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**DougieB** · #1 5 Jan 2008

yep, true, alu has come along way. but I'd prefer steel because

a) I'm not a light-weight, so a frame that has some give in it is a good thing for me.
b) I prefer the more compliant, and less stiff, ride of steel.
c) I do tend to do things like jump off loading ramps, so repairability is in my mind.
d) if I do c) the frame may bend (and can be un-bent) rather than break.
e) if the frame breaks there's a chance of welding it.

Having said that, modern steel bikes over the past few years have been getting lighter. So, with those very thin gauge steel tubes, I'm looking for an older steel bike.

I also don't want to spend much money, and I think cheap steel is better than cheap alu.

Which frame are you using?

cheers

**Vaufi** · #2 13 Jan 2008

I've got a German frame (KETTLER Bike - unfortunately no translation).

They used to have real good mountain bike frames somewhere inbetween trekking and race bikes. Perfect for travelling on bad roads. But I agree - it doesn't flex, but it is stiff enough to carry my weight plus heavy luggage summing up to about 110 kgs.

**stuxtttr** · #3 24 Jan 2008

good steel frames can be sourced from ebay if you are uk based have a look at Genesis bikes they do some lovely steel frames and they also do a nice 8 speed hub geared mtb for around £800. Maybe a bit pricey but should go on forverer.

**mirage** · #4 27 Jan 2008

It may require shipping but surlybikes.com make some very simple steel bikes that are used frequently for expedition riding.

**Luke** · #5 29 Jan 2008

I just saw one parked up outside our fruit shop in Grenoble. I once did quite a bit of touring, and have to say that the Surly I saw today is absolutely what you're looking for (and what I'd get for a really long unsupported RTW)
I asked Google about it and got this: SURLYVILLE

Look beyond the silly photo at the top, the frame is clean, simple and just what the long distance tourer would want.

I have a history of fatigue failures on ally bikes (Cannondales, specialized & Proflex/K2), I've gone to carbon, which may feel fragile but I have field repaired (handlebar end through top tube) with a good epoxy and an alu patch.

Happy trails
Luke

**Walkabout** · #6 30 Jan 2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by mirage

It may require shipping.

In the webpage via the link that Luke found is a pretty good distribution network of shops for those nations that can afford such new bikes in the first place - Canada, Aus and most of Europe basically, + one or two more such as NZ!!

**Matt Cartney** · #7 4 Feb 2008

Hi Dougie,

You could try these guys:

The Bike Station - Home

You never know they might have some higher quality bikes that have been donated. I agree with you about steel, far prefer it to aluminium for feel (I've a Reynolds 853 mountain bike, it's luverly). Although modern alu bikes are much less harsh then they used to be. Plus all the issues surround re-welding etc. if you are going off the beaten track, make steel a good choice.

An older mountain bike would be better (if you get one in good nick) for another reason. The old mountain bikes had a geometry far more suited to touring than the very short seat tubed modern bikes which are designed for handling in technical trails.

You could do a lot worse than an old Specialised Stump-jumper or Rockhopper, maybe a Giant Escape? I think the old Orange P7s were nice bikes too. One issue you may have to deal with is that older mountain bikes (and we are going back 15 years or so) often had 1" head tubes, meaning that if you wanted to fit new forks, say with suspension, you would struggle to get ones with the correct width steerer tube. 1 1/8" is the norm now.

Matt

**DougieB** · #8 4 Feb 2008

hey,

Yeah, I used to have a P7 about 9 or 10 years ago. The new P7's are 'thin-walled', and nothing like as good as the old P7's. I'd love a stumpjumper, but I'm trying to find one (or a rockhopper, etc) and then finding on in the right size.

And yeah, I know Surly bikes. But my spec is (currently) as cheap as possible. Surly's are perfect, but quite a few £'s. Then again, being able to carry spare spokes on the frame might just sway me!

the search continues...

**Carl P** · #9 8 Jul 2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by DougieB

I also don't want to spend much money

So I guess you had a change of mind then!

(or won the lottery)

Nice bike though.

**DougieB** · #10 8 Jul 2009

not exactly, I still don't want to spend much money...

all the bikes were second hand. the LHT frame was new, £300. but the second hand bikes I went through left me with a haul of spare parts, which went to make up the complete Surly.

well worth spending the money, to get the experience though. I'd be gutted to have missed out on that, and taken random advice and bought a new Dawes Galaxy with full front and rear panniers; 'cause that is what you absolutely must have to travel'.

all in I've spent less than a pair of Touratech's metal panniers. it's taken a while (a year and a half?), and I've done many 1000's of kms to work out what fits me.

one thing I've noticed, switching from motorbikes to pushies, is the stench of road-kill.

cheers,

**floyd** · #11 12 Jul 2009

Hi D where did you get the frame from?

atb

**DougieB** · #12 12 Jul 2009

wiggle, with a good discount.

**JHanson** · #13 28 Aug 2009

Dougie, that's a brilliant bike.

I was going to respectfully disagree with you about the availability of steel-framed bicycles. I see many more now than I did 10 or 15 years ago. Once the aluminium/titanium/carbon/thermoplastic (anyone remember TP?) crazes ran their course, people started realizing again just what an excellent frame material steel has always been. I see lots of custom builders using steel again, along with mass-production specialists such as Surly.

I'm just finishing up a Thorn Nomad, myself. Didn't realize I was a geek.

**DougieB** · #14 28 Aug 2009

yeah, to be honest when I first posted I was thinking a mountain bike was the thing to travel on. So, try and find a steel mountain bike and you'd have to agree with me that there are (practically) none :-) at the time custom build (I was/am on a budget) was not something I'd considered.

but then I picked-up and rode up a varying array of bicycles, and realised (as with motos) that what you first think is perfect is often the opposite. So, I no longer think a mountain bike is such a great travel bike. Certainly not 'the' travel bike. but to find that out you really need to try stuff.

I'm just about to fit some fat tyres to the LHT and do some off-road touring up north (Scotland). It'll be interesting to see how it goes.

there are plenty of frame builders here in the UK, using steel. I have discovered around ten to fifteen.

two of the higher end builders:

custom cycle frames, cycle shop derby, campagnolo uk – Mercian Cycles
Roberts Cycles - handbuilt lightweight custom bicycles and frames (the geek in you will want to read About us -> design philosophy)

I saw three Nomad's on my last excursion into west africa, all very happy owners.