Ask any road cycling enthusiast and you will know that carbon fiber is now the de-facto material of choice when it comes to bike frames. With its stiff, ultra-lightweight, and completely moldable characteristics, no wonder why cyclists and frame designers alike love the stuff. Get into a crash, however, and you can pretty much kiss the frame goodbye. People wanting a non-exploding alternative are resorting to aluminum and titanium as their frame choice. Both metals are fairly lightweight and are more resilient to damage unlike carbon fiber.
Steel, on the other hand, are found in older bikes, big box (aka Walmart) bikes, and high priced custom boutique bike shops ... usually with a waiting list. A lot of them are downright heavy tanks and a cheap choice for those on a tight budget. But if you have the means, a wonderfully crafted steel bike will give you a ride quality as well as classy good looks not found on the other bikes. Let me explain ...
Love at first sight
It was a beautiful autumn afternoon last August of 2012. I was picking up my then 2008 Orbea Orca from the bike shop after a bottom bracket overhaul. As I passed through the window, I couldn't help but catch this beautiful red bike on the corner of my eye. No, it wasn't some carbon fiber, aerodynamic racing machine, but a beautifully crafted steel Colnago Master Extra Light with a gorgeous chrome plated fork and a cherry red paint scheme (PR82) that is reminiscent of the classic Ferrari 250 GT from "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" (Oooh Yeeaaahhh). All decked out with Super Record 11 and a set of Zipp 101 (gunmetal gray ... not the black one), it was gorgeous! The tubes were star shaped instead of round. This was to prevent twisting (according to Colnago), which in turn increased overall stiffness without adding weight. The chrome plated lugs were artfully crafted with almost museum-like quality. This bike was indeed a sight to see! I fell in love with the bike so much, I scored a deal on the exact same frame on eBay a week later and I jumped on it. I moved over my Super Record 11 group from my titanium bike and got a pair of the Zipp 101s like the one in the showroom.The ride ... oh the RIDE!
When the shop owner let me throw my legs over the showroom model, I knew there was something special with the bike. Just like a European car, there is a sense of solidity. When I took it out for a spin, I knew I was in for a treat. One word describes the ride ... SMOOTH! The short ride around the parking lot can be a bit subjective, but when I purchased my own, the ride of my own personal Colnago Master validated the smoothness over and over on the road. Granted, on my own personal bike, I have set it up on road tubeless setup with tire pressures set at 95psi. Riding it on the road does not give it that muted feeling you get on a carbon bike. Instead, it gives you a unique sense of road feel that is quite pleasing and not harsh at all. When I got this bike up to speed above 20mph, the magic happens. I don't know if it is the weight of the steel, but I can hold the top speed better than my super-light SuperSix EVO! The Colnago surprisingly gave me a better overall average speed than any of the bikes I have ever owned! I can only hypothesize that it could have been inertia of steel versus carbon. Don't get me wrong, my Colnago Master, with pedals and cages, weighs a respectable 18.6lbs. It is about the weight of a mid-range aluminum bike or an entry level carbon bike. My bike also includes the Colnago Precisa all-steel fork! I have seen other Colnago Masters with a carbon fork running 2013 SRAM Red on tubular tires that weighs less than 16lbs! Not too shabby for "Extra Light" in my opinion!Is steel for you?
That depends. If you are a racer that requires instant acceleration or a mountain goat who loves tackling the steep stuff at high speed, you may be put off by its weight (unless you get SRAM Red and the carbon fork or got the engine to match). If you are an endurance/century rider that demands comfort and appreciate a solid and smooth road feel over long distances or a racer who wants a bike that can easily survive a major crash, then you will probably love steel. Remember, not all steel bikes are created equal! Trying to compare a high-end steel bike like the Colnago Master to a big-box Walmart steel bike is like comparing a classic Ferrari to a boring Ford sedan. Sure both cars will take you from point A to point B, but only one of them will give you the performance as well as style that turns heads. As a matter of fact, I got far more compliments on my Colnago Master than my SuperSix EVO ever did in terms of sheer looks. You be the judge ...
- James Lee
