Vintage lugged steel bikes

[oldbobcat]

IBy the way, Normano, by your photos I can tell your Normano is gorgeous. The curve of the front fork is just right.

 

[2WheelsGood]

I have a 1973 Paramount with maybe 2,500 miles on it if that. The Brooks saddle isn't even broken in. There's barely a mark on it, so it doesn't get ridden anymore. It just sits around looking pretty. The little guy in the second to last picture is me helping my dad build it way back in '73, and the last is me with the bike now.

 

[big Pete]

I have a 1970's Dawes Galaxy that I've just had refurbished with modern components and it easily in the top 5 of the best bikes I've ever ridden, and I've ridden a few. I also ride an unbranded handmade Iatalian cyclo-cross bike made from Columbus tubing. It's from the early 80's and it's amazingly light and strong. It can easily compare with many modern alloy frames from the most reputed makers, except that it's much MUCH tougher.
I use the first for touring (and I couln't really imagine touring on anything else, especially when you consider what the bike has to cope with) and the other when I want speed.
There's an incredible amount of snobery against lugged steel frames at the minute and, it's sad to say, they' re on the way out.
If carbon, alloy, titanium, God knows what really made bikes so much lighter, faster, better in any way, then cyclists would have opted in favour of these materials a very long time ago.
The only advantage of giving up on steel bikes is to make cyclists buy more bikes more often from big companies who have one-size-fits-all frames built in massive workshops in the Far East and to kill off small independant bike shops and local frame builders.
I'd like to hear from anybody who either shares my views or who may have contrasting opinions.
f.j.

I share your views. I have a 88 lugged Bianchi Strada lx. I just picked up a Peugeot(sp?) sport 2000 from the garbage. These are great bikes but I am running out of places to get the 126 mm hubs with the barings that are close to the drop out points like these http://www.sheldonbrown.com/gloss_e-f.html#freehub
(I am 6'4" and 250 pounds and I do not bend the axle when this hub is used) And for the same thing I am not sure I want to extend the back fork by 4mm. I am also building a new alu bike I will se how long that lasts ... I have five years for the frame warranty to run out. I wish I could still get steal bikes off the peg I know of two that still exist but I have no money for them.

Pete