Columbus Brain tubing

The Brain tube set is in the mid to high range. Merkcx frame ars better suit for road racing, it has a very laid back geometry. It is a frame that you can ride all day every day. You might have trouble getting an aero postion that you can handle for a long time. I would say if the price is right get it.

I agree, if the price is right, do buy it. Lol I wasn't even cycling when this came up. First post in cycling forums equipment section.

Hmmmm, I'd say Brain is more low-mid.

This site say it's basic 4130 cro-mo:
http://www.sevencycles.com/building/Steel.html , but this blurb from the old Columbus site suggests that it's a mix of 'Cyclex' (chrome/molybdenum) and their cheaper 25CrMo4 steel http://www.kvanproductions.com/cycling/Brain.htm
If the latter is the case, then I'd say it has a Cyclex main triangle and 25CrMo stays, which would put it above the cheap stuff, such as Gara, but below the lighter, mid-range, such as SL and SLX. Having said that, before the heat treated stuff came out, SLX and SL was top goodies 🙂

BUT......Merckx apparently made very good frames, and they still sell for good money, so, even though this one is made with low-mid steel it may be a good deal

531Aussie said:

Hmmmm, I'd say Brain is more low-mid.

This site say it's basic 4130 cro-mo
sevencycles.comSteel.htmlOpen ↗ , but this bit off the old Columbus site suggests that it's a mix of 'Cyclex' (chrome/molybdenum) and their cheaper 25CrMo4 steel kvanproductions.comBrain.htmOpen ↗
If the latter is the case, then I'd say it has a Cyclex main triangle and 25CrMo stays, which would put it above the cheap stuff, such as Gara, but below the lighter, mid-range, such as SL and SLX. Having said that, before the heat treated stuff came out, SLX and SL was top goodies 🙂

BUT......Merckx apparently made very good frames, and they still sell for good money, so, even though this one is made with low-mid steel it may be a good deal

I don't think this is an accurate interpretation of the kvankproductions site ... I think that particular "Brain" is the frame name (which MAY be derived from the tubing used, but may not).

Regardless, the Columbus Brain tubing originally dates to the mid-to-late 90s ... my wife's Olmo Scatto (circa 2000) is made with Columbus Brain tubing ... the frame & fork retailed for about $1100(US), so the Merckx frame & fork was probably about $1200+(US) when it was new ... her frame is lugged, standard sized tubing. There used to be a vague description of the tubing on the Columbus site (there still may be) ...

A contemporary Colnago Master X-Lite frameset would have been in the $1600+(US) range, as I recall ...

If your friend had bought his frame separately rather than as a built bike, then he would have paid slightly more than the $1000 he reckons he/someone paid -- all of which was DEPENDENT on variations in the foreign currency exchange rate at the time.

FWIW. The Columbus Brain tubing is better than the Columbus Thron tubing which I reckoned, at the time, was comparable to the Reynolds 501/520 level of tubing ...

Does Columbus still make/sell their SL & SLX tubing?

Regardless, the Columbus Brain tubing IS more robust than the SL & SLX ... I guess that it is like getting a frame made with 531 tubing ... currently, it would be considered mid-range (or, mid-high, as suggested earlier) when compared with the latest & greatest steel tubing that is available ...

I would guess that a BARE (sans fork) 56cm frame would weigh in at just under 5 lbs. The weight of the built up bike would depend on the components you put on it.

The "value" of the frame depends on where you are at ... I reckon anything between $400 & $600 depending on condition ... as low as $200 if the paint is in poor condition and/or the frame has seen a lot of miles ...

ALL STEEL FRAMES ARE GOOD ... SOME ARE BETTER ... and, SOME ARE GREAT!