>>1629671Unicrown forks look cooler than lugged forks.
Change my mind.
>>1629711>>1629713>>1629716>>1629720>>1629723>>1629726I have ridden 3 types of cheap steel: Modern day oversized diameter welded department store steel, older lugless internally-brazed lower-end bike shop steel, and welded old ten speed thickwall 1" gas pipe. all feel different.
Department store steel (300$ range, not 100$) is heavy but also stiff. These often come with shitty BB, cranks, and pedals, and need "restoring" new out of the box by an LBS which bumps the cost up, but recent (~5yrs) ones have modern standards so upgrading a used one can be a good option.
The OTS feels the most comfortable, like it has built in suspension, but I always have this feeling it's going to actually fall apart on me when I go off a curb. I don't notice any weird flexibility when pedalling but It also has one-piece heavy steel cranks and an oversized american bottom bracket which may be remedying that. Also heavy, these run upwards of 35-40lbs. And restoring one is sometimes a bitch and will cost you as much as the department store bike. These often have BMX-size headsets, outdated seatpost and axle sizing, and lack a built in derailleur hanger. You probably will have to replace: the wheels, chain, and/or cables because of rust damage, brakepads, and the freewheel from being worn inside or outside - or just if you don't like it loud as balls. Reflectors may be missing or you may want to remove the stock steel mounts for them, which may be secured by the headset and frame alignment affecting no-hands riding is unlikely to be good without adjustment. Is this worth It for the supposed comfort? Yes but every LBS and /n/igger will say it isn't.
Old low end lugless brazed cromo LBS frames are lighter than those, & likely in better shape. You can get one for cheap that's aesthetic and fun to ride. But can get you feeling like you're missing something and may have outdated parts like a 27.0 seatpost.
