Need some frame advice and information

[stockie]

Hi,

I was looking around on this forum and I have to say, you guys are realy awesome! What an amazing builds, just stunning!
That's why i want to post my question here. Cause i think you should be able to help me out.

I'm racing now for more than two years a Cervélo Soloist Team aluminium frame. But, I also looooove the art and crafmanship of making custom bikes. So i'm looking for some new build, which isn't as easy as it sounds.

First of all, i'm no carbon frame guy. A frame has to be made from a raw natural material, like steel, titanium or aluminium. And the one who made it needs some skills to handle that material. But i can't choose between those metals. Could you give me some feedback what to choose?
But, my aluminium painted Cervélo frame has some blemishes after two years of hard use (little stones, chain dropping, someone putting his bike against mine...). When i pay a lot of money to a frameset, i want it to last 'forever'.

Second, i'm a real Sram fan. So, about any italian frame will be excluded as a possible frameset. (Italian frame = campagnolo, sorry guys, that's the way it is). So lots of frames like pegoretti won't do the job for me.

I also want a kind of 'classy' looking bike (so no hyped colours etc.) but with a modern touch (oversized tubes, no extremely thin steel tubesets or lugs). I really like frames like Baum, Crisp, Lynskey...

The components will be classy as well: as i said Sram groupo, handbuild wheels with chris king hubs and kinlin rims, chris king headset, some Deda or Syntace cockpit and seatpost topped with an Selle Italia SLR.

I know it's difficult to give me advice on one or another frameset, but there are so many handmade bike manufacturors around, and many of them i don't even know. So go ahead and give me some of the builders that would fit my view on what a frame has to be.


Thanks

[Wilkinson4]

Where are you located? If going custom, especially for the first time try and use a local builder. There are so many great builders out there nowadays.

mIKE

[stockie]

I live in Europe, Belgium. (i know the measurements of my frameset, so i could also contact a builder in the US)

Ow, i forgot to give some information about myself: i'm about 1,72m high and weigh 56kg. I'm obviously not a powerfull sprinter, but i can hammer pretty damn hard on the pedals. And i love to climb :D

[thwart]

5-7 and 3/4 inches; 124 lbs.

You're welcome... :rolleyes:

[false_Aest]

titanium by Carl Strong.

His work is the tits.

[Birddog]

His work is the tits.
Not to be confused with frites although both are tasty.

[gemship]

titanium by Carl Strong.

His work is the tits.


Yeah do a search for Strong in the custom bike gallery there stockie. Lots of eye candy.

[Wilkinson4]

My size before the big 40!!!

Ok, a good place to start

http://www.e-h-b-e.eu/index.php?lang=en

As far as ordering, there are a lot of builders here that ship all over the world and depending on budget and exchange rate you can get a top notch rocket in your hands.

I personally wouldn't have a problem with SRAM on a Zullow for instance!!! A Carl Strong Ti would be very nice. No frills Ti race bike!

mIKE

[Ken Robb]

oh yeah, lest we forget: Serotta makes fine bikes.

[false_Aest]

oh yeah, lest we forget: Serotta makes fine bikes.


They stopped doing that. Theyre just doing CF roll cages for Ford now.



Anyways. I know you said Campy needs to go on Italian frames but seriously consider Zullo.

Their stainless steel frame would love to be clothed in SRAM.

http://www.zullo-bike.com/products/vergine.html

[draper]

Nut up and order a Ti Gaulzetti. Welded by Serotta designed by a guy with time on the cobbles.

It'll put you in over your head,wrapped in a paper cone and smothered in mayo.

[stockie]

Carl Strongs are nice, but i don't feel any 'connexion' with this bike. It just hasn't that special touch for me. Zullo steel frames instead are VERY nice.
But this brings me to one of my other questions: a steel frame is painted, and paint can be damaged and scratched. This would be a pity for such a beautiful steel frame. Would titanium resist better to dropping chains, little stones, cable rub,...

[sokyroadie]

Would titanium resist better to dropping chains, little stones, cable rub,...

If it is unpainted - absolutely it will be better. A little scotchbrite and good as new (as long as it is not gouged)

It sounds like you need a dedicated race bike and a NICE training/non race bike.




Jeff

[CNY rider]

Look at some of the brushed Ti Serottas in the gallery.
You could go 3/4 or even completely bare Ti, maybe small paint accents. I think they look very classy and it's a very durable finish.
You would be hard pressed to find anyone that does Ti better than Serotta.

[false_Aest]

Stockie,

I understand your concern about a paintjob being durable but please remember that no matter how much you pay for it, it's a bike and is meant to be ridden hard.

A bike's finish should be part of the reason why you purchase it but only part.

If it really is that much of a concern get a naked stainless or ti frame. Forget decals or have them bead blasted on. Or buy an aluminum frame that's been anodized (Spooky Bikes).

If you're looking at Ti. You should also check out Moots, Seven and Spectrum.

[thegunner]

i like moots. anyone else like moots?

[stockie]

Stockie,

I understand your concern about a paintjob being durable but please remember that no matter how much you pay for it, it's a bike and is meant to be ridden hard.

A bike's finish should be part of the reason why you purchase it but only part.


Ok, thanks. I think i'll have to live with the fact that a bike's finish will wear over time, no matter what.
Any one has some other modern steel (european) manufacturors for me?
And is steel or titanium worth the price in comparison to Aluminium?

[false_Aest]

And is steel or titanium worth the price in comparison to Aluminium?


Yes and no. Really it depends on what you want to do, where you're at with riding and what your body wants from a bike.

Builders, companies, tech people can all tell you the benefits of a material but if it's not matching up with what you want it's just a waste of euros, dollars, yen, lira, etc.

It's kind've like buying the biggest hammer possible to hang a piece of art on your wall.

Any frame material, in the hands of a stupid builder, can be made to feel like crap.

Try a few different bikes and materials. Concentrate on the rides. Try the same bikes a few times on different days. Try to understand what you like and don't like. Talk to the shop and see what they say. If you end up going custom talk to a few builders and see what they say. Communication will build trust. Ultimately you need to trust whomever is going to build your frame.