Steel Bike "Lovers" roll call

[jr59]

Originally Posted by Pearsom

From an aesthetic standpoint I agree that a quill stem looks "right" and often is a cleaner design for many of the older steel frames

From a comfort standpoint I prefer the larger diameter 31.8 handlebars I can use with threadless. I'm 6'5" and my hands just feel better on these larger diameter bars

So ... comfort. That's my reason

Originally Posted by Clean39T

26.0 bars are extremely uncomfortable for those of us with big hands and don't always play nice with ergos/brifters.

I'm all for quills and 1" head-tubes in the right application, just have never had the gumption to throw out for a custom stem that would allow me to run a 31.8 bar.

EDIT :: what Pearsom said.

I always liked the quil stem and just double wrapped the bars to get them larger. Extra padding as well, but mainly for the size

[froze]

Originally Posted by Clean39T

26.0 bars are extremely uncomfortable for those of us with big hands and don't always play nice with ergos/brifters.

I'm all for quills and 1" head-tubes in the right application, just have never had the gumption to throw out for a custom stem that would allow me to run a 31.8 bar.

EDIT :: what Pearsom said.

Well, Nitto makes a quill stem that can handle a 31.8 bar; https://www.amazon.com/Nitto-Ui-12-Q...AR21WMQ4TAQR8X And notice the clamp so you can swap 31.8 bars just like you can with a threadless stem. Anything that a threadless stem can handle bar size or shape wise can be handled by a quill if someone wanted to make one to do so.

[Dougb]

Originally Posted by Shoeman

The best looking Wabi I've seen ever!!!!!!

Thanks! Here's a picture of an earlier build. I like the white saddle and bar tape better personally. Sportier.

Originally Posted by froze

I see a lot of classic bikes here, or modern interpretation of the classic era, but can't understand the conversion to threadless on either. I have a threadless modern bike but I have to say something, and obviously this is just my worthless opinion, but I really don't like the look of the threadless design, the threaded design was just very graceful looking, threadless looks chunky and clunky.

I agree with you 100%. I held off buying a Wabi for 2+ years for exactly this reason. After my first ride I wondered why I waited so long. My goal for this bike is exactly what you stated: "a modern interpretation of the classic era." I don't care for threadless stems, but Winter stems, which are featured in this thread here, are beautiful IMO.

I do find the Crust Bikes fillet-brazed stem I used pretty as well.

[coreyaugustus]

Originally Posted by Dougb

So many beautiful bikes in this thread. Here’s my daily rider: a Wabi Special. 18.5 lbs of glorious lugged Reynolds 725 steel!

Oof, that’s pretty.

[rccardr]

The way it was done back in 1983:

[choke]

Originally Posted by Pearsom

From an aesthetic standpoint I agree that a quill stem looks "right" and often is a cleaner design for many of the older steel frames

From a comfort standpoint I prefer the larger diameter 31.8 handlebars I can use with threadless. I'm 6'5" and my hands just feel better on these larger diameter bars

So ... comfort. That's my reason

Originally Posted by Clean39T

26.0 bars are extremely uncomfortable for those of us with big hands and don't always play nice with ergos/brifters.

I'm all for quills and 1" head-tubes in the right application, just have never had the gumption to throw out for a custom stem that would allow me to run a 31.8 bar.

EDIT :: what Pearsom said.

Ummm.....once you get past the larger area next to the stem (at least for the majority) the diameter of the bar is the same regardless of the clamp size. If that wasn't the case then the same brake levers wouldn't mount on both.

[Melstew]

My early 90’s steel Specialized. repainted with sram force 10 speed group set, carbon bars, FSA crankset. I have since put on a set of Mavic wheels.


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[coreyaugustus]

Just finished putting this together today

[Hilltopperny]

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[kingpin75s]

Clockwork Steel Bi-Lam Drop Bar Dirt Fat.

[Dekonick]

Originally Posted by Smiley

I want to know who out there is riding Steel and not giving up on their steel bikes. Just a shout out with the steel rig(s) your riding please.

Kogswell G58 street fixee
Serotta Uniscasi Rapid Tour
Co-Mo Co-Pilot Torpedo tandem
And incoming K Bedford Custom steel street fixee

Update -

Still riding the same Bedford custom touring bike. Only change I would make is disk brakes... but when she was built, 700c disk brake hub options were not what they are today.

Building up an old Colorado CR to put on the computrainer. Need to find all of the parts I need... Mainly a braze on FD... I have one somewhere...

[TMD]

Serotta Fierte,
a classic

[OtayBW]

~'91 DeRosa Primato in 'Ugo Blue'.
SCHWING!

[zross312]

'93 Bridgestone RB1 in Yellow. Ishiwata 022E tubeset. Love that bike - from crit racing to grocery store duty, it can do it all.

[Bici-Sonora]

Originally Posted by zross312

'93 Bridgestone RB1 in Yellow. Ishiwata 022E tubeset. Love that bike - from crit racing to grocery store duty, it can do it all.

An '87 RB-1 was my first real racing bike--I rode it everywhere and it changed my life. I ended up working a the shop that sold it to me and it started a lifetime of riding and fixing steel bikes.