Steel Porn

[SpinSpinSugar]

Hi ladies. Lets see some of the shapes, sizes, and uses that steel bikes come in. Old, New, MTB, Commuter, beloved old beater? Let's see what you've got.. Show us some Steel bike porn! :D

I'll start off with my Rawland with it's 4130 steel 650B goodness. It's setup as an all-arounder/light touring bike. The wheels are hand-built 36 spoke double walled rims, 38mm tires, a 26/36/46 triple sugino "touring" crank, and 11/34 9sp cassette so I can go up pretty much anything just not very fast lol.... :rolleyes:

Forgive the ugly yellow bar tape.. that was supposed to be temporary.. but it's highly visible so I decided to keep it around for a while.

http://img216.imageshack.us/img216/5088/p1010016800x600.jpg
http://img154.imageshack.us/img154/6600/p1010017800x600.jpg
http://img35.imageshack.us/img35/7259/p1010012800x600.jpg

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Here's a past TE thread showing a bit of steel porn:
http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=27192


Aside from that, here is our picture page of my husband and my 5 steel bikes (http://harmonias.com/bikes/).

[SpinSpinSugar]

Hi BleeckerSt_Girl thanks for the link. Some incredibly beautiful bikes you all have. I'm a sucker for lugging. The Rawland has a beautifully lugged bi-plane fork but you can't see it in the pictures.

BleeckerSt_Girl I noticed that your Luna has very similiar geometry to the Rawland but more compact. Does it have 650(B,C) wheels? How do you like it? Have you had it a while? What do you use it for?

Thanks so much,
SpinSpinSugar

[tulip]

*SIGH*, the term "porn" for bikes really, really bugs me.

But I appreciate steel bikes, alot. Your bike is a beauty, Spin, as are Lisa's and Brian's.

Love that Luna! Here's mine.

[SpinSpinSugar]

Wow that's a beautiful bike Tulip. Forgive my ignorance, but does it have a carbon fork? And I'm sorry if I offended with the bike porn label - none was intended.

Keep the pics coming ladies. How about any steel MTB's? Or 3 speeds?

SpinSpinSugar

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

BleeckerSt_Girl I noticed that your Luna has very similiar geometry to the Rawland but more compact. Does it have 650(B,C) wheels? How do you like it? Have you had it a while? What do you use it for?


I'm 5'5" and my luna takes 700 wheels. If i was maybe 2" shorter I would have opted for smaller wheels, but the 700's are just fine for me and I don't have toe overlap issues. Yes I LOVE my Luna. Have had it about a year and a half, and use it for pretty much all my riding, got a couple thousand miles on it by now I imagine.

Tulip, that's a real beauty! Love the luscious tomato red of these bikes I'm seeing here!

[radacrider]

I posted a pic of my MTB (circa '93) here:
http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=32876

[Trek420]

I posted some pictures of my road bike here:

http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=23195

and Knott's promenade to the farm market bike here:

http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=23135

and the "rescued from the dumpster Motobecane" here:

http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=19096

my commuter-mobile is steel too and very very cute but hardly R rated. :p

[tulip]

Wow that's a beautiful bike Tulip. Forgive my ignorance, but does it have a carbon fork? \

Carbon fork and seatstays. I bought it in 2005. It's not custom for me--it was prebuilt, but it might as well have been built for me. I was lucky enough to be in New Mexico for a visit, knew about the bike, and called Margo up. I saw, I rode, I wrote a check.

I also have a steel Jamis Coda Comp (2003) that was my commuter bike but is now my errand bike since I no longer commute to work.

[SpinSpinSugar]

Wow. Wow. Wow. It looks like everyone's bikes are in perfect shape.Not a paint chip in sight. :cool: Your commuter looks very comfy Tulip. Was it a MTB frame converted?

I'll post up some pictures of the rest of my steel fleet later this afternoon. They could be described as "the bad and the ugly" ...lol... :rolleyes:

[Cataboo]

Spinsugar, how's the rawland's frame working for you? I remember you posting before about the top tube being too long - that's one short stem you have on there.

I still want a rawland's frame, however after seeing both of those luna's... They're gorgeous! especially Tulip's, but I love red.

Here's my flaming surly pacer. It's my commute, around town, and mild off road bike:

http://photos-e.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-sf2p/v648/101/117/624946864/n624946864_1941076_2505107.jpg

[SpinSpinSugar]

Hi Catronia. I looooove how you've setup your Pacer. Those red fenders are HOT! As far as between the Luna and the Rawland... well depending on what you are looking to spend... the Rawland is a great deal if it fits you. You can get a XS or S frame set for $350. (or this med might be for sale soon .. 'eh hmmm')

The Rawland is much more comfy to ride with the new Selle-Anatomica on it. - Before I could never get KOPS - I was always too far setback for various reasons with the other saddles.

It has a 40mm downhill stem on it now. It's the shortest threadless stem available, and it weighs a TON. (actually .5 lb to be exact) With that short stem the bike fits... but barely. Can we say - NO room for adjustment and NO tight cornering ability?? Nimble handling the Rawland is not. So I am still looking at purchasing a LHT, but I am waiting for the 2010 models to come out first. ;) Maybe there will be a better color offered than BLEH Green, or Boring Brown.. lol.

Keep em coming ladies..

SpinSpinSugar

[Cataboo]

Well, you can always dress up bleh green or boring brown with accessories! I did that with red ones to dress up my boring black bike... although, I still want a red bike like Tulip's.

I have the opposite problem on that pacer - I've got a 130 mm stem on it to give me the top tube length I need. That bike, especially with the fenders, has a heck of a lot of toe overlap. The rawland looks like it'll be close enough to "red", have the top tube length I need, and probably fix my toe overlap issues from looking at the geometry. They only have the x-small left on their website which will fit (I might have preferred the small) & I've been hemming & hawwing about it for like 3 months now... Because I either need to get expensive brakes so that I can run 700c's with it, or buy 650b wheels to use the brakes that I already have. Not to mention all the other build costs...

And, while I'm not thrilled with the surly's fit... I do love that bike even though it likes to pitch me into the ground at every opportunity. It's the first bike that I really got to build up and 'play' while I did it. My road or mountain bikes are built with the best components I could find cheapest - so they really don't have that much personality.

[eofelis]

Here is a 41cm Gunnar Sport frame I won on ebay. It is a custom that was done for someone else, but it also happens to be my size too. I got it for 1/4 of the original price. (I paid ~$250.) This one has 700c wheels. The smallest Sports usually have 650c wheels. The ride quality of this little bike is outstanding. It has a fork from a Surly Pacer. I'm going to get a Waterford/Gunnar steel fork and probably have the bike repainted eventually, the paint job had some dings in it.

http://inlinethumb54.webshots.com/36917/2375220570046505395S500x500Q85.jpg (http://sports.webshots.com/photo/2375220570046505395xPVjNI)

[eofelis]

Here's my flaming surly pacer. It's my commute, around town, and mild off road bike:

http://photos-e.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-sf2p/v648/101/117/624946864/n624946864_1941076_2505107.jpg


Hehe! That was my Pacer frame! Glad you are having fun with her!

[Cataboo]

Yep, I bought it from you as a christmas present to myself. I'm half tempted to get her powder coated red, but until then she gets a lot of red accessories :)

Now if you ever get bored of that gunnar, I think it'll fit me too...

[radacrider]

Guess I have personalized and comfortized my MTB from when I first joined the TE forum.:D
(*SUB = Sport Utility Bike)

Then:
Standard MTB bars, moderate road tires, Specialized Lythia saddle
http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh199/MzPaulaG/Bridgestone%20Bikes/IMG_1525.jpg

Now:
Cinelli LW drop bars (38cm/40cm), fendered, racked, Specialized Ruby saddle, dual platform peddles
http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh199/MzPaulaG/Bridgestone%20Bikes/MTB%20Drop%20Bars/IMG_2226.jpg

[badgercat]

Wow, that is quite the transformation, Radacrider! I love the color of the bar tape.

[radacrider]

Thanks, Badgercat! It has been fun working on it and getting it set up so I really love riding it. (Still like my Radac better, though). It will be my standard, not so nice weather commuter and errand bike.

I had a lot of wrist issues with the flat bars, so I did not ride it much until I did the conversion.

[sarahspins]

I need better pics of my Takara since I never took any once it was finished, but I can share some of the kid sized mixte :)

It was my rusted $10 thrift store score - the guy really looked like he was probably asking way too much when he said they could sell it to me for $10 (out of the donation pile no less - they're "not supposed" to do that!)... but I knew it had potential :D Most of the original components were too rusted to save, but the frame, aside from the fork (which was bent, and replaced) was in great shape... I had it powdercoated so it will last another 30+ years :)

Before: (in front of the 45cm Nishiki I had at the time for a size comparison - it's tiny!)
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4139/4764244967_b96dddfe30_z.jpg

Now:
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4107/5069116097_2027762f48_z.jpg

I think the only things I "saved" from the bike were the bottom bracket, headset, and front wheel.. everything else was replaced.. some new parts, some old parts off other bikes :)

My 9 year old son currently rides it and loves it.. I have visions of redoing it in about 5 years with PINK cable housings and bar tape and all sorts of girly touches for my daughter :D

[radacrider]

Wonderful rescue, nice bike, sarahspins.

[warneral]

sweet!!!!

[Trek420]

I don't think I posted a full frontal picture of the mixte ;)

[warneral]

that is a gorgeous mixte! WOW!

[KnottedYet]

And it is sooooo much fun to ride!

I passed a hot-carbon wannabe going uphill while riding Trek420's mixte. Sexy-boy got pissed and tried to pass me back, but I roared ahead and he couldn't. (though I did have to stop at the top of the hill and catch my breath, and he passed me after I stopped) Chris Robinson ( http://www.robinsonww.com/ ) did an amazing job of rebuilding that mixte!

[Trek420]

She was in a skirt and flip flops to his lycra and clipless pedals ;) :p My wife rocks :D

More steel, more better, the commutermobile. This is a GT Outpost trail, about '96-7. Powdercoated by Robinson, new wheels (Mavic Crossride), and now sporting a Wald wire basket.

[KnottedYet]

She was in a skirt and flip flops to his lycra and clipless pedals ;) :p My wife rocks :D

I think at that time I was wearing flowing flappy capris. Not a skirt.

But I accept the "rockin'" designation. That little event still warms my heart on cold lonely nights... Her 70's Motobecane mixte is SWEET. Everyone should have one!

[warneral]

too funny! I do want that bike :)

[Trek420]

I think at that time I was wearing flowing flappy capris. Not a skirt.

My mistake. I think there's even a picture here, not of the "chicked" biker dude ;) you on the ride.


But I accept the "rockin'" designation. That little event still warms my heart on cold lonely nights... Her 70's Motobecane mixte is SWEET. Everyone should have one!

Well, it fits you better than me. I'm a little stretched out on it. I don't ride it far though, it's become me official "I can't stand it, I'm grabbing a helmet and riding around the block before I go nuts" bike. :p


too funny! I do want that bike :)

Just keep checking your condo's "FREE" pile till you find one a neighbor threw out. ;)

[warneral]

I actually searched your story and found how you found it and how your LBS built it up for you. That is too cool. Way to go :)

[TxDoc]

Hello "rocking"-KnottedYet ;)
since we speak of steel... what is that golden lugged beauty in your avatar?

[KnottedYet]

Hello "rocking"-KnottedYet ;)
since we speak of steel... what is that golden lugged beauty in your avatar?

That is the INCREDIBLY sexy 15 year-old lugged steel Waterford cyclocross bike I bought from Limewave right here on TE.

That bike deeply changed my life. (thank you thank you a million thank yous, dear Limewave!)

[TxDoc]

That is the INCREDIBLY sexy 15 year-old lugged steel Waterford cyclocross bike I bought from Limewave right here on TE.

That bike deeply changed my life. (thank you thank you a million thank yous, dear Limewave!)

...may I dare ask for a full picture? I like steel :D

[KnottedYet]

Here's the first glimpse I had of Her Loveliness: http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showpost.php?p=107409&postcount=1

[Trek420]

She looks much better now, purple bar tape, and a Brooks :)

[kacie tri-ing]

So, have you seen the sweet steel bike that I passed on? It is up in the general forum under, "shout out to kacie tri-ing." She made it look SO much prettier than I did!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

mmmm..... my buttery custom TIG-welded steel Luna.
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1354/5102053281_c727ff2fda_z.jpg

[radacrider]

very nice!

[jdubble]

that is one beautiful bike. i *love* the buttery yellow. that was my original color choice for the sweetpea, but i opted for vanilla shake instead. but there are days when i really wish i'd gone with buttery yellow. it'd be like a little bit of sunshine everyday :)

[Catrin]

Beautiful bike, she is so cheerful with that lovely butter yellow color! Nice that you have enough seatpost showing to use that bag :cool:

[emily_in_nc]

I've loved Lisa's bike since she first had it built. The color is great, and I especially love the little bee on her top tube! :p

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Hey thanks, all. you are too kind! I really cherish my Luna. :)
My Rivendell is great too, but the Luna fits me better for anything longer than 15 miles. I keep a rack on the Rivendell now, more for errand stuff. I don't imagine I'll ever need more than my two wonderful and dependable steel bikes.
Here's my Rivendell Rambouillet with a rack and two grocery panniers, but usually now I just have the rack without panniers on it:
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4085/5102056421_5f8986c1a0_b.jpg

[warneral]

They are beauties Lisa!

[TxDoc]

She looks much better now, purple bar tape, and a Brooks :)

Then we need to see a new picture...
:D

[smilingcat]

Someone asked about being improper for not posting a photo of my "vintage RB-1". Finally got around to it. Yes its bit neglected and abused on the trainer but it still rides well out on the street. Yes the front wheel and rear is different. And the stem is too long but that's all I had for a gooseneck in my box of goodies when I was trying to fit it to me... The other one I have is way too short and I really hated it. so I make do with too long of a gooseneck. It needs to be about 15mm shorter.

[ultraviolet]

Here's my winter project. It's a Lotus Odyssey I picked up recently (early-ish 80's, I think). It's surprisingly light, even when outfitted with racks and fenders. I've got it pulled apart now, for a thorough cleaning and rebuild.

I'm thinking of naming him Homer. :rolleyes:

[Tri Girl]

that Lotus is so pretty! Can't wait to see what it looks like when it's all put back together and cleaned up (although I can't imagine it looking any better).

[Biciclista]

Here I am with my bike and my husband's.. Steel is real. Both are custom steel Davidsons. Did i say steel? :cool:

[Tri Girl]

I just finished my first build. Bought the frame bare. Bought all new components (with the exception of the shifters and brakes who were free from a friend). My hubs helped me with the cables, but I did everything else. It's a late 90's/early 2000 dark green Bianchi Eros steel beauty. Brooks saddle, leather bar tape and it rides like a dream. It's heavy, but it's utilitarian- not meant to be a speed demon. One day we will tour together. For now it's my "fast" commuter (faster than my other commuter, anyway). :D

[Trek420]

Are the spoke nipples reflective or just super shiny? Where's the "like" button? :)

[Tri Girl]

I just put some reflective tape around the spokes, right above the nipples for visibility. It's sliver so it blends in with the spokes.
Put the rack on last night and rode it to work today. It's dreamy... :)

The top tube currently has Christmas lights on it until after Christmas. They're nice for visibility in the dark mornings, and also festive. ;)

[Trek420]

I just put some reflective tape around the spokes, right above the nipples for visibility. Can't see it except when there's light.


Oh that's just too practical, innovative and resourceful vs. a product you can invent, patent, market and retire to your very own island. ;)

[warneral]

sweet bike tri!

[rubywagon]

I would never have thought about putting tape on the spokes! That looks so awesome! When your wheels are spinning, does it look like a solid circle of light, like on Tron?!

[Tri Girl]

They are designed for spokes. I may buy another set and put it closer to the hub so it makes 2 glowing circles of light.
http://www.lightweights.org/store/product.php?productid=25&cat=0&page=1

[Bike Writer]

My Ride

Still and in action with a basket full from the Farmers Market, crossing Argo Dam and out on the trail lifing over deadfall.

[ScaldedCat]

My Bob Jackson Audax Club that I built up last Summer, now has black bar tape. Could have bought a carbon or alu frame for the same money or less but went for hand-built steel.

http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m40/Seraphina426/IMGP0777-1.jpg


http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m40/Seraphina426/IMGP0764-1.jpg

My steel Scott Apache that I rescued from being thrown in the dump and gave a new life as my hack/everyday/Winter/bad weather bike.

[Tri Girl]

Bike Writer- that is a BEAUTIFUL bike! WOW!!!! Such classic lines!

Scalded Cat- those are both beauties- but that Bob Jackson is SA-WEET!!!! Woot wooo!!!!

[Atlas]

Yesterday I went out and cleaned off my bike after the grime of winter (yeah I know it's May).

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5188/5689336600_64c6a7984d_z.jpg

My Surly Cross Chick.
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5106/5688768301_d5d8ce972d_z.jpg

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

My Surly Cross Chick.


Good one!! :D

[Veronica]

Our custom tandem (http://tandemhearts.smugmug.com/Bicycles/Bohemian-Tandem/15468526_PPZXt#1158195446_nfs6V).

Veronica

[Cataboo]

That is a work of art with all those little details.

[redrhodie]

I agree. That's crazy nice.

[Bike Chick]

What a super cool bike! That rotor with custom cut-out geckos is just too neat.

[Savra]

If this works - my new Surly all decked out. :) Definitely porn.

[Tri Girl]

BEAUTIFUL, Savra!!!

[Bike Chick]

That's a beauty, Savra.:D

[Catrin]

My lovely Plum Blossom belongs here ;) Then again, so does my entire steel wall art!

[Savra]

Hey Catrin - Your wall looks like mine!! The only difference is I have my road bike on the top. :) It is the first thing people see when they walk into my house.

[Catrin]

It is in my bedroom - and my LHT HAS to be on the bottom since it weighs 35 pounds :rolleyes: My lovely Gunnar weighs considerable less than that so it is a breeze to lift on and off the top of the rack.

[Savra]

Yeah, the Surly is not light. Same reason my 19 pound road bike is on top. I'm pretty sure if I put the Surly up there it would pull everything down.

[Trek420]

My Mondonico.

[Owlie]

That is a work of art with all those little details.

Agreed! I love the geckos.

Catrin, this is the first good look I've gotten of your Gunnar (I was gone when you actually got the bike). Very nice!

[WindingRoad]

Wow that tandem is amazing! :D