Blastinbob
new member
Reged: 12/18/03
Posts: 66
Loc: Long Beach, Ca.
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Can any of you steel crown jewel owners post a review of your bikes please ?
thanks !
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The older I get, the faster I was ! 'No Fear'
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tom823
new member
Reged: 01/16/04
Posts: 2
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One of the coolest riding bikes I've owned. I'm the high-end road guy at one of the nation's busiest shops, and I see a lot of cool stuff come through the doors. I can honestly say that we carry just about every brand out there - and I chose IF. I've had the steel crown jewel for oveer a year now and it's a real blast. I ordered with the steel fork - it handles like it is on rails. It's probably one of the best climbing bikes I've ever been on. Must have something to do with those Foco chainstays.
I've visited their operation near Boston (as well as some of their competition) and I can say that I was more impressed with their QC and tolerances than any of the others. I also own their steel planet X. I'm trying to sell my steel crown jewel so that I can afford to buy the Ti Crown Jewel. Hope this helps.
tom.
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indyfab21
new member
Reged: 01/28/04
Posts: 4
Loc: Ogden Ut
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I have had my steel crown jewel for 6 months and am absolutely amazed at how it rides. I can honestly say that it rides smoother and handles better than my buddies Trek 5200 carbon. The bike is beautiful, rides like a ferrari and rewards like a hot girlfriend. don't hesitate at all to buy one you'll love everything about it, and it isn't much heavier than ti. 
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Sexykingjake
new member
Reged: 01/26/04
Posts: 13
Loc: Huntsville, UT
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You should definently get yourself a Ti CJ. THey're amazing. IF'S Rule
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Blastinbob
new member
Reged: 12/18/03
Posts: 66
Loc: Long Beach, Ca.
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I was looking to find some info for a friend . There was a sweet deal on ebay for a brand new , harlequin painted, compact steel crown jewel with 2004 Dura-ace 10 speed components that he was interested in bidding on.
Unfortunatley for the seller he had zero feedback and he titled the auction "Independent Fabrications" with an "s", so if you were doing a search for an "IF" or "Independent Fabrication" this bike wouldn't show up with the 3 or 4 other IF's that were for sale at the time.
So some lucky buyer, if the deal actually went through, bought this bike for $2025.00.
Bob, always searching for the "next" bike .
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The older I get, the faster I was ! 'No Fear'
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JackL
new member
Reged: 03/10/04
Posts: 16
Loc: Seattle
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First, my bias: I LOVE lugged steel frames, and before buying my Crown Jewel, I had my eye on a Waterford RS-22 at a local bike shop that also sold IF's. I decided to buy the Waterford, and went for a test ride just prior to buying it. The bike shop suggested I also ride an IF Crown Jewel, just for a comparison point. Well, I bought the IF. Compared to the Waterford,it felt very solid, steered with precision, and climbed exceptionally well.
I've had my steel Crown Jewel for 2-1/2 years now. Since then, have acquired 2 other high-quality frames; I was looking (without success) for a lugged frame that had the qualities of my Crown Jewel.
The Crown Jewel is an exceptionally well-crafted frame. Alignment is perfect (this is NOT always the case) and the paint is the most durable of all my bikes.
However, doesn't it always gets down to that most subjective of all qualities, the ride? I like longish rides with lots of hills, and I prefer the feel of steel over other materials. Given the size frame (56 c-c), my body (5'11", 175#),and my subjective preferences, the Crown Jewel produces the best ride of any bike I have ridden so far. In addition to my "first impression" comments (which still apply), I would add that it is a confident descender, and really is all-day comfortable.
Negatives: (1)The handling was a tad quick for my tastes until I swapped the stock 45mm offset fork for a 43mm offset and now it feels perfect. (2) Somewhat generic looks, but aren't they all these days?. (3) Highish cost for a welded steel bike
To summarize; if my Crown Jewel were lugged it would be perfect! ;>)
Jack in Seattle
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dbrk
contributor
Reged: 12/18/03
Posts: 201
Loc: Finger Lakes, New York
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Okay I have the jones for a steel crown jewel. I've two queries to other IF riders (I have two still both cross bikes). Has anyone compared the stnd geometry specs btwn ti and steel versions? Anyone ever had the differences explained? I would be working from the stnd to create a tweaked custom. Why do it this way? Well, I don't need a pure custom bike because I have one of those (well, maybe more than one) but I am always interested in a particular company/builder's notion of the perfect ride. So rather than completely spec the bike like the others, I opt to tweak the bike in ways that follow the notions of the particular builder. Dario does this for me and that's what I did with my Serottas too. This way I get a bike that is Their Way and my way. My concern with Crown Jewels are the short head tubes and long top tubes, both of which are part of my tweak. But if anyone has any experience with minor modifications (albeit all are sorta' major in the real sense of moving 2% is moving plenty), I'd be anxious to hear.
dbrk
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audissix
friend
Reged: 12/22/03
Posts: 25
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dbrk, I recently had a crown jewel Ti sloped custom built. The fitting resulted in a smaller size than I had previously ridden but I went with it. One unexpected result was the short head tube. Still undecided if I will have it re-built.I'm going to ride it through the spring and then decide. Just make sure if you order one you discuss your preference for head tube length. Good luck.
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JackL
new member
Reged: 03/10/04
Posts: 16
Loc: Seattle
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In reply to DBRK's comment about IF Crown Jewel's long top tube with standard geometry:
My CJ is a 56 c-c (about 57.4 c-t) seat tube with a 57 top tube. This might be a tad long, but the seat tube angle is 72.5 instead of the more usual 73 degrees. This effectively pulls the top tube back approximately 1/2 cm (this is a guess; no trig applied), so the top tube length ahead of the bottom bracket is equivalent to maybe 56.5 cm on a frame with 73 degree seat tube.
So, for an apples-to-apples comparison, you could think of a size 56 CJ as a size 57.4 cm (c-t) with a 56.5 cm top tube.
JackL
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dbrk
contributor
Reged: 12/18/03
Posts: 201
Loc: Finger Lakes, New York
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Hi Jack,
But with all due respect I think you have this effect of the shallow seat tube angle backwards. The slacker 72 angle puts the seat tube further back. It would take a steeper headtube angle to compensate. Instead what I think is that IF builds normally with relatively long top tubes, which is fine if you size with low bars or lots of seat post as is the case on modern race bikes. But if you size up to get a longer head tube, less post, higher bars, then the top tube start looking quite long. If you tweak the IF in the larger sizes particularly by shortening the top tube, lengthening the chainstays, and lowering the bb a bit, you get closer to a French fit, like you would see on a Singer or Herse "fast" bike. What I would do looking at the charts is take a 60cm CJ, shorten the tt to 57.5, pull out the cs to 42, lower the bb to 7.3 or so, and voila! But the discrepancy appears between the "standard" sizing of the steel vs. the titanium. I wrote IF about this a few days back but as yet have received no response.
dbrk
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JackL
new member
Reged: 03/10/04
Posts: 16
Loc: Seattle
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DBRK,
Sorry my communication was lacking. Please contact me off list at jack@mjrdevelopment.com and I will fax you an article by Grant Peterson (!) from the July 1989 issue of Bicycle Guide. This article, called "The Z Factor", explains it very completely and is a partial justification for the very long top tubes on the Atlantis and some other Rivendell frames. However, like you, I prefer a shorter top tube than is currently popular.
Jack
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Climb01742
journeyman
Reged: 12/22/03
Posts: 71
Loc: Concord, MA
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douglas, maybe call them? i've heard they respond more quickly to calls. maybe ask for matt bracken. they are quite small, and are very busy, so maybe a call might get thru faster. just a thought.
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When in doubt, shut up and pedal.
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dbrk
contributor
Reged: 12/18/03
Posts: 201
Loc: Finger Lakes, New York
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First many thanks to Jack for his kind offer, I know well Grant's article about the Z factor but it seems to me that there may be some confusion about what is at stake here. Allow me to explain. On the typical starting point/stnd geos IF (all of which is really irrelevant because they are happy to do custom), the taller bikes _still_ have short headtubes. Now the Z factor idea is that as the headtubes get longer the top tube gets effectively shorter. This is quite so on a Rivendell, for example, because the head tube is considerably longer than the typical IF. Yet the long top tubes on the IFs do not cause the effective top tube shortening that Grant describes because, well, the headtubes are low and short and those top tubes are exceptionally long. There may be some shortening but even on a stnd geos 60 I know that I would find the bars low and the top tube too long. I've done the math a million times and applied the Z formula. I like long top tubes and uncramped cockpits, but IF stretch you out and down into the front end. This works for some folks but I'd need a custom to get the bar/saddle drop more to my liking. That would be easy: take an ordinary 60, shorten the top tube to 58 or 57.5, then add 2cm of headtube and about 2d of slope (you will never notice this!), drop the bb to about 7.3, lengthen the chainstay to 42.5...voila!
I spoke with Matt. I've dealt with IF before...some might remember my single speed pink cross bike and I also have a Planet Cross that is really a fine user. The Crown Jewel I have in mind would be a straight "race" bike sized up a bit but with a steel fork and dt bosses. IF is a wonderful company and I'm sort of thinking that you can't have enough of these great bikes. I'm less keen on ti versions if only because I have that covered with other rides.
dbrk
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JackL
new member
Reged: 03/10/04
Posts: 16
Loc: Seattle
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DBRK,
Thanks for your patience with me - I was thinking only of the top tube and neglecting the head tube length. Please keep us informed of your progress with your new CJ. If it fits & rides as you hope, I may follow you with a similar frame, leaning toward Club Racer geometry and fender clearance but with Crown Jewel tubing.
Jack
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Climb01742
journeyman
Reged: 12/22/03
Posts: 71
Loc: Concord, MA
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douglas, it was silly of me to assume there is a frame builder/company you haven't spoken with <grin>. if i dig my ti crown jewel as much as i think i will, then how far behind that could a steel CJ be?
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When in doubt, shut up and pedal.
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dollarbill
new member
Reged: 12/18/03
Posts: 6
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I just received my Steel CJ last Thursday. I have three rides and about 100 miles. It's the first steel bike I've owned and I like it. Originally, I was going to get a Serotta CSI but, I decided to try the IF. I am not disapointed. Rides smooth, feels great in turns.
It's a standard size 60cm, ruby red with silver panels and the Ouzo Peloton fork painted silver to match the panels. Built with Campy Record, FSA K-Wing handlebars and stem and Mavic Ksyrium SL wheels.
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