Steel is real. It’s a refrain you’ll hear time and time again in the forums from die-hard cro-mo fans. And while there are cro-mo race options out there…like S&M, Supercross, Standard and CycleCraft, by and large, they are available in frame and fork only.
Why doesn’t anyone offer a cro-mo race complete?
Back in the day, a complete cro-mo race cruiser was easy to find. Not so anymore. Pure race machines are pretty much all aluminum these days.
Is it time to bring the complete cro-mo 24 race cruiser back?
I think so.
And there are a number of reasons why.
Versatility: Sure an aluminum bike might be fine for the track, pump track and light trails….but would you trust it anywhere else? Bigger trails? An impromptu session at the skatepark? Probably not. A cro-mo bike would let you ride in any of these situations with confidence. Sure, some people have a second bike for this very reason but many people do not have this luxury.
Better value: A good cro-mo bike can easily outlast an aluminum bike. With the way the economy is these days a bike that lasts just makes good sense. And if you’re a Dad just swinging a leg over a 24 for the first time (or after a long layoff from the sport) a little bit of the “give” that 4130 has will be welcome. If your kid decides to quit racing and just ride trails and park? No problem, the cro-mo bike will take you to the park or trails in style.
Pent up demand: With such a vocal group on the internet forums, a good cro-mo race complete would probably sell like hotcakes.
While I don’t expect S&M to suddenly jump into the complete market, certainly the Fit CR24, with a couple of tweaks to the geometry (and maybe the components) could be offered as a race version (just as an example…not to pick on S&M/Fit). I think there’s a market out there and whoever decides to take the plunge will be pleasantly surprised.
It’s time for race bike manufacturers to get back to their roots…it’s time once again, to sell the metal.
David Frid knows steel is real. He rocks one of the nicest 38 Specials out there in the O-Cup race series.
cruiser revolution 
