Swagged (or tapered) tubing question...

[SoCalSteve]

Hi all,

Besides Serotta, are there other frame builders who use tapered (or swagged) tubing in building with steel or Ti?

Maybe I am having a blonde moment (no offense to blondes, swoop) but I cannot think of a single bike manufacturer that tapers tubing in both steel and Ti the way Serotta does...Or, should I say taper and butt the tubes the way Serotta does?

Am I wrong? Please correct and educate me if I am.

As always, thank you all in advance,

Steve

PS: One motivation for asking this questions is that my CSI didnt sell (and Im not willing to give it away) and I am looking for reasons, beyond the obvious ones (great ride, its a Serotta, rare, beautiful fade paint sceheme) to hold onto it. I dont need to sell it (for financial reasons or others) beyond I now have 3 steel bikes (Peg, CSI and my Kirk) and eventually a Richard Sachs.

[HIKERBIKE]

Santana tapers the down tubes on their tandems
I know Merckx flares the top tube on the Premium model. Several other manufactures also hydrocrown, their names slip my mind right now.

[mflaherty37]

I was looking at a Waterford cross bike and I thought their website indicated the seat tube is swaged. But now I can't really figure out what is means when the seatpost is 27.2 and the seatmast O.D. is 28.6.

Below are standard specifications on Waterfords. Some specifications, such as bottom bracket threading, are universal througout out product line. Others, like tire clearance, may be changed by choosing a different brake for the individual design.

Description
R-33 / CX
X-22
X-14

Seatpost Diam*
27.2 mm

Seatmast OD
28.6mm

Chainline
43 mm

Rear Dropout Spread
130

Head Tube ID
34mm
30mm
34mm (1 1/8") or 30mm (1")

Steerer Tube Diam
1 1/8"
1"
1 1/8" or 1"

Tire Clearance**
38C

Difference Between Center to Center vs. Center to Top
20mm
14mm
18mm



Brake and Derailleur Cable Casing Diameter - 6mm.
Threaded Waterford Forks are cut to the head tube length plus 52mm except on request.
** - Based on a typical tire profile and cantilever brake specification.

[Steve Hampsten]

I think Serotta has that field pretty much to themselves.

[Tom Kellogg]

Merlin does taper their seat and top tubes on the CRs and Extralights. (we do as well) But as you noted, Merllin does not make a steel frame. (too bad) We build steel, but don't taper (much)... Enjoy the rest of the weekend.