My steel road custom frame

i started this project a few months ago.
it began when i started to see titanium road bikes (titanium frame with carbon forks) here on BikePorn. Than i saw one live... WOW!

I started to think "why not a steel frame with a 1' 1/8 forks?"
I began to study a geometry for it. My pink cannondale helped me alot.
My pink cannondale has an internal headset. I'll set an external one on this project.

The frame is almost ready. I used a light steel tubes (too many hours diving into a pile of steel tubes trying to find the right ones) and a set of Ritchey dropouts. I like the weight of the frame. +/- 1400 gr

http://img543.imageshack.us/img543/2341/steelroadframe1.jpg

next thing will be:

• welding the support for gears cables and front derailleur
  
• finishing the weldings
  
  

http://img835.imageshack.us/img835/7274/steelroadframe3.jpg

http://img26.imageshack.us/img26/3484/steelroadframe4.jpg

http://img850.imageshack.us/img850/667/steelroadframe2.jpg

i think i'll use an Easton carbon forks
http://img534.imageshack.us/img534/9338/steelroadframe6.jpg

http://img221.imageshack.us/img221/8353/steelroadframe7.jpg

i think i'm going to set a carbon seatpost
i'm very happy with this project. I'll post more news soon (i hope)

so far I like this .. and I think if it turns out as nice as some of your past projects it going to be fantastic :)

so far I like this .. and I think if it turns out as nice as some of your past projects it going to be fantastic :)

thanks Oswald

but this project will take a while to be finish
the idea is to set the bike with a SRAM Red/force group but that will have to wait (€€€€)

looks good!

looks nice!

http://img4.imageshack.us/img4/2488/steelroadframe8.jpg

a little more advanced the project

this will not be the wheels and stem/handlebar that i'll set
it was just for the pic

i'm very happy with the way that this project is growing

Are you planning to paint it? I love the raw steel and discolouration from the heat...

the idea is to leave it like this

This frame is basically exactly what i want.

hummm! now i'm trying to decide if i leave it raw or paint it
Right now i'm counting €€€ to start building it. The first thing i bought was a black Chris King headset

Any chance of some photos of the details? Those chains stays looks like they've got a fair slope on them.

fwiw you should obviously never paint it because it looks cool, like you made it yourself; and you did

Also you should have made two because you could sell the other one make $ for the build

i still have to spend a few hours working with the frame

It would look soo nice if it wasn't painted... but how would you protect the frame properly to avoid rusting?
Have you decided what kit your putting on this?

clearcoat the frame

My vote is for no paint too. And if you clear coat then satin finish not gloss or matt.

Also, i think it looks better with the shallower section silver rims than the deep carbon ones. Better visual balance.

Good effort! I'd leave it raw and clearcoat it

Mmmmm, satin finish. Could it be worth it to let the surface rust a little? like on the top seat tube lug.

the steel frame with track dropouts will be painted. It's for a friend and he prefer the bike like that.
My steel road frame is other story... i'll try to sand it a little to see if i like the look of it.

today i spent several hours experimenting...
i'm loving the look of it.
Still many hours to work but i will spend them smiling :)

i love the Ritchey dropouts!

That is looking lovely, I love those dropouts. This makes me want to build a frame