My retentiveness is having issues with how wide you're throwing your net, especially regarding handling, and where you want to put your weight. I wouldn't want to drop serious $$$ into a frame meant for long-distance comfort and handling till I knew what geometry works best for me.
My base prejudices: I don't do brevets/randos, I don't like low-trail handling, I prefer small-shop, handbuilt frames to production frames. The first two kinda don't matter, I think, because I'm not recommending any specific builders or geometry. But you did ask for feedback from rando kids, and I'm about as far away as you could get from either of those words. And it helps explain why I'm not necessarily making specific recs. The third does matter, which you'll see below. My advice: #1. Decide whether you want low-trail or med-/hi-trail. Don't spend serious $$$ until you know this #2. If you can't decide #1 yet, drop your budget to $200-$300 and get a few lower-end, heavier frames to figure out #1 #3. Once you've decided #1, put lugs further down on your list #4. Work to see if you can get your budget up at least a few $hundred higher than $1k #5. If you can do #4, look for a builder who can either build custom in that price range, or is building small-batch frames in that price range #6. If you can't do #4, look for folks selling those small-batch frames used, and throw a wider net. Include paceline, velocipede salon, ebay, pinkbike, craigslist, +++ #7. If you're looking at buying used, putting WTB ads in the classifieds doesn't hurt, just don't be obnoxious. Bunch o' folks have frames sitting around not on the front burner to sell, but if someone pipes up and wants something just like that, well, you could shake something loose I think knowing your preferred geo/handling is key, don't want to sound like a broken record, so I'll leave it there. Putting lugs further down your list means you're open to more small-batch builders who are doing tig'd construction. Small-batch vs production: If I wanted a really nice low-trail, brevet-ready bike, I'd rather be on the lookout for an Ocean Air Rambler, Boulder Allround, Lyons L'avxxxx (too lazy to google the spelling), Norther/Lyons joint frame, etc than a vintage production almost anything. No disrespect to Craig M. and his awesome vintage machines and his expertise, but for me the production Paramounts, Miyatas, Bridgestones, etc, would be my test beds for the really nice frame. And gol darn I'd rather have something that came from a small, scrappy builder who knows how to torch a purpose-built frame than any '70s-'80s Trek production frame. I'd gladly give up lugs for that. BTW, if you decide you'd rather have mid-trail, and more weight in the back, there's not only likely equivalents of the frames I mentioned above, but maybe even more stuff available. And I'm not really up on the gravel/groad scene, but if you decide mid-trail is better than lo-trail, should be lots of 1st-/2nd-gen groad frames out there that don't have disc brakes and carbon forks and disc brakes and thru-axles that might work well. Last thing that comes to mind is that very few tall production frames from the late-'70s through '80s were designed with 6'+ riders who only weighed 132lbs in mind, and they were built to minimize warranty claims when ridden sloppily by big lunks. And if they were '80s touring frames, they were built assuming you'd have 40lbs+ lashed to front/rear racks. "Nimble" is not the adjective that comes to mind. Guess that's all the words I have on this for now. Paul Brodek Hillsdale, NJ USA On Saturday, June 27, 2020 at 10:06:09 PM UTC-4, Andrew Turner wrote: > > Hello Group. > Maybe I'll just start this conversation off with what I'm searching for > and I'll add the backstory after. > > - steel frame + fork (lugged preferably) that could clear 700x32 tires > - rim brake > - lightish tubing ( I weigh a scant 132lbs at 6'1") > - DT shifter braze-ons > - Trying to keep the price to no more than $1000 for frame + fork > - Frames of all ages welcome > - Designed to hold weight in the front (but I can make do with a > saddlebag) > > Bikes I've had in the past to try to fit these requirements: > > - VO Campeur: way better suited for heavy touring. Way stouter than I > need. > - Black Mtn Cycles monster cross: pretty nice but that frame really > wanted tires in the 38mm+ range which is overkill for me. > - Rivendell Roadini: damn fine frame and very comfortable. Tig welded > though and I might've gotten too large of frame with the 61cm. On my list > of possibilities though. The quality was also a disappointment for my > first > riv, chipped paint out of the box and very poorly installed headset. > > I just got done with my first longer ride on a 58cm Gazelle Champion > Mondial AA frame . I built it up because riding my first brevet on the VO > Campeur a year ago made me realize how important a more nimble bike, > especially for majority road use, is. But I might've gone too far. It's a > rocket no doubt but I found it fatiguing having to stay so vigilant on > descents. And putting the weight up front lead to a very close call down a > particularly sketchy downhill. I think slacker geometry might help with > that ;) > > All this to say, if any of you rando kids have some suggestions I'm all > ears! > > Thanks Group, > Andrew > > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/22f658c7-f7e3-4369-bdb3-cbae124922e9o%40googlegroups.com.
