Who to go to for a 953 frame?

[alexb]

The frame I handled (Sean Kelly's) was amazingly light.

It's possible for a steel frame to be lighter than other so-called lighter materials is it not?  Just depends on the builder and what they wish to achieve

953 is very light because it's very strong, so they can use much, much less of it.

Cheap titanium is just that. We're not comparing the same things here...

From chatting to Dave, he's not a big fan of 953 or 853, simply because they are very, very hard, so difficult to cut, file and generally work with. He's a big fan of 631/653 - because is easy to work with.

[Paul Smith SRCC]

If you want something a bit different Cliff Shrubb is still making a few, many of those few are now 953, he doesn't weld them so you would still get the 'feel good factor' of knowing that your frame has been built using his traditional skills. Click for another review of a 953 frame he has built and Click again for a review of the finished bike.

As some Cliff Shrubb trivia he has in the past made some unusual bikes including one for the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/BmpxJWAJbFM&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/BmpxJWAJbFM&rel=1</a>, which was done behind a car, the maximum speed 110mph, with gear so large that he had to be towed behind the car to get the gear going. Google 'Cliff shrubb' and you will see more examples of his work that may be of interest; especially in 'google images'.



He needs a bit of nagging to do one though as he is nearly 74 and would rather be out on his bike!

 
Paul_Smith
www.corridori.co.uk

[The Mechanic]

Ref. the Cliff Shrubb frame mentioned by Paul abive;  Can anyone tell me if the lugs used are the same material as the 953 tubes.  If they are ordinary steel, there could be a severe corrosion issue.  Carbon steel and stainless steel do not mix.

[LittleWheelsandBig]

SS lugs are available but there is a more limited range of tube sizes and joint angles.

[Paul Smith SRCC]

Ref. the Cliff Shrubb frame mentioned by Paul abive;  Can anyone tell me if the lugs used are the same material as the 953 tubes.  If they are ordinary steel, there could be a severe corrosion issue.  Carbon steel and stainless steel do not mix.

IIRC (which note therefore maybe wrong), Cliff has both stainless lugs and dropouts, the lugs were hard to find and I think he had the dropouts made especially some years ago, as he's used them in normal steel frames for ages. Interesting what you say that there may be a corrosion issue as I believe that he has had none fail.

I think he used stainless drop outs as back then it was common to have the ends chromed, as enameled ends soon chip where the wheel is tightened, where as chrome plate is more robust. Chrome work is something many UK builders with our climate do not exactly embrace with open arms, so to achieve a smilar thing Cliff used Stainless dropouts which were then not enameled.
 
Paul_Smith
www.corridori.co.uk


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[alexb]

SS lugs are available but there is a more limited range of tube sizes and joint angles.

There are almost the same sets now in SS as in standard steel - if we're talking about modern lug designs.

There is less freedom with lugs than with filet brazed, but that's simply because when you use lugs you end up with pretty much the angle defined by the lug (you can bend them a bit to compensate).

There is plenty of choice in stainless dropouts and fittings. The dropouts, fork crown and all the fittings (including my 953 chainstay bridge) on the frame I built with Dave Yates are stainless. There was loads of choice out there, you just need to know where to look.

Start with Ceeway and Henry James and you'll see there are loads of designs out there.

Why not go with Lee Cooper for a frame?

[rdaviesb]

Another one to throw into the pot. Kevin Sayles is now back at Woodrup Cycles.