M Steel Cycles
Builder Profile
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We can do anything....Probably! M . STEEL CYCLES is a complete cycling business. Owned and run by cyclists we all have a passion for bikes and cycling that reflects in the range and level of services we offer. From children's bikes for Christmas and birthdays to the latest pro-racing bikes for the top racers. From commuting bikes to "round the world" tourers. From tightening loose bolts on your bike to completely re-furbishing collectors machines to a "Concours" finish. We can supply or "do" just about anything to do with bikes and cycling.
The staff at M . STEEL CYCLES will be only too pleased to advise you on anything from which inner tube you need to designing a complete new custom bike.
All the steel frame bikes that wear our exclusive Joe Waugh and Dave Yates names are built by our team of craftsmen in our Wallsend framebuilding workshop. This facility gives us a flexibility and range of services most bike shops do not have access to. We can design and build a custom bike for you that will be absolutely unique, a one-off just for you, for any purpose you desire.
Company History
There has been an M . Steel in Gosforth since the late 1800's. For at least 80 of these years the name has been associated with bicycles. The business was bought by Geoff Dobson in 1954 and he traded in various locations around Gosforth throughout the ensuing years. In 1980 Geoff and Dave Yates founded M. Steel Lightweight Cycles Ltd to manufacture high quality custom frames at a factory unit in Wallsend.
Joe Waugh
"As a former Olympic cyclist I know how crucial frame quality can be. When I create a racing frame my approach is simple .... I ask myself 'would I be happy riding this ?' Only when the answer is 'yes' do I put my name on it."
Joe Waugh joined the company very shortly after whilst at the height of his formidable powers as one of the best racing cyclists ever to come out of the North East. 1981 saw the purchase by the company of Geoff's shop in Salters Road, Gosforth to bring all the M. Steel named operations under the wing of the limited company, and in 1984 the business was moved to its present location in South Gosforth. During 1981 to 1982 Joe acted as a mobile test bed for the company products. Just before the World Championships in 1981 his No. 1 race bike was damaged. Due to go to Belgium with the Great Britain team for two weeks preparation he took a standard 531 frame from the shop and gave it a thorough testing on the Belgian pave (cobbles!). The same bike was also used as a spare at the "Worlds".
The aim of the company has always been to produce frames of the highest quality. That we have succeeded can be judged by the fact that in 1988 we had no less than 11 National Champions in various areas of cycling, riding on frames of our manufacture and in 1989 we had our first full professional team equipped with Joe Waugh bikes. Since then our frames have featured regularly in national events with never less than two national champions in any year. Deb Murrell rode a frame of our manufacture at the last Olympic Games, and Harry Walker holds the current British 25 mile road record of 40 minutes 50 seconds on a low profile time trial frame built to his exclusive design. Over 10,000 riders have experienced the delights of an M Steel hand crafted frame since 1980.
Dave Yates
"Building top quality frames is an intuitive business. You need the technical skills and the right materials...but you also need loads of experience and that extra indefinable feel for framebuilding to create something really special."
Dave Yates started building frames in 1977 whilst a teacher of metalwork in a local comprehensive school. By 1980, having built approximately 60 frames in his garage, he decided that there was perhaps a living to be made at it (we all have our dreams) and set up the present company with Geoff Dobson and Joe Waugh in 1980.
Since then he has personally built over 2000 frames of all types from a 10" Mountain bike frame to a 30" Road bike frame. His cycling background and continued activity in the field, allied to his vast experience of "hands on" engineering, provides a combination that has produced some of the most sought after frames in the Country.
Repair & Renovation
M. STEEL CYCLES are specialists in frame renovations and repairs. You would be amazed at some of the rusty and dilapidated offerings that enter our workshop and leave gleaming as new. We can carry out repairs to practically any steel frame (and some aluminium ones as well). Anything from adding a few braze ons to repairing major crash damage. Stripped bottom bracket shells, bent gear hangers, seized seat pins or stems are all in a days work. If it can be welded, brazed or even stuck with adhesive we can probably do it.
All our painting is carried out in house. We specialise in "sympathetic" restoration of classic frames, Flying Scot, Bates, Hetchins, Claude Butler are just some of the names that spring to mind. We can usually get transfers to the original pattern to finish the job off properly.
All frames that come in for renovation are inspected for damage, shot blasted to remove the old paint and any corrosion and given a coat of acid etch primer. Once the primer is dry the colour coats are sprayed on and stoved in the oven to harden the paint. Next the transfers are applied and allowed to dry (usually overnight) and any lining or airbrushing applied. The frame is then given a coat of clear lacquer to protect the transfers which is stoved again. Finally the frame has all its threaded holes cleared out with taps to ensure trouble free assembly of the bike.
Framebuilding
M . STEEL CYCLES framebuilding workshop continues the tradition of fine British framebuilding going back 80 years. We have been building frames since 1980 and the experience of this time is reflected in the quality and range of our work. We have built frames ranging from a 31" road bike to a 10" mountain bike, and a tandem for a 6' 4" stoker and a 5' 4" pilot. We have rebuilt classic frames from what looked like piles of rusty scrap. If it is steel we will make it, repair it, alter it and paint it !
This frame jig is designed to allow any size or type of frame to be built.
Choosing a Frame - Dave Yates examines the options
A custom built frame has an indefinable "feel" that transcends the material it is created from. The bike becomes an extension of the riders body. Practically every frame we make is individually tailored to the rider's requirements. Whatever your need, be it racing, touring, audax or mountain biking, we can create a bike that will enhance your enjoyment of your chosen area of cycling.
Tubes and components are stocked in a variety of types and sizes.It used to be dead easy, your frame was made from 531 or Columbus SL. I've lost count of the number of steel tubesets available now, let alone all the exotic materials! So how do you choose ?
The first question to ask is what are you going to use the bike for ? There are lots of very light, very stiff tubesets available. These make excellent racing frames but are not much good for a touring or audax frame where comfort is far more important. I have always designed our frames along the lines of "use the best tube for each area of the frame". If this means mixing and matching tubes from different sets or even manufacturers then fine, that's the way to go.
Racing Frames need to be light and stiff to transmit as much of your power as possible onto the road. In the Range, 853 is the ultimate tube for a racing bike. With the correct selection of tube it is possible to build a frame weighing a little over 3 lbs. This compares very favourably with aluminium and titanium alternatives, especially when considering cost, repairability and the relative ease with which it can be built into a frame to fit you exactly. You will have difficulty finding an equivalent custom titanium frame for less than £1,500. If your budget will not stretch to 853, then 631 will build into an excellent racing frame for rather less money.
Audax Bikes or "fast tourers" are rapidly gaining popularity as a practical bike that can be used all year round. The handling is more akin to a racing bike but the addition of mudguards, a little more clearance and sometimes rear pannier fittings, gives a much more versatile bike. A mixture of 631 and 525 or 525 throughout is ideal for this type of frame.
Reynolds 525 is the replacement for the venerable 531. When built into a frame it has the same sort of feel as 531. This is perfect for audax and touring bikes.
Touring Bikes are the "beasts of burden" of the cycling world. A good touring frame should be able to carry a heavy load of front and rear panniers and remain stable so that minimum effort has to be expended on riding the bike, (as opposed to propelling it forward). Durability and reliability rather than weight are the main considerations when designing a touring bike. The difference between a "heavy" and "light" frame is only a matter of some 2lbs or so. When you are carrying a load of perhaps 50 to 60lbs then an extra pound or so on the frame is neither here nor there. Reynolds 525 has all the qualities needed for a good tourer. A wide range of diameters and gauges are available which allows the builder to design a frame suitable for any purpose from light weekend "credit card" touring to "round the world" expeditions.
ATBs are nowadays invariably built for front suspension so a stiff frame need not be tremendously heavy as most of the shocks are absorbed by the suspension. 853 builds a magnificent ATB frame with the stiffness of the material keeping the frame in track in all sorts of violent manoeuvres.
The bottom line is we are custom framebuilders. Custom means just that! Any or all of the details of the frame are specifiable.
If you are not sure about any point please ask. I will be pleased to discuss your individual requirements by telephone or e-mail. We are here to help !
Available Models - Racing, Audax, Touring and ATBs
Racing Models Available - Prima, Gold Medal and Elite
Prima
The Prima is an entry level racing frame built to a standard design to achieve a very affordable price in relation to the performance. The geometry is tried and tested classic road race style based on feedback from racing at the highest level and twenty years of frame building experience. Built from the new Reynolds 525 solid drawn, butted chrome moly tubing which replaces the old 531, the frame incorporates forged dropouts and high quality fittings. The forks are 531 with a cast crown. These frames are built in the same jigs by the same craftsmen that build our top of the range custom frames.
Gold Medal 2000
An ideal all round racing frame for use at the highest level. The Gold Medal has been our best selling frame in its various guises since 1983 when it was introduced after Joe Waugh's Gold Medal winning performance in the 1982 Commonwealth Games. The introduction of the new Reynolds range of tubing and the Millennium seemed like a good time for a complete re-design and so the Gold Medal 2000 was born.
The Gold Medal range of frames are all custom built so each frame is the product of an extensive design consultation with the customer allowing the frame to be tailored to the exact requirements of both riding style and type.Elite
Top of the range racing frame for the rider who wants the best in hand crafted frames.
Introduced in 1999 as a development of the Gold Medal 853 the Elite features a deep section down tube of either oval or teardrop section. Alternatively we can make it from the latest Pro Team 853 main triangle tubes which are even lighter than the already light standard 853. This will enable us to produce a steel frame with all of the advantages of steel that weighs only 3.5 lbs approx for a 57cm frame This is equal to most of the Aluminium and Titanium frames around today, but at a considerable cost saving.
We have built a compact version of this model into a bike weighing only a little over 18 lbs using Carbon AheadSet forks, Campag Record Ergo gears and carefully selected componentsAudax Models Available - Audax Populaire, Audax Populaire 2000 and Super Randonneur
Audax riding is the fastest growing area of cycle sport in the UK . Audax events vary from 100km "Brevet Populaires" to marathons like Paris Brest Paris at 1200km. Audax events follow a route with control points that must be passed through within a minimum and maximum time limit. The bikes used for this type of event are many and varied but the commonest is in the form of a cross between a racing and touring bike often referred to as a "fast tourer". Many riders use a rear pannier rack to carry all they will need during the event as the spirit of Audax is to ride unaided. Audax bikes are seen as ideal bikes for all year round riding with their fittings for mudguards
Dave's experience of Audax riding has played a great part in shaping the design philosophy behind these frames (sitting on a bike for 1200km is an excellent way of detecting design flaws !) You can be sure that any advice given is a result of real experience, not just talk.Audax Populaire
This is our entry level Audax frame. An audax frame is designed for "fast touring" with the geometry adjusted to give a very slightly more relaxed ride than a pure racing frame. Becoming extremely popular with the rider who wants an all year round bike, this type of frame has more "life" than the traditional tourer but not the "riding on a razor blade" feel of a pure race frame. The Audax Populaire is as at home in events like Paris Brest Paris as it is commuting to work every day. Built from the new Reynolds 525 solid drawn, butted, chrome-moly tube in 51, 53, 55, 57, 59 and 62 cm sizes (measured centre of bottom bracket to top of seat lug) with 531 forks. This frame incorporates a cast fork crown, forged dropouts and high quality fittings with braze on lever bosses, chainstay stop, two sets of bottle bosses, brake and gear cable guides and a pump peg. Finish is any single colour from our colour chart
Audax Populaire 2000
The next step up from the Audax Populaire. This new model is built with the new Reynolds 631 tube with oversized top tube and cast seat lug. This increases the torsional rigidity of the frame which improves the handling when a load is being carried, ie it stops it twisting about. The rest of the components are the same as the Audax Populaire, as are the sizes. The standard designs for this frame are based on our experience of the last 20 years, but if you have a requirement for a variation of the main dimensions (seat tube, top tube, seat angle) then as each frame is built individually this can be accomodated at no extra cost.
Super Randonneur
The Super Randonneur is the audax equivalent of the Gold Medal 2000. This frame is based on Dave’s own audax bike he used in the 1999 Paris Brest Paris and all the qualifying events.
Utilising the finest cast components, this frame is designed for comfort over long distances. The tube set is carefully selected at the design consultation stage and will be based around a 631 main triangle, a 525 rear triangle and 531 forks. However the riders size and riding style have a large part to play in this decision process. This frame is, like the Gold Medal series, a total custom package with any or all of the dimensions specifiable.
Touring Models Available - Hosteller 700 and Hosteller 26
Hosteller 700
The Hosteller in its various guises is our full blooded touring frame. A complete custom package that can be designed to suit any style of touring from Sunday afternoon jaunts to "round the world" expedition stuff. The new Reynolds 525 is the basis for this top class touring frame. The range of diameters and gauges available allows the builder to select the appropriate tube for each area of the frame to ensure precise fitness for purpose. Typically this will include oversize top and down tubes, heavy gauge seat stays, bent chainstays and a wide cast fork crown to accommodate wide tyres This model is for use with 700c wheels and any tyre section may be accommodated up to 47mm. As with all our full custom frames the design is the result of a comprehensive consultation with the customer. Each frame will typically have cast fork crown, bottom bracket and lugs. A complete set of braze on fittings including brake pivots, front and rear pannier points and a pump peg
Hosteller 26
The cycling world has a lot to thank the Mountain Bike for, the 26" wheel is a prime example. A touring frame designed to use these wheels has several advantages. The wheels are smaller diameter and therefore stronger, The tyres are available in a wide variety of sections from 25 mm right up to 2.5" and in many different tread patterns. Probably most important for the expedition tourer is the worldwide availability of the tyres and rims. With this in mind we re-designed the Hosteller to take ATB wheels. This has proved extremely popular, the added comfort of the wide tyres being a big attraction. The material spec of the Hosteller 26 is the same as the 700 with high quality cast components and all the necessary braze on fittings that a touring bike requires. Both of these models can also be built using "Fillet Brazing" so that the design is not constrained by the lugs. For example very small frames can be built with sloping top tubes to give the rider adequate stand over height on rough terrain. Odd angles can be accommodated for riders with specific physical needs.
ATB Models Available - Custom ATB
Since building our first "Mountain Bike" in 1983 (when most people had no idea what a mountain bike was) we have been continuously involved with the development of the A.T.B in the United Kingdom. Sponsorship of, and involvement with, various top riders like Deb Murrell over the years has produced much feedback from the "sharp end" of the racing world. We have also worked closely with A.T.B. journalist and author Carlton Reid, producing bikes for his many trips around Africa and various inhospitable parts of the world. Dave Yates produced one of, if not the first, raised chainstay frames in this country - The Vulcan, which the "wrecking crew" from MBUK Magazine described as a bike "to boldly go where no bike has gone before". The Diabolo model introduced in 1988 was an instant hit among the discerning.
In 1990 Dave Yates was voted "best UK Custom Mountain Bike Frame Builder" by the readers of MBUK.
The result of all this experience is to be seen in our range of A.T.B. frames. The Dave Yates custom models cover any variation possible or required in an A.T.B. frame. From racing in top class events to touring the far reaches of the Hindu Kush we can produce a frame to suit your purpose. If we haven't already done it we are prepared to listen to your ideas and translate your dream into reality.
With the introduction of full suspension and cheap aluminium frames the demand for custom frames fell right off about 5years ago, but recently we have noticed a distinct revival of interest in the qualities of a well built custom steel frame.Custom ATB
First presented in 93 is the ultimate custom machine, the D.O.N.K.I.S. N.O.B (Dave's Oversize No Kompromise Interactive System. Never Obviously Beaten!!!) This must be said with the tongue very firmly in the cheek! The basic design of this frame is the current peak of a developmental sequence of prototype frames running back to 1983. It combines a long top tube, 23½ on an 18 inch frame, with a short rear end, 15¾ using 2. 1 tyres, and geometry revised to make the best use of front suspension. However this is a custom frame so you tell us what you want ! Reynolds 853 is Dave’s current favourite and by selecting the correct tubes a sub 4lb frame can be built which compares very favourably with aluminium. It also has the added advantage over aluminium of repairability. The trick to good ATB frame design is getting the balance of the rider positioned correctly between the wheels. Many modern frame designs have gone too short in the top tube. This tends to push the rider more upright and further back thus lightening the front of the bike. A slightly longer top tube and slightly steeper seat angle compensate for this and keep the riders weight balanced between the wheels. We would normally fillet braze these frames but if you want it TIG welded we can accommodate this request.
Visit the M . Street Cycles Home Page for MUCH MORE DETAIL.
M. STEEL CYCLES (SHOP)
2 STATION ROAD
SOUTH GOSFORTH
NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE
NE3 1QD
UK
Phone: + 44 (0)191 285 1251
Fax: + 44 (0)191 284 0401
M. STEEL CYCLES (FRAME WORKSHOP)
UNITS 19 - 20
POINT PLEASANT INDUSTRIAL ESTATE
HADRIAN ROAD
WALLSEND
NE28 6HA
UK
Phone: + 44 (0)191 234 4275
Fax: + 44 (0)191 295 0137
e-mail: "Dave Yates" <daveyates@msteelcycles.co.uk>
