After a long hiatus, Columbus has reintroduced a stainless steel tubeset, dubbed XCr. Unlike the older Metax pipes, XCr will be truly seamless, starting from a solid machined billet and then cold drawn to produce the final wall thicknesses. Columbus claims that this production method will keep the mechanical properties constant and uniform throughout the entire round section of the tube. Moreover, the grain structure of the new XCr tubing is said to be unaffected by welding, thus maintaining joint strength.
As expected, frames built with the new XCr tubes will boast excellent resistance to corrosion, and many builders will likely opt to use a bare finish. XCr frames also promise to be rather light as well, since tube walls as thin as 0.4mm will be possible given the material's high strength.
Hmmmm
stainless, not so much interested for racing... but think about a cross or more specifically a cross bike built up for commuter duty with the stuff...
could be freaking sweetness... for those commuters who aren't pussified by a little rain.
5 comments:
Yeah but won't it cost almost as much as Ti?
BURNED!!!
Burned?
as in why would someone want steel over Ti?
stiffness for one...
no need for special Ti welding shit...
i dunno - Ti ain't all its cracked up to be...
The 2007 Pegoretti Responsorium frameset is $3500 list... I guess I won't be getting one.
I don't weld my own bikes, so that part doesn't bother me about Ti. I've never ridden one either, but for a winter bike or a cross bike, too much stiffness is a bad thing.
I've been riding my Slim Chance lately, after a summer on the aluminum bike on the road. What a difference! On the other hand, riding my Yo Eddy with street tires pumped to 65-70 psi will break my back. That's steel too, but fat stays and the thing is just too stiff to ride without forgiving tires.
ahhh wise old Geert...
Ti... i've ridden other's road bikes, but not long enough to form an opinion other than "do i have a flat tire?"
nice enough... but...
gimme steel or a nice Al alloy...
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