There are lots of shops that I have visited that are flooring some type of steel frames. I'm not sure the current crop of customers are too interested, so they need to be educated.
Most people seem drawn to the new looks of the flamboyant aluminum and carbon frame bikes currently on the market.
I have Salsa bikes on my sales floor in several flavors that are steel. I stock a couple of Lemonds with steel frames.
a new bike that I really like is the Salsa Casseroll, which is of course not lugged steel, but it IS a steel frame and steel fork.
http://www.salsacycles.com/
and of course, it is the customer who ultimately decides what is on my floor by their purchases. I can't continue to stock things that don't sell.
I do display and am constantly showing some of my personal bikes which includes a 74 Paramount, 83 Saronni, 79 custom built touring frame from Dennis Sparrow who apprenticed at Geoffrey Butler's shop in 74-75 in England before coming back to build in Missoula, Montana, so that I can discuss steel frames with my customers. I ride a modern Lemond with a steel frame as my major rider the last few years. (I ride carbon as well) I am hoping to ride a lot more on my steel collection, though.
Robb Rasmussen Sioux River Bicycles & Fitness since 1977 501 Main Ave Brookings, South Dakota 57006 USA http://www.501main.com
> From: rdayton@carolina.rr.com> To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org> Subjec
t: RE: [SPAM][CR]Fragile light vintage bikes> Date: Sun, 16 Mar 2008 10:57:
18 -0400> > With all its merits why has steel fallen out of favor?> I have
a have dozen bike shops within a five mile radius and NOT one will> have a
steel production bike on the floor, especially one with a steel fork.> Ther
e are tons of aluminum welded frames, tons of carbon and some Ti.> But abso
lutely no steel. > Is it profit? Is it lack of craftsmen? Is modern marketi
ng?> When I do dust off my steel rigs and spin around on a club ride, you g
et the> same attention and comments as if you where riding a Penny Farthing
.> I have pretty think skin so I really don't care what people think or say
.> > Finally in regards to the exploding carbon frame theorists, I would li
ke to> point out during the bike boom there where some real sheet steel fra
mes.> Gaps in the lug work, angle problems, alignment problems, poor paint,
> substandard chrome..........> There are some real sheet carbon frames now
too.> > So is the only way to get a new decent frame to stand in line at a
KOF> builder?> > > Rob Dayton> Charlotte, NC> USA> > _____________________
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