What's a "light steel frame" ?

[woodbutcher]

Someone I know has got one about 23" in size with chromed lugs & forks. Sort of yellowy-gold all-over colour, IIRC - not rainbow. There's nothing heavy about it though. I remember picking up the frameset one day, just the F & F with headset and BB installed, and thinking "blimey, that's lighter than either of my 531 frames" Made of some sort of Columbus steel, don't know which though. The square taper BB was also incredibly smooth and free running. Whatever was in there wasn't cheap, must have had very well machined & ground bearing surfaces.

You are so right , nothing about these frames is heavy except the price .....holy smoke this one would seriously damage my health !

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

The one I'm talking about was bought as a frame only for about the same money as my Raleigh Pioneer! I was green with envy when I found out. Still am, if I'm truthful. Rarely gets ridden though. Area too dodgy to leave one of those on the street and expect it to still be there when you come back. He rides around on a shitty old Apollo hardtail MTB most of the time so the Colnago doesn't get nicked.

 

[woodbutcher]

The one I'm talking about was bought as a frame only for about the same money as my Raleigh Pioneer! I was green with envy when I found out. Still am, if I'm truthful. Rarely gets ridden though. Area too dodgy to leave one of those on the street and expect it to still be there when you come back. He rides around on a shitty old Apollo hardtail MTB most of the time so the Colnago doesn't get nicked.

That is a very sad story, it seems as though England has changed in many ways since l lived there and London even more so. Where did the respect for one another go to ?

 

[fr188]

My Carlton pro was 9.2 kgs built , but as it’s been said it’s more to do with the engine of the rider.

 

[Illaveago]

And you should always be careful not to overdo things or you might well end up like this :
View attachment 495666

Bald !

 

[Ming the Merciless]

I'd say a lightweight steel frame will be around 1,800g. So perhaps 500-600 grams heavier than a typical carbon frame. The difference in weight being one filled water bottle.

 

[woodbutcher]

I think l will stop regarding weight of bikes as being of major importance . My steel 1970's Coppi which weighs well over 10kg goes as well if not better than another bike l have which weighs just over 9kg.
Most probably that observation could be reversed on another day depending on my mood or commitment to the ride.

 

[Illaveago]

I think l will stop regarding weight of bikes as being of major importance . My steel 1970's Coppi which weighs well over 10kg goes as well if not better than another bike l have which weighs just over 9kg.
Most probably that observation could be reversed on another day depending on my mood or commitment to the ride.

Add weight going downhill and reduce it going up !

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Add weight going downhill and reduce it going up !

A pint at the top, a wee at the bottom?

 

[Kempstonian]

A pint at the top, a wee at the bottom?

After about eight hills you won't worry whether you are going up or down. You'll be going mostly sideways by then.

 

[midlife]

I think the lightest tubing I have on my frames is Oria on a 1992 Moser..

Can't wait to receive a 753 Raleigh from Balkanexpress.... never in my wildest dreams could I ever have afforded one BITD despite trade discount working in a bike shop

 

[BalkanExpress]

Look what l found
View attachment 495979

Ohhh, that’s nice. The paint around the rear dropouts is in good condition, this tends to be the first place to chip as it is paint on chrome.

 

[froze]

Early 80's era of Fuji Professional were 20 pounds (includes a steel fork of course). They used Fuji Quad Butted Chrome Moly tubing. I have the Club version, the Club used the exact same frame as the Pro but the Club used slightly heavier components because it was a mid end racing bike, mine weighs 21.1 pounds. The difference was the component weight of the Suntour Superbe vs Suntour ARX, and the Pro had lighter tubular rims vs clincher on the Club.

 

[avecReynolds531]

Just to say thanks very much for an excellent thread: very interesting and a good read.

 

[avecReynolds531]

The benchmark weight for a 531DB or 531C bare frame is 4 1/2 lb. Anything that weight or less would be a "light steel frame", in my opinion.

I was looking at a Columbus chart today detailing butting and tubeset weights: http://equusbicycle.com/bike/columbus/columbuschart.htm

Curiosity killed the cat - I finally got round to weighing the old frame I have: painted frame is 1875g/ 4.13 pounds, painted fork is 695g/ 1.53 pounds. That's for dimensions of a 22 inch top tube (centre to centre) and 22inch seat tube (centre to top), built mid to late 1950s (possibly early 60s) in London, and the seat post size seems to be 27.0mm.
It doesn't have any tubing decals at all - would anyone know what the tubing would be with that weight, size and seat post size? Reynolds? A & P Kromo?
Thanks!