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#1
04-11-2005, 08:02 PM
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Excell Tubing - Give me the 411
What up yo?
Since we were recently on the topic of tigged vs. brazing, can someone give me the 411 on Excell tubing from France? I understand that it is no longer in production, but was it good tubing when it was in production? Thoughts? Thanks, Antonio 
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#2
04-11-2005, 08:17 PM
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good but not great tubing...
This was a mid to late 80's answer to the "new" Reynolds 753 and then 853. It was a tight-grained higher-tensile chrome-moly tube set known, at least in some cases, to be somewhat brittle. According to one now long-retired builder I sourced for some of my customers it was difficult to work with, but worth the effort.
If I remember correctly, it was also slightly larger diameter than most other tubesets at the time...I once spent a frantic Friday sourcing a then difficult-to-find 27.4 diameter seatpost for a woman set to fly to France that night. She was to compete in the Tour de France Feminine on her custom excell frameset... I got her the seatpost, but, alas, she didn't do well. If you're buying a frame built with it simply inspect it carefully. If there are no cracks or other damage you should be fine.
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#3
04-11-2005, 08:23 PM
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dario says the excell podium tubeset was his all-time fav to work with
the 90s stuff was basically like nivachrome (tube experts -- is that accurate or has the doof been misled?)...the cromex stuff was durable and rode well, as was the eco -- tons of old giordanas made from that stuff...and the last generation of pre-trek lemond steels were made from excell tubing Last edited by Dr. Doofus; 04-11-2005 at 08:26 PM. Reason: animals think...they understand...trust in them...a big mistake
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#5
04-11-2005, 08:33 PM
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Excell
Rode a Lemond Excell GLX this weekend for a couple of days and the ride was fantastic. By looking at the frame I had a feeling that it was going to be a noodle, I was wrong. It has great balance and feel. Actually I think I'll take it out tomorrow and leave the Serottas and Merckx at home....
 Included a small pic of the work in progress. Campy 8 speed and some other crap I had around since the early 90's.
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#6
04-11-2005, 09:15 PM
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Bikyle still has Giordana frames made with these tubes
They are the only place where I have ever seen these for sale. Seems they have had them forever. I've been tempted many times by the relaxed geometry and I like the look of the paint. Too bad no more steel forks, but I'd be curious about the ride.
http://www.bikyle.com/GiordanaFrm.asp#Geometry Last edited by eddief; 04-11-2005 at 09:17 PM.
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#7
04-11-2005, 09:24 PM
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#11
04-11-2005, 09:45 PM
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If you look closely at the pictures of my custom Pegoretti Luigino you can see the Excell tubing decal on the seat tube. Dario told me that when he was having trouble sourcing tubing for Emma's Big Legs---a rather long story of what goes around, comes around---he went to France and there found about a dozen Excell tubesets. The same tubing, he said, was used on the bikes he made for a few great riders, though I shan't divulge lest I be caught in a rain storm of speculation. Suffice it to say that Excell reigns supreme, much like the Iron Chef. So there are a few Luiginos now made of Excell and perhaps if you ask nicely Dario has one with your name on it. Dario also visited Bianchi to spy out the various shades of Legnano green so that he might meet my request to honor his mentor with a bike painted in the style of green greatness.
dbrk
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#13
04-11-2005, 10:23 PM
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I have a 56 Giordana XL strada...It was never built but had a stem/bar/brakes/headset and a BB put on it....Oh and a seat post...It has a few chips in the paint...One from the fork/brakes coming around...but I recall no dings in the tubes...If someone would be interested in it I will definately sell it...
It is a Red/White much like the link that was put on this thread earlier... PM me if interested...It is at my fathers house...will take a little time to get photos...but would be a great foul weather bike. Mark
__________________
Riding or Flying???
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#14
04-11-2005, 10:40 PM
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