Steel Bikes

You may or may not be familiar with the expression ‘steel is real’ in the world of cycling. It is uttered with affection and not a little reverence for the material that many started their cycling journey upon and one that is still coveted today. Until the latter part of the 20th century Steel was the dominant force in cycling with the last Toru De France victory on a steel bike being attributed to Miguel Indurain back in 1995. So, what is it about steel that earns it so much adoration? The principle reason is the ride quality, steel has a natural suppleness which translates into today’s buzzword, ‘compliance’. The natural spring of a steel frame transfers to the way it behaves when ridden. The feel of a steel bike is unlike you have ever ridden with some equating it to being like riding and armchair. This is no detriment to the way it rides but instead alludes to the comfort that it offers. The natural compliance results in less vibration felt through the frame and results in reduced rider fatigue. Another endearing quality of steel bikes is their rugged durability and long life. There are steel bikes still being ridden today that were built in the mid-20th century. The main reason for this is that a steel bike will soak up damage that would write off an Aluminium or Carbon bike. If a steel bike is damaged it can often be repaired at a reasonable cost, though the same cannot be said for lighter and more expensive materials.