Steel gurus:advice for somethin lugged and fast

[amator]

Recently over the weekend a freind who has always been a carbon freak and weight weenie (colnago c50) had a puncture on his tubulars.
He came over to my place and borrowed my recently set up Pinarello radius and we went for a ride (me on my concours ti).

After the 40km, he is pretty stoked about how fast yet comfortable my steel frame was and probably wants to go abt setting up a steel bike.

Most likely, it would be something with lugs and old school looking.
the likely suspects are

1) Eddy Merckyx Corsa Extra
Is the MXL a racier bike/

2)Colnago master X light
He has ridden one but finds it stable but boring....

3)De Rosa Neo Primato.
Is the earlier slx primato more efficient vs the EL-OS and deda tubed bikes

4) Gios ?
No views

Any views on the above or any to add.
He is a faster rider, likes to climb. He doesnt want a spindly flexy touring frame and part of the reason why he was so surprised is that the Pinarello radius was very efficient n almost telephatic.

[sn69]

Out of that list, I'd personally go for the De Rosa or the Merckx, both of which ride exceptionally well. The MXL is another winner, but he won't be able to weight-weenie it. That sucker rides like a 71 Cuda with a 440 Six Pack....

If he wants something custom, it's easy to get lugged steel that will weigh-in favorably. I would suggest Serotta, but, alas.... However, we're fortunate on this board to have people like Zanconato, Kirk, Strong, Spectrum and others who can build exactly what he wants (I'd include Vanilla and ATMO, but their waiting list is probably too long). Likewise, other builders like Waterford, Chris Kvale, DeSalvo, Bob Brown, and many others can do the same too.

By way of comparison, I did my first Team RAAM on a lugged Waterford that, equiped with Campa and other carbon bits, weighed-in at 16.7 pounds...in a 60/61.

Cheers,
Scott

[William]

Zanconato. But I might be a little biased. ;)

He'll love what Mike can do with the new steels.



William

[14max]

*****

[Climb01742]

A Kirk JK Special fits the bill.

+1
with the bonus of working with dave, a real pleasure.

[soulspinner]

How about a lugged Desalvo? Great work, amazing value, heck of a guy. My two cents.

[amator]

Forgot to mention that as its first foray into steel, he has a preconcieved budget for something pre-owned.. didnt want to lean on him or scare him away with an education or prices.... yet

I'll let him get into something mass market set up and see where it leads from there... :beer:

[duke]

How about a Serotta CSI. Pretty much the epitome of the the lugged bike evolution. They are usually pretty easy to find on the pre-owned market.
duke

[93legendti]

JKS Terraplane by Dave Kirk.

[dekindy]

If this is his size and still for sale, focus on the ride and go for it.

http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=54314

[Ozz]

How much does he want to spend?

[thwart]

Re: the bike for sale in the linked thread above...

It's a statement about current used bike values that this spectacular red and titanium painted CIII, built with the latest C5S tubes, equipped with a Campy Chorus gruppo (including hubs), is still available at that price.

[texbike]

Great suggestions so far!

Add a Merckx Corsa 01 to the potential list. It does everything that a proper race bike should do and can be found for very reasonable prices (they aren't as well known as a Corsa Extra or MX Leader).

If he doesn't have to have lugs, how about a Ritchey Road Logic? They can be found for reasonable prices as well.

Both would be great intros to the steel world.

Texbike

[Velosmith]

I have a "74 GIOS that is very quick and race worthy. It rides OK. Not great. Not awful. You have to be on top of it at speed. It is almost a crit bike. Lug work is not that elegant. It's almost chunky. The advantage is you can find them for a pretty reasonable price. I got mine from eBay for about $300 frame and fork.

[RPS]

After the 40km, he is pretty stoked about how fast yet comfortable my steel frame was and probably wants to go abt setting up a steel bike.
....snipped.......
Any views on the above or any to add.Since you asked, I'll add one you didn't mention.

I’d first compare his C50 to your Pinarello as accurately as possible. Make sure that what worked for him wasn’t something beyond steel.

I love steel bikes too and don’t want to discourage your friend from buying one; but if he felt “that” different, I’d bet there could easily be something “that” different. You may end up helping your friend in a way he didn't expect. ;)

[amator]

If this is his size and still for sale, focus on the ride and go for it.

http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=54314

shld be same as mine- size 55 and ..55 to 55.5 TT max

[amator]

Since you asked, I'll add one you didn't mention.

I’d first compare his C50 to your Pinarello as accurately as possible. Make sure that what worked for him wasn’t something beyond steel.

I love steel bikes too and don’t want to discourage your friend from buying one; but if he felt “that” different, I’d bet there could easily be something “that” different. You may end up helping your friend in a way he didn't expect. ;)

V gd point... but he is a rider rather than a bike freak at this point of time.

My Pina was set up with basic shimano 9 speed and thats part of the reason why he felt "more comfortable" riding it than my Concours or Peg which are campy. His c50 is set up with 7800 durace.

Less to distract when changing gears so he could focus on handling and ride.

I actually have a great Modern steel/carbon comboin my collection that I was willing to let him try- Masi Carbon speciale - Deda EOM 16.5 and Deda carbon and seat stays but as mentioned, his rationale is to try a steel bike that looks steel (lugged) and to him -something old school with a Faema scheme etc.
I think he has a spare ultegra gruppo so he prob be looking at a bare frame around the $400 to $500 mark pre-owned.

He just surfed GVH and gawked at the 1.7k for a new neo primato... told me he can get a carbon Look 585 ultra around that price.
Right now, Im just patient and really dont want to overwhelm him with my unbridled enthusiasm.

As I recall, It was a SLX simoncini beater that I bought for peanuts as a commuter that turned me on to steel.

[Ahneida Ride]

How about a Serotta CSI. Pretty much the epitome of the the lugged bike evolution. They are usually pretty easy to find on the pre-owned market.
duke

Kelly & Kirk built many of them. and a new CSI .... well ...

Kelly is only a few months out at this point. kbedfordcustoms.com

[Ken Robb]

[QUOTE=amator]Recently over the weekend a freind who has always been a He is a faster rider, likes to climb. He doesnt want a spindly flexy touring frame and part of the reason why he was so surprised is that the Pinarello radius was very efficient n almost telephatic.[/QUOTE

How can a rider tour on a "spindly flexy frame"? Some folks have found that a "stiff" race bike becomes spindly and flexy when loaded for touring however. :)

[Pete Serotta]

Kelly presented a "shop"Bedford at the Cyclesport event and I think it is less time out. It is custom sizing but the lugs are less work, and the tt has not internal cable guide. It is quite an impressive bike and will be at the hand made bike show :D

Kelly & Kirk built many of them. and a new CSI .... well ...

Kelly is only a few months out at this point. kbedfordcustoms.com

[lavi]

+1 on the Merckx MXL. I have one and it stand unsupassed in my mind in terms of handling and being stiff. Definitely not for a weight wennie though. It's built to survive an atomic blast. Very great ride.

Have him check out a Corsa.