My road bike is a 2001 Trek, on it’s 3rd set of components. I’m looking to retire the frame and have a solid, comfortable training rig. It won’t be raced, but will be regularly flogged on group rides, out of tri season centuries, and the like. Don’t want to get crazy with the spending either. I’m thinking a Salsa steel frame of a Lynskey titanium one (if I can find a good deal).
Thoughts?
We all know riding a titanium bike is like a square and the steel one is a circle. Clearly you want to ride the circel. Steel is real.
But seriously it depends on which particular frame you are looking at. I just got a steel cx frame and love it. I dont know too much about those particular frames.
Yeah, yeah…
I live (when not activated) way up north. Road salt and other grit is a concern- as it sweat dripping down onto the bike while on the trainer.
Anybody riding steel in the Rust Belt? Is a can of frame-saver enough? Can the solution even access smaller tubes like the chain- and seatstays?
Why not look into a British Ti bike? You could get a really good deal based on current exchange rates.
I got an Enigma about a year back and love it. I’ve yet to see a bad review of any bike that the company has produced. The guy who designs their bikes did one for Sean Yates back when he was with Disco. Reputedly, he tried to ride it once on one of their training camps but had to be pried off it and onto a Trek due to sponsorship obligations!
sealed tubes: http://www.ifbikes.com/OurBikes/Road/Steel_Crown_Jewel/
that said, I have a standard steel bike (Gunnar Roadie) as my rain bike (I live in the ‘rain belt’), and with an application of frame saver once a year, it’s fine. There are small holes where you can access the stays.
I’m not too picky when it comes to frames, but I really prefer my steel bike (with a good carbon fork) to just about anything, including a well-built ti frame.
IMO, frame material isn’t the issue if you’ve gone through 3 groupos since 2001. Or are you talking cassettes and chain rings?
I’ve only ridden steel and Ti, never ridden a carbon frame.
From my limited experience, I prefer Ti.
T-9 keeps my steel real in the rust belt. If you find a killer deal on a Lynskey, let me know so I can check it out before you buy it. Just want to help 
Really though, once a year I coat the innards of 12 year old mountain bike with t-9 spray. Somewhat regular cleaning of the outer frame and components and I’ve never had a rust problem. And this thing gets rode in some shite weather. The steel is reynolds fwiw.