The Manzanita is designed and built from our custom blend of Reynolds 853, Dedacciai 14.5, and Columbus Foco heat treated tubing. The years of experience and evolution in our tube selection and frame geometry allow the Manzanita to easily handle nearly all trail conditions, with tight single track being its primary intended use. It is lively and nimble, at home in technical situations and well behaved and accurate at speed. It is not afraid to go where you point it and it comes through when things get sketchy.
Submitted by
Rich Nickla
a Cross Country Rider
from Oceanside, CA, USA Date Reviewed: January 20, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Kettle Morraine, WI
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Purchased At:
Steelman direct
Strengths:
Perfect geometry, perfect welds, durable paint, best customer service in the business. The Paul dropouts are great, with their built-in chain tensioners and unique design. Handling is spot on and totally neutral, the bike just disappears under you, which is a good thing in my opinion. The less time I spend thinking about my bike, the more I can concentrate and the better I ride.
Weaknesses:
none
Similar Products Used:
Bontrager, Litespeed, Vicious, Phil Wood, Kelly, others
Bike Setup:
Steelman Manzanita SS frame White Bros. XC-4 fork Paul hubs, Velocity rims, handbuilt Middleburn crank Shimano XT disc brakes Morati bar/stem combo and post Hutchinson Spider/Python 2.3 tires
Bottom Line:
A few facts about me: I've been a professional bike mechanic for over 12 years. I can get any bike I want for less than dealer cost (a so-called "pro deal"). I own four Steelman bikes that I didn't get a "pro-deal" on. I'll be buying a new bike this summer, and you get one guess as to what it will be. :)
Brent Steelman is a master of his craft. His bikes always ride great, are set up perfectly (aligned right, no paint in the BB shell threads, etc.), and best of all, his customer service is unparalleled. In 5 years of riding Steelman bikes, I've never, not once, had any "issues" with any of the ones I own, nor have I seen any problems with any of the many others that my customers and friends own. I can't think of any other brand with that track record, which says a lot about the quality of Brent's frames.
The bottom line is this: In the cycling world you get what you pay for, and Steelman frames are worth ever cent and more.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
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