[@kirkh666joejoe]

its not like that at all anymore. It was 2010-15 when super bikes were uncomfortable. now they are stiff AND comfortable.

[@charlcoetzee93]

Restomod. Very cool. I recently built up a 1x10 indexed downtube shifter race bike with modern brakes wheels and gears on a 90s frame

[@robertdewar1752]

Also, this bike will cost almost nothing to maintain, in financial and temporal terms. You could reduce your rolling and air resistance by swapping out the 25c's for 20c's, the steel frame will afford the compliance required. You will also get better acceleration due to the reduced rotating mass.

[@move177]

Nice bike! Look at the "Procraft RR Compact 26" handlebars. Its a modern shaped, 70mm short reach, shallow drop handlebar with a 26mm clamping diameter. Fits perfect in the deda murex. An alternative is the Deda Piega RHM 26. 75mm rach and more drop.

[@JustClaude13]

"It's not light. About the weight of a sparrow's wing feather." And I just picked up my first ultra-light bicycle. An approximately 1985 Bianchi Randonneur express touring bike, at around 12.5 kilo. I could probably shave a few grams with lighter racing tires, but fixing flats slows me down more than the weight of a pair of Schwalbe Marathons in 32-630. And the traditional look is very cool.

[@AlicanteTrailCam]

If you get the chance to try a Columbus SLX frame they're a sublime ride.

[@nitrovent]

I recently bought an older (90s?) KTM but with new (almost too) wide Kenda gravel tires as my first bike I'll ride just for fun (hadn't really done that since I was a teen). These retrofitted bikes also just look cool and it gets more looks than I imagined.

[@jstar1000]

I'm 62 and been riding and wrenching for over 40 years. I still ride late 90s to early 2000s steel bikes mostly but about 2 years ago I bought a brand new steel frame and fork made and sold by Rivendell out of California. Its a beautiful and super sweet riding bike. I really don't care about the weight since I could stand to lose 50lbs myself. Not everyone is a road racer and I would argue most people aren't and just ride so to wear all the racing clothes and ride a modern super light race bike is just marketing working for the industry. I'm not a sucker and ride what I prefer which comfort tops the list of what I want out of my bike.

[@edcatt9196]

Nice. I'm not against super bikes (I can't afford them anyway), but I'm not a racer, so lightweight is not an issue with me. I have three bikes, but my very favorite is a steel alloy bike (a 2018 Specialized AWOL). It handles well on gravel surfaces and paved. It dampens the bumps nicely. It's not fast, but I'm not concerned with that. I bought it because it has a retro look to it, though the top tube does slope downward, unlike a road bike. In fact, the frame geometry matches almost exactly to my mountain bike frame. The bike has an old school aesthetic appeal that I really like, and I intend to hang on to it for as long as I can. Kudos on your bike build. It's a beautiful bike.

[@ChristianBerner-c8v]

As a tip from someone who rides a Massi Steel bike too, Sram 10 speed equipped, consider changing your handlebars to modern compact ones. They are available for 26.0 stems and give a much better ride quality. Your hands will love it! And those shifters were not designed for the old style bars...

[@montrose252]

That DEDA stem is sick!!!

[@DavidDudley-yy2ui]

I was ready to ditch steel until I finally built the Breezer Inversion frame I had hanging my wall, with heavy Paul engineering disc brakes and 32 mm road tires. I cannot explain why it glides and climbs and feels better than the weight weenie bikes.

[@s.j.5850]

Breezer Venturi here & luv riding it. Not into carbon fiber - don't think it's worth the cost. Steel will outlast the carbon fiber wonder bikes as witnessed by the bikes for sale on Ebay, etc.

[@JanBinnendijk]

I wanted a Race Bike for most of my life.. back in the 80's and 90's it was all steel..and in 2019 i finally got my bike.. similar story.. bought a frame, went online to find the other parts (second hand).. and i got myself a Jan Janssen Tour de France from 1978, steel frame , 63 Cm (i'm 6'4" /1.93 m), Shimano 600 Arabesque groupset, just under 10 Kg, 25 mm tires... not fast as a modern Carbon fiber bike.. but then.. i'm not racing..

[@JimIBobIJones]

Good on ya for reviving an old frame but personally don't think I could ever go back to a threaded stems or deal with square taper bottom brackets. They are nightmares to work with and tend to require more maintenance, more regularly.

[@Bodkin_Ye_Pointy]

You've got me wondering now. I have a 10 yo Giant which has an issue with brake hoods at the moment. I can't find a set that fit the brake horns. In the mean time I have a 1986 chrome molly frame sitting on my garage wall as sort of art and nostalgia as it was the first bike fitted for me. The only components that might stay on it is the saddle if I were to follow your idea. But it has the classic on frame gear levers, which I might be able to keep if I commit to getting it tricked out again. Food for thought I think.