Now that steel is getting the recognition it deserves as an ideal bicycle framebuilding material, we keep getting asked, “You build with chromoly, don’t you?” Indeed we do – but not on Gunnar bike frames. Our steels are a significant step up from the venerable 4130 chromoly alloy:
> Our steels, known as air-hardening steels, are specifically formulated for TIG welding, the method we use to build Gunnars. As a result, we don’t need as heavy a tube to build a durable frame. We’ve been using it for over 15 years with proven results.
> Our steels are heat treated. Heat treating makes the same steel almost twice as strong as 4130, which lets us lighten our our bikes even more.
> We’ve developed a custom palette of tubes we use for our designs. We vary tubes by frame size, to give big people the same ride qualities as medium and small riders. That means we also have special tubes unique to our company.
> Our frames are fully heat treated air-hardening tubes – not just the main tubes.
> Our steels come from respected suppliers – True Temper and Reynolds.
That makes our Gunnars custom-quality bikes at a terrific value.
This is not to disparage chromoly. It’s a great material out of which to make bike frames and has stood the test of time. Chromoly is over twice as strong as regular steel. It was the alloy that built aircraft that helped us win World War II.
But no, it’s not your father’s chromoly. Our tubes are way better.
{ 3 comments }
looking for a rocktour 29 er frame capable of touring the Tour d’Afrique Silk Road from Shanghai to Istanbul leaving May 19, 2012.
I’m 6′ 2″ ,can you build a frame to fit an if so can you build it before March 2012
I currently live in Chester Basin, Nova Scotia, Canada, can I order a bike frame through my local bike shope ” Cyclesmith’ of halifax?
Can I take my current Gunnar Fastlane and get it chrome plated? Will that weaken the strength of the frame?
Unfortunately, the stainless dropouts do not mix well with different plating systems. Also, you would need to polish the entire frame or every flaw becomes highlighted by the plating. Platers these days don’t know how to plate behind the bottom bracket, so you risk starvation there and behind the seat cluster. Finally, plating can sometimes interfere with the heat treatment of the tubes.
Sorry not to be more encouraging.