There are plenty of chromo bikes out there, but is it possible to build a bike out of stainless-steel.
I mean stainless-steel will outlast chromo for sure, but will the characteristics of the bike change vs. a chromo frame (eg. harsher ride, increased possiblity of snapping, etc...).

Has anyone actually made a production stainless-steel bike, or more likely with the help of a steel fabricator build one? What's it like?

A stainless-steel frame I like to have: Moots YBB Air in 18/10 stainless-steel. Build as a SS, crazy huh?

Respect, jonowee

that Chewbacca has a stainless steel Kelly frame, if I'm not mistaken. He's buddies with Chris though, so maybe it's a one-off. Send him a PM.

There are plenty of chromo bikes out there, but is it possible to build a bike out of stainless-steel.
I mean stainless-steel will outlast chromo for sure, but will the characteristics of the bike change vs. a chromo frame (eg. harsher ride, increased possiblity of snapping, etc...).

Has anyone actually made a production stainless-steel bike, or more likely with the help of a steel fabricator build one? What's it like?

A stainless-steel frame I like to have: Moots YBB Air in 18/10 stainless-steel. Build as a SS, crazy huh?

Respect, jonowee

I think it was htem - used to make a stainless steel frame bike. Selection of tubing is VERY limited though, especially butted tubing.

How about an S^4 stainless steel single speed?

JMJ

If I remember corectly Columbus used to make a tubing called Metax that was similar to stainless in properties in the fact that it did not need to be treated or clear coated to protect it from oxidization. I dont think they made it for very long, as I dont believe it realy caught on with many builders.


Heres an Examples I found of frames
http://www.cramerotti.com/site/product_line/clearance?frame_code=CS9R4

http://www.bikecult.com/works/archive/04bicycles/metaxTJ.html

I think it was htem - used to make a stainless steel frame bike. Selection of tubing is VERY limited though, especially butted tubing.

How about an S^4 stainless steel single speed?

JMJ
Those bikes where bad ass.. If not mistaken Rhygin was part of the Fat Chance/I.F./Merlin/etc,etc, family. If you keep any old school "Bike" mags they had a write up on a Stainless Rhygin, plus a history of those companies and how they are related. Just look thru those old mags you can't seem to throw out..

IRD used to use Metax to build stainless frames...and I remember Rhygin definatelyt did one too..don't know if it came in there signature rasta though.

yes, Rhygin had one.
The Kabuki *Submariner road bike, circa 1974, was stainless steel, hence the name. I wore out a friend's for him, decent bike. It was assembled by putting tubes into a mold and molding aluminum lugs around the tubes. I have an aluminum Kabuki of the same vintage, assembled the same way. It's now a 1sp towner bike.
I think Sheldon has a writeup on Kabuki bikes online.
*Kabuki was a brand name made by C. Itoh, parent company of Bridgestone.

So basically from everything posted, that there a few production stainless-steel bikes and most of them were road bikes or cyclocross bikes.
In that short period, the tubes were supplied mainly by Columbus, then Columbus got frigging lazy and did not supply framemakers with their Metax.

Will manufacters ever decide to pick up stainless-steel tubing?

Respect, jonowee

Rhygin made an MTB, the Juke SS, out of Columbus Metax and it was available as an single speed or geared. Man I lusted over those bikes big time when I first picked up the sport in Boston.

If I remember correctly Columbus stopped making the tubing because not enough builders where adopting it to justify the expense. Shortly there after Rhygin disappeared.

So basically from everything posted, that there a few production stainless-steel bikes and most of them were road bikes or cyclocross bikes.
In that short period, the tubes were supplied mainly by Columbus, then Columbus got frigging lazy and did not supply framemakers with their Metax.

Will manufacters ever decide to pick up stainless-steel tubing?

Respect, jonowee

I'm sorry if I did not word my last post correctly, but unfortunately Supply-&-Demand did not happen for stainless-steel back then.

I just don't understand it why we still build steel frames from cromo, when we can use SSteel. It allows steel frames to 'probably' outlast aluminum frames. I don't think the frame would handle differently.

Respect, jonowee

Strength to weight ratio....


I "think" chromo is stronger than ss.

Monte

Is on the spot...

Cr-Mo is equal or superior in strenght than SS. Besides, SS is a bit more difficult to weld (not as much as aluminum) than Cr-Mo.

Besides... is steel anyway. The Strenght to weight ration is very similar and if corrosion is the point, aluminum is Stainless too.... and lighter.

I'd like to see some Cr-Mo FS frames... they might be too heavy or flexy so there is not much people interested though... Cr-Mo is better for dirt jumpers who need reliable frames (which would eventually bend before break).

Same to Ti. Usable Ti weighs around Al and is a lot of a hell more dificult to manipulate and weld.... and thus a lot of a hell more expensive. Besides is even more flexy than steel, so it makes good for softails.

Is on the spot...

Cr-Mo is equal or superior in strenght than SS. Besides, SS is a bit more difficult to weld (not as much as aluminum) than Cr-Mo.

Besides... is steel anyway. The Strenght to weight ration is very similar and if corrosion is the point, aluminum is Stainless too.... and lighter.

I'd like to see some Cr-Mo FS frames... they might be too heavy or flexy so there is not much people interested though... Cr-Mo is better for dirt jumpers who need reliable frames (which would eventually bend before break).

Same to Ti. Usable Ti weighs around Al and is a lot of a hell more dificult to manipulate and weld.... and thus a lot of a hell more expensive. Besides is even more flexy than steel, so it makes good for softails.

steel (and I think Ti as well) are actually stiffer than Al. It's the fat tubes that make the diff on Al. And Ti is also heavier than Al.

*I think this is correct*

steel (and I think Ti as well) are actually stiffer than Al. It's the fat tubes that make the diff on Al. And Ti is also heavier than Al.

*I think this is correct*


You're correct. They are stiffer at the same sidewall thickness. But they're heavier. At the same weight, Ti and Steel are flexier. Have anytime seen an Aluminum Spring?????

I think the problem may be with "crevice corrosion"

Stainless steel can corrode internally while looking ok on the surface. You are then left with a weak spongy alloy which fractures at the first sign of stress. Ask any yachtsman.

No doubt this can be worked around depending on the metallurgy.

But apart from the 'bling" factor, why bother? Paint has been working quite well for the last hundred years. We can have our fancy steels without jumping through hoops.

Back in the day (mid 90's) a few companies made some frames from Aermet 100 (Curve, Arrow, etc.). This stuff was a super high strength steel that had really good corrosion resistance (nearly stainless), but it was hard to work with and super expensive. I think titanium is a better option than stainless steel. The main problem is getting the tubes in the sizes necessary to make a good frame out of SS.

I think the problem may be with "crevice corrosion"

Stainless steel can corrode internally while looking ok on the surface. You are then left with a weak spongy alloy which fractures at the first sign of stress. Ask any yachtsman.

No doubt this can be worked around depending on the metallurgy.

But apart from the 'bling" factor, why bother? Paint has been working quite well for the last hundred years. We can have our fancy steels without jumping through hoops.

Problem is that SS is specially sensitive to chlorine (and another elements alike). There are low fusion point areas formed inside SS which can lead to craking. You might think a SS pipe painted with a non-corrosive coat (like zinc) might lasts forever in sea water..... far from true. Zinc and chlorine in salt water cause "low melting point" areas in SS producing craks (corrosion).

For marine use there's nothing like brass alloys.

Any steel with high content of Cr is very resistant to corrosion and temperature changes.

I still have all my steel bikes, but my aluminum bikes have all CRACKED!! just use framesaver and touch up scratches and steel will last.

If you want a more traditional bike, then click on this Stainless steel bike manufacturer (http://www.tallbike.com) :D

(I've got my name down)

stainless soft tail (http://www.fly-sports.com/products/bikes/rage.html) heres one morehttp://www.fly-sports.com/products/bikes/rage/Side.gif

with metax tubes found here (http://www.bohemianbicycles.com/photo_gallery18.htm)

One of the prettiest bikes at Interbike 2003 was this Metax CX by SyCip:

http://www.sycip.com/crossdresser/mediafiles/l3.jpg

You're correct. They are stiffer at the same sidewall thickness. But they're heavier. At the same weight, Ti and Steel are flexier. Have anytime seen an Aluminum Spring?????

Hundreds of thousands of people trust their lives to Aluminum springs every day.

The wingtips of a 747 are made of aluminum and can safely flex up to 30 feet in the vertical plane.

The flat plate 6069 alloy chainstays on the Ibis Ripley/Castellano Fango ST provide up to 1.25" of travel while providing a better balance of lateral stiffness and vertical compliance than tubular chainstays of any material.

That isn't to say that Titanium is not better suited to the purpose, but $995 for a Fango is a lot easier for most people to justify than $3900 for a custom SilkTi.

ss bike? hellllooooo deloreon

That isn't to say that Titanium is not better suited to the purpose, but $995 for a Fango is a lot easier for most people to justify than $3900 for a custom SilkTi.

I think that's the same reason why Boeing prefers Al instead of Ti on the wings of the 747......if Ti was cheap I guess people would be trusting their lives to Ti wings instead of Al.

As you said... it's no that Al isn't flexy enough... just that Ti and Steel are flexier.

Russian military aircraft use Ti for the wings and other structural parts of the plane.

ss bike? hellllooooo deloreon
Maybe stainless steel bikes will also have a Flux Capacitor that runs on one point twenty-one gigawatts.

1998 Rhygin Juke SS

Size is M/L, which is 17.5" seat tube. Specs are 72.5* seat angle, 72.0* head angle, 23.4" top tube, 41.9" wheelbase. Built in Metax stainless steel, satin finish.

Edited: changed photo.

I have a '98 Juke SS sitting in my storage room right now. I'm still kind of upset that my "lifetime guarantee" went up in smoke so soon after I bought the frame, but that's just about the only complaint I've had with mine. I think I'll [attempt to] true up the wheels and go for a ride tomorrow.

I have a '98 Juke SS sitting in my storage room right now. I'm still kind of upset that my "lifetime guarantee" went up in smoke so soon after I bought the frame, but that's just about the only complaint I've had with mine. I think I'll [attempt to] true up the wheels and go for a ride tomorrow.

True 'nuff, a lifetime guarantee is only good if the company is actually around for a lifetime. FWIW, repairs are possible on Metax frames, basically the same as any steel bike. Would require the frame builder to find replacement tubes, which I dunno how common they are anymore. I know this for a fact, since I broke my top tube shortly after Rhygin went under and James Bleakley at Black Sheep Cycles fixed it up for me. The repair cost about $100 in labor, since Columbus gave me the tube for free under warranty.

Only real issue with stainless is that you can't brass braze it, you have to use silver. That and the fact it distorts like a mutha when you weld it are the only couple of drawbacks.

I think lack of demand was the only reason Columbus stopped making Metax, although I can't imagine it would be fun stuff to draw.