# To lug or to fillet-brazed...



## Elfstone (Jun 27, 2006)

As I've already mentioned in my earlier thread, I'm finally having a custom steel bike made with Steve Rex. Now I have to decide weather to get a lugged steel bike or super-smooth, perfect radius fillet-brazed joint steel bike. 

Can someone chime in and lend me your thoughts on the benefits of a lugged frame or a fillet-brazed frame? I would think that a fillet-brazed frame might be lighter then a lugged frame. 

If you have time to check out the link for Steve Rex. You may be of the same opinion that Steve Rex dose brilliantly with lugs and fillet-brazed steel frames alike. So ascetically, it's a toss up.

http://www.rexcycles.com/frames-parts/

Peace


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## laffeaux (Dec 12, 2001)

The differences are 99.99% aesthetic. Pick the joining method that you think looks better.


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## Marc (Jan 23, 2005)

Lugged.


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## JoelS (Aug 25, 2008)

Lugged almost always looks better. Though there is a simplicity to design for cleanly brazed frames.

Steve Rex has quite a following in the area here. I've a frame I need to get to him at some point to find out if it's square. If so, to find out if it's safe to ride. If not, to find out if it can be straightened and be made safe to ride.


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

IMO a cyclist doesn't choose a custom steel bike (lugged _or_ fillet brazed) because weight is a _primary_ concern, so get the one you think looks best. 

I vote one of each.


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## kiwisimon (Oct 30, 2002)

Filleted, lugs look clunky unless extremely worked. Which looks better to your eye? Go with that.


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## Richard (Feb 17, 2006)

I vote for lugs.


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## dhfreak (Sep 12, 2009)

laffeaux said:


> The differences are 99.99% aesthetic. Pick the joining method that you think looks better.



No, your wrong; lugging a frame during construction allows the builder to offer a frame in many more sizes. Now, with that being said, it only REALLY applies to a none custom frame; if you are getting a frame built that is 100% custom than you are probably getting custom sizing and geometry anyway.

Mike


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## Reynolds531 (Nov 8, 2002)

Fillet brazed. Graceful simplicity. I'm going to make a statement out of abject ignorance but I think that lugs are a shortcut and require a lower skill level than fillet brazing. Look at David Kirk's fillet brazing and lugs will look clunky forever more. Amen.

If I had a bike brazed like this I'd clearcoat over bare metal.


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## Richard (Feb 17, 2006)

dhfreak said:


> No, your wrong; lugging a frame during construction allows the builder to offer a frame in many more sizes. Now, with that being said, it only REALLY applies to a none custom frame; if you are getting a frame built that is 100% custom than you are probably getting custom sizing and geometry anyway.
> 
> Mike


This doesn't make any sense at all.


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## NealH (May 2, 2004)

If I was only going to have one custom steel bike, it would have to be lugged, and with classic scalloped (or scooped) seat stays - not the pinch bolt fastback style as shown in the above picture. The Italians and French had this figured out years ago. They know good looks.


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## Elfstone (Jun 27, 2006)

Reynolds531 said:


> Fillet brazed. Graceful simplicity. I'm going to make a statement out of abject ignorance but I think that lugs are a shortcut and require a lower skill level than fillet brazing. Look at David Kirk's fillet brazing and lugs will look clunky forever more. Amen.
> 
> If I had a bike brazed like this I'd clearcoat over bare metal.


Then way does it cost more to build a lugged frame than a fillet brazed frame? But, I do agree, a fillet brazed done right is a beautiful sight to behold. That's way I'm now debating with-in myself weather to do a fillet brazed instead of the lugged frame I originally intended to have built. 

Peace


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## Touch0Gray (May 29, 2003)

my preference is generally lugged.....HOWEVER.....I saw Len's Kirk........and it is truly a work of art....so it really depends on execution I guess......


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## dhfreak (Sep 12, 2009)

Richard said:


> This doesn't make any sense at all.



How does it not? Look at Guru, Colnago, Parlee; they all are able to offer many more 'stock' sizes than the average builders due to their use of lugs.

Mike


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## dhfreak (Sep 12, 2009)

Reynolds531 said:


> Fillet brazed. Graceful simplicity. I'm going to make a statement out of abject ignorance but I think that lugs are a shortcut and require a lower skill level than fillet brazing. Look at David Kirk's fillet brazing and lugs will look clunky forever more. Amen.
> 
> If I had a bike brazed like this I'd clearcoat over bare metal.



That is nice. It would be B.A. to have a brazed frame left raw with only a clear coat on it to keep the rust away.

Mike


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## laffeaux (Dec 12, 2001)

dhfreak said:


> How does it not? Look at Guru, Colnago, Parlee; they all are able to offer many more 'stock' sizes than the average builders due to their use of lugs.
> 
> Mike


A bike that is fillet brazed, TIG welded, or lugged can be made in any size. The method of joining the tubes has nothing to do with how many sizes can be offered. Lugs are actually the most limiting, as a builder can only use angles allowed by the lugs available. A fillet brazed join can be made in any angle using any tube length available.


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## gamara (May 20, 2002)

If weight is a concern, I would have the frame TIG welded with modern oversize tubing. If you want to go with something that is classic & aesthetically pleasing, then my own personal preference is fillet brazed.

Fillet brazing actually requires more skill on the builder's part & also allows for truly custom geometry. No disrespect to dhfreak but he doesn't know what he's talking about. Lugs lock you into a stock geometry & stock tubing diameters. Whereas fillet brazing allows you to build however you want in terms of geometry & tubing diameters. TIG also allows the same. 

An example is say you want to go with an oversized top & down tube but standard size seat tube or just an oversized top but normal sized down & seat tubes. Unless a builder stocks every possible lug combination available in varying geometries, you won't be able to build a frame this way because the expense of stocking so many different lugs is too expensive & some combinations simply don't exist. Also some of the newer steel tubesets are specifically designed for either TIG or fillet brazing because they are hydro-formed with unique shapes that do not fit the standard lug profile shape.

Lugs have their own appeal for those that want a truly traditional, classic build. Fancy lugwork on some customs are truly works of art. But as I said above, the lugs can limit the design of your frame especially if you need custom sizing & geometry. 

The best thing is to talk to your builder & go from there. The first thing to do is to do a proper fitting. Once that is out of the way, you need to decide what type of bike characteristics you are looking for in your ride. This will decide the geometry & tube diameters. This will narrow down the construction method to either lugs or fillet brazing. Either way, enjoy the process & share photos when you get your new ride.


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## dhfreak (Sep 12, 2009)

laffeaux said:


> A bike that is fillet brazed, TIG welded, or lugged can be made in any size. The method of joining the tubes has nothing to do with how many sizes can be offered. Lugs are actually the most limiting, as a builder can only use angles allowed by the lugs available. A fillet brazed join can be made in any angle using any tube length available.


Okay, so why do they continue to use lugs instead of a fillet braze? I'm sure it is not to save the consumer money. By the way, lugs are stronger. Here ya go junior:

http://www.spectrum-cycles.com/43.htm

Also, why would Vanilla Bicycles, a company with a five year back log choose to use lugs 'whenever possible'?

Mike


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## Richard (Feb 17, 2006)

laffeaux said:


> A bike that is fillet brazed, TIG welded, or lugged can be made in any size. The method of joining the tubes has nothing to do with how many sizes can be offered. Lugs are actually the most limiting, as a builder can only use angles allowed by the lugs available. A fillet brazed join can be made in any angle using any tube length available.


Thank you.


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## Elfstone (Jun 27, 2006)

Here are two examples of a lugged frame and a fillet brazed frame from Steve Rex...

Peace


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## Dr. Nob (Oct 8, 2007)

dhfreak said:


> How does it not? Look at Guru, Colnago, Parlee; they all are able to offer many more 'stock' sizes than the average builders due to their use of lugs.
> 
> Mike


The fact that those three companies offer more "stock" sizes than the "average builder" means nothing in a discussion about custom built bikes.

Custom bikes come in one size - the size that the customer and builder decide the bike should be.


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## Dr. Nob (Oct 8, 2007)

dhfreak said:


> Okay, so why do they continue to use lugs instead of a fillet braze? I'm sure it is not to save the consumer money.
> 
> Also, why would Vanilla Bicycles, a company with a five year back log choose to use lugs 'whenever possible'?
> 
> Mike



Custom builders (and some "regular bike manufacturers") continue to use lugs because they work and some people like them and want to buy lugged bikes.

Also, Vanilla Bicycles can build frames any way they want. The fact they have a 5 year waiting list doesn't mean that lugs are the be all or end all of custom bike building.


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## Dr. Nob (Oct 8, 2007)

I vote fillet brazed. 

My fav fillet bikes would have to be Wolfhound


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## Reynolds531 (Nov 8, 2002)

Elfstone said:


> Then way does it cost more to build a lugged frame than a fillet brazed frame? But, I do agree, a fillet brazed done right is a beautiful sight to behold. That's way I'm now debating with-in myself weather to do a fillet brazed instead of the lugged frame I originally intended to have built.
> 
> Peace


 David Kirk charges $100 more for fillet brazed than he charges for lugged. Fillet brazed could be less expensive because there is no cost to the builder for lugs, but I think that there is more labor and skill in the mitering, brazing, and filing.


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## Touch0Gray (May 29, 2003)

Reynolds531 said:


> David Kirk charges $100 more for fillet brazed than he charges for lugged. Fillet brazed could be less expensive because there is no cost to the builder for lugs, but I think that there is more labor and skill in the mitering, brazing, and filing.


as a guy that makes a living with a torch and metal.....I would have to agree about the time and skill involved with the fillet brazing.


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## andresmuro (Dec 11, 2007)

Elfstone said:


> As I've already mentioned in my earlier thread, I'm finally having a custom steel bike made with Steve Rex. Now I have to decide weather to get a lugged steel bike or super-smooth, perfect radius fillet-brazed joint steel bike.
> 
> Can someone chime in and lend me your thoughts on the benefits of a lugged frame or a fillet-brazed frame? I would think that a fillet-brazed frame might be lighter then a lugged frame.
> 
> ...


I personally love lugged bikes but I started riding in the 80s when lugged bikes were the only way to go. I still ride a specialized allez with lugs and think that it is gorgeous. Most of the people I ride started riding in the late 90s or later and they never seen a lug so they don't know what I ride. I have non aero brake levers and bar end shifters and they never seen such a thing. they look at my bike and wonder if it is some new technology enhancement that they have never heard of. 

I say lugs. I think that they are beautiful, especially if they are chromed, or painted in a different color. You will notice no performance difference between lugs and fillet. 

Andres


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## Peter P. (Dec 30, 2006)

A fillet brazed frame will not be constrained by lugs, so the builder can mix and match tubes of various diameters or odd tube shapes to fit the needs of the rider or their design concept.

With lugs, your tube choices are limited by the tube diameters that must fit inside the tubes.

With a fillet brazed frame, it's much easier to use "custom" angles. Modifying lugs to change the angles can be done, but takes some extra labor.

The weight difference isn't worth considering.

Fillet brazed frames are easier to clean as there are no edges, nooks, and crannies to focus on.

The rest of the argument is aesthetics.

I have frames of both type. As you can see, they both have their plusses and minuses. I once had a frame built where the builder asked just what you did, "lugs or fillet, sir?". I replied to do whatever was EASIER for him, because I just wanted the frame soon. I got fillets.


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## bane (Aug 30, 2006)

I've seen a filleted Rex and it was gorgeous.

I would go fillet brazed.


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## terry b (Jan 29, 2004)

People love lugs and people loves fillets. I like both but I like fillets better.

As the educated responses to this thread have pointed out, there are no differences between the two when it comes to performance or durability or anything else. It's all about what the builder likes to do and how it looks in the end.

Here are a couple of fillet shots of my bikes - the green bike is by Dave Kirk, the white one by Sacha White.

And there is nothing to sneeze at when it come to traditional lugs - Colnago MxL


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## Touch0Gray (May 29, 2003)

as a brief aside, i was at a second hand shop one day and they had an old schwinn 10 speed not sure of the model, nothing noteworthy, but it sure looked to be fillet brazed...where they?


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## terry b (Jan 29, 2004)

Touch0Gray said:


> as a brief aside, i was at a second hand shop one day and they had an old schwinn 10 speed not sure of the model, nothing noteworthy, but it sure looked to be fillet brazed...where they?


I'm going to guess and so "no" because it sure is a labor intensive way to build a mass produced bike. At the same time I'm no expert in the history of joinery. 

My Schwinn (when I was a kid) had beautiful joints. But I always assumed it was due to heavy coats of paint and clearcoating. That was the era of really viscous candy apple paint jobs.


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## Reynolds531 (Nov 8, 2002)

Touch0Gray said:


> as a brief aside, i was at a second hand shop one day and they had an old schwinn 10 speed not sure of the model, nothing noteworthy, but it sure looked to be fillet brazed...where they?


Varsities and Continentals were electroforged. Super Sports, Sports Tourers, Superiors, and Paramount tandems were hand made fillet brazed.


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## gamara (May 20, 2002)

Elfstone said:


> Here are two examples of a lugged frame and a fillet brazed frame from Steve Rex...
> 
> Peace


I've owned lugged bikes & I've had fillet brazed bikes. They've all been wonderful to ride. I actually checked out the Rex website & they offer some very nice products. As others have noted, its all in the eye of the beholder.

As to your question as to why a lugged frame costs more than a fillet brazed one. A lugged frame is no better or stronger than a frame built with any other type of construction method as some others here might want you to believe. The reason a lugged frame costs so much more is due to the greater amount of finish work involved in the lugs itself. Thats it.

If a frame builder has the resources, they could make their own lugs. Thats a big if because its simply just too costly & labour intensive to do, so most frame builders instead buy their lugs. Lugs come in 2 types: stamped or investment cast

When a frame builder gets the raw, unfinished lugs; they are exactly that...unfinished. There would be nothing wrong with them if a frame was built with them with no finishing work done on them at all. The ride would be the same but it simply would not be as pretty to look at. The expense comes in when they start to dremel or hand file the lugs into unique shapes with cutouts. Thats what you are paying for. The artistry. 

Others here claim that lugged frames are stronger & mention spectrum. If they fully read the entire article, spectrum's claims are from a study that was done back in the early 90's before the advent of the new modern super high strength, air hardening steels that are available today. The problems of heat affected zones are a non-issue now. So as I stated above, lugged construction is no better or worse than any other method.

As I mentioned previously, if you need custom geometry then fillet brazing is the way to go for you. If after you've done your fitting & you don't require any unusual geometry, then the option is yours to go with whatever method you would like. Its all good.


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## Touch0Gray (May 29, 2003)

Reynolds531 said:


> Varsities and Continentals were electroforged. Super Sports, Sports Tourers, Superiors, and Paramount tandems were hand made fillet brazed.


Thanks...that explains it very nicely, especially when I Google'd electro forged and came up with this:
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/varsity.html


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## Frith (Oct 3, 2002)

*carbon fork or steel?*

If you're going with a carbon fork go fillet or TIG. If a steel (lug crowned fork) then lugs of course.


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## terry b (Jan 29, 2004)

Touch0Gray said:


> Thanks...that explains it very nicely, especially when I Google'd electro forged and came up with this:
> http://www.sheldonbrown.com/varsity.html


That is really fascinating.


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## SantaCruz (Mar 22, 2002)

Lugs or fillet brazed ? 
As others have said - it's the builder's execution and what pleases your eye.


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## matchmaker (Aug 15, 2009)

LUGS, LUGS, LUGS, it is all about aesthetics here.

Filleted frames just look plain. Lugs are beautiful. With a little arabesque in it even more.


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## Touch0Gray (May 29, 2003)

matchmaker said:


> LUGS, LUGS, LUGS, it is all about aesthetics here.
> 
> Filleted frames just look plain. Lugs are beautiful. With a little arabesque in it even more.


true to point...but, sometimes less is more.....there is fillet brazed...then there is Fillet Brazed....


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## Dereck (Jan 31, 2005)

Idle thought from one who has a welded steel Gunnar and a lugged steel Bob Jackson and hangs out with a guy who rides a fillet brazed 'Landshark'

The paint job has to match the joining method. The above 'shark has a superb finish that complements its smooth, flowing joints - all the joints are in areas of solid colours, similar to Terry's above. My Gunnar is similar, if simpler, with white panels mid-tube on ST and DT with minimal other detailing. 

At the other end, my five year old BJ has a panelled finish right out of the English scene in the 1960s. Frame's orange, head tube is black, seat tube has three black narrow rings above and below a central black panel. All the lugs are hand lined in contrast. Decals are black, white outlined. BJ initials are carved into the seat stay top wrap-over, painted in black.

None of them would look that good in each other's clothing.

Other idle thought - those Rex frames look gorgeous. Getting one of each would be the ideal, if extravegant, solution.

Good luck choosing

D


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## DannyBoy (Feb 19, 2004)

I've owned both and like both. Personally I think lugs suit old skool paint finishes and filleted more modern. Weight and cost is roughly the same but fillet brazing allows greater variation in geometry, mixing tubes etc.

I had the same dilema last August when back in the UK. I ordered a custom Chas Roberts (I've had 3 fillet brazed frames from them in the past, never lugged). I want 953 which they can't fillet braze easily and only offer as a lugged frame. I umed and ahed over the two for a while but in the end went with their wonderfully smooth fillets and I'm glad I did, the result is stupendous.

I haven't posted pix of the completed build but with SRAM Force etc it came in at 16.5lbs, would have been under 16lbs quite easily but I used a few heavy/cheap parts I had lying around.

At the end of the day it just comes down to looks! Sorry for the blatant repost of my new frame (a bad back and poor weather down in NZ means it's gone unridden for 6 weeks - boohoo).

Check out Roberts Flickr gallery for a few more examples of both.

DannyBoy:thumbsup: 


http://www.flickr.com/photos/robertscycles/


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## Touch0Gray (May 29, 2003)

terry b said:


> That is really fascinating.


it really is...and apparently it was a pretty good way to make a bike.....too bad it went bye-bye....


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## Peanya (Jun 12, 2008)

The answer is easy: it's your bike, so get which appeals to you the most.


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## atpjunkie (Mar 23, 2002)

*depends on the builder I chose*

if he was known for fillet brazing I'd choose that, if he was known for lugs I'd choose that
but most likely I'd seek a builder who does lugs


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## paredown (Oct 18, 2006)

DannyBoy said:


> I've owned both and like both. Personally I think lugs suit old skool paint finishes and filleted more modern. Weight and cost is roughly the same but fillet brazing allows greater variation in geometry, mixing tubes etc.
> 
> I had the same dilema last August when back in the UK. I ordered a custom Chas Roberts (I've had 3 fillet brazed frames from them in the past, never lugged). I want 953 which they can't fillet braze easily and only offer as a lugged frame. I umed and ahed over the two for a while but in the end went with their wonderfully smooth fillets and I'm glad I did, the result is stupendous.
> 
> ...


Missed this when you first posted--that is a beautiful, beautiful frame. One day I'll get back to Roberts with money in pocket & get mine--instead of only getting to watch my friends order theirs...


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## rwbadley (Apr 13, 2002)

I have a Rex. It is my favorite bike. My suggestion would be to go filet, he does really nice work.


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## Elfstone (Jun 27, 2006)

Cool, think you could post a photo of your fillet brazed Rex? I'm sure other folks would like to have a look too. I'm still leaning towards a two color lugged combo, but the jury is still out. I asked Steve to hold up on the build till at least Tues to let me think on it for couple of days. 

Peace


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## erol/frost (May 30, 2004)

Simple, subdued, timeless.

Fillet Brazed


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## Elfstone (Jun 27, 2006)

Thank you all kindly for chiming in with your thoughts. Believe or not, it helped immensely to read all your comments during the weekend. Since this is my first time doing a custom build, I've decided to do lugs the first time around, in a couple of years I'll may do a fillet brazed build. Ive been wanting a custom lugged build for about the last four years, so I'm going for it. 

I spent most of Sunday looking at the lug makers that Steve Rex uses and I've decided on a set by Rene Singer. It took me some time to chose this set of lugs. I didn't want the lugs to be too simple looking, but I also didn't want the lugs to be too busy looking either. I'm still not sure if I want to have the lugs polished yet as I'm still not sure of the color combo yet. I'm sure it will be two tone with the head tube and borders being the same color and the rest of the bike being another color. 

Here are some photos of the lugs I've decided on;


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## Scooper (Mar 4, 2007)

Excellent choice.


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## DannyBoy (Feb 19, 2004)

Very nice, the lugs are quite similar to those on my 1950 A S Gillott;

http://forums.roadbikereview.com/showthread.php?t=136560&highlight=Gillott


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## laffeaux (Dec 12, 2001)

Touch0Gray said:


> it really is...and apparently it was a pretty good way to make a bike.....too bad it went bye-bye....


Hmmm... have you ever weighed a Varsity frame? My 1978ish Varsity road bike was about 45 pounds. Electro-forging worked will with tube sets that were thicker than gas pipes. I'm not so sure if it would have worked well with high-end steel. 

But it is too bad that it's gone forever.


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## Richard (Feb 17, 2006)

Oh yes on that choice of lugs.

And I always figured that my mid '60's Schwinn Continental had to have been made out of solid bars of steel as no tubing could weigh that much.


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## HMBAtrail (Jan 8, 2008)

It has been said many times already but the choice of lugged vs. fillet is entirely up to you, the customer. In some applications I like lugged and others I like fillet. Both have pros and cons. 

Depending on lug choice the cost of materials can be higher on lugged but the clean-up and finish time on fillet is longer. In the end the cost is about a wash (do you want to spend more on materials or more on labor?)

Most road bikes I build are lugged. Most mountain bikes I build are fillet. Cyclocross bikes are a 6-5 pick 'em. As a matter of fact, I built six cross frames for this year's team. Half are lugged and half are fillet brazed. 

Bottom line, I don't really have much to contribute to the conversation but I just felt chatty.

Tim
Shamrock Cycles


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## aptivaboy (Nov 21, 2009)

I'd go with lugged, but that's a personal aesthetic preference. The only real issue that might - *might* - be an issue is repairability. Let's say you need to have a tube replaced. The lugged frame essentially keeps the flame slightly further away from the adjoining tube end, and the extra metal of the lug can act both as an insulator and as an additional strength member, imparting extra strength to the join. The fillet brazed frame joins tube directly to tube, so both tube ends will be heated, both the damaged and non-damaged tubes. That could lead to some loss of structural strength in the non-damaged tube, depending upon the steel used and the heat applied to the weld. Of course, that's also largely in the skill of the frame repair shop, as much as anything else.


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## buck-50 (Sep 20, 2005)

I just had one built up fillet brazed with very small fillets- nice and light.

I went with fillet brazing for a couple reasons- one, it's really clean. two, it's really easy _to_ clean. and three, it's a lot easier to powdercoat a fillet brazed frame than it is to powdercoat lugs.

But then, I was having my bike built to be an all weather bike that'll spend a lot of time as a commuter. So there's that. 

I like that there are no lugs which makes it nice and low key.


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## martylane (Jul 29, 2004)

aptivaboy said:


> The only real issue that might - *might* - be an issue is repairability. Let's say you need to have a tube replaced. [...]


I used to ride with a guy who had a lugged Serotta. He'd had this frame for several years, and had sent it back to Serotta 2 or 3 times to repair crash damage, and a couple more times for a complete re-spray. Each time, a tube would be replaced here or there, and by the time I first saw the frame, he told me the only orginal tube left on the bike was the seat tube -- all other tubes had been replaced.

It seems to me that a custom steel bike would be something you'd want to keep for years. It'd be nice to know that you could replaced damaged or corroded tubes as needed, and still keep the same bike.


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## laffeaux (Dec 12, 2001)

martylane said:


> It seems to me that a custom steel bike would be something you'd want to keep for years. It'd be nice to know that you could replaced damaged or corroded tubes as needed, and still keep the same bike.


Lugged and fillet brazed bikes can both have tubes removed as needed. Welded frames permanently join the two tubes together by heating both tubes and fusing them together. Fillet brazing does not heat the tube up to it's melting point - it heats up another material with a lower melting point and encases the tube junction to hold it together. If the joint is reheated to the point where the fillet material melts away, but below the melting point of the steel tubes, the tubes will separate (just like they would on a lugged joint).


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## Elfstone (Jun 27, 2006)

I love the classic looks of a steel lugged frame and yet, the simple clean look of a fillet brazed frame looks sweet too. I hope to have a fillet brazed frame done in the future. For now I know what lugs I would like to have done on my up coming lugged frame. 

I'm still in the air about colors, groupo, wheels, saddle (I'm looking at a Brooks Team Pro classic saddle with Brooks Leather bar tape) seat post, stem, seat collar and handle bars. I'm going to take a trip to Rex Cycles tomorrow and speak to Steve about the lug choice and then I guess Steve will inform me when he'll start to build my bike. 

Then it'll be at least three months to build and another month or so for paint. So I'm looking at about four months or so before the frame is built and painted. Looks like I have some time to research the rest of what I can afford to build the frame with.

I'm very excited about this venture and hope to have the Rex before the end of the year just in time for the rainy season. Which means I won't really get a chance to ride it till spring depending on how the rainy season goes. I will try and keep up with the build and post some photos as Steve's building of the bike progresses.

Peace


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## MichaelB (Feb 28, 2010)

Elfstone said:


> ...., saddle (I'm looking at a Brooks Team Pro classic saddle with Brooks Leather bar tape) ....












SNAP !!! 2004 model, only just built up. :ihih: 

The Cinelli Nuovo Supercorsa is a blend of fillet brazed and lugged (BB Shell is lugged), and I love it. I love the seat stay detail on this frame. Tubing is Columbus UltraFoco.

Having said that a fully lugged bike with the right lugs looks super schmick !!!

Hope you love your bike as much as I do.


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## Elfstone (Jun 27, 2006)

MichaelB said:


> SNAP !!! 2004 model, only just built up. :ihih:
> 
> The Cinelli Nuovo Supercorsa is a blend of fillet brazed and lugged (BB Shell is lugged), and I love it. I love the seat stay detail on this frame. Tubing is Columbus UltraFoco.
> 
> ...


That's a real nice looking bike, I love all things Chenlli. The brooks looks good too, how do you like your brooks saddle? And how dose the leather bar tape feel compared to cork tape?

Peace


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## CurbDestroyer (Mar 6, 2008)

Forget Lugged, Fillet, or TIG. Have you considered MIG . . . I saw some tasty looking MIG welds on a frame at Walmart the other day. Yikes


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## MichaelB (Feb 28, 2010)

Elfstone said:


> That's a real nice looking bike, I love all things Chenlli. The brooks looks good too, how do you like your brooks saddle? And how dose the leather bar tape feel compared to cork tape?
> 
> Peace


Cheers, I'm happy, and that is all that matters.

Brooks is great. It is Team Pro version, and since getting one on my other road bike 12+ months ago, I'm a Brooks convert.

Bar tape feels fine, doesn't quite have as much give as a good cork tape, but I'll live with it, but I also wear gloves, so ....


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## kiwisimon (Oct 30, 2002)

here is an example of both http://www.kirkframeworks.com/blog/?p=939


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## tsutaoka (Mar 4, 2005)

Elfstone said:


> As I've already mentioned in my earlier thread, I'm finally having a custom steel bike made with Steve Rex. Now I have to decide weather to get a lugged steel bike or super-smooth, perfect radius fillet-brazed joint steel bike.
> 
> Can someone chime in and lend me your thoughts on the benefits of a lugged frame or a fillet-brazed frame? I would think that a fillet-brazed frame might be lighter then a lugged frame.
> 
> ...


steve is a great welder and super nice guy. i choose fillet-brazed as that's what he's really known for. it came out awesome...imho


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## innergel (Jun 14, 2002)

Excellent choice on the lugs elfstone. The are ornate without being overly garish. 

Now I think the more difficult question comes, which is "what color paint and paint scheme do you go with?". That one is a killer for me. 


And FWIW, I've got two lugged bikes and I'd go with filet to have something different and more modern. But, as has been said ad nauseum, you could not go wrong either way.


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## Fixed (May 12, 2005)

*lugs*

Lugs -- polished, chromed, or contrast painted to set them off. It's the artistic epitome of frame building, IMO.

Fillet braising looks more like a Trek carbon bike, to me.


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## Len J (Jan 28, 2004)

I have both..........And they are both beautiful.

Len


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