Gunnar frames - are they any good????

[Tohono Rat]

Gunnar frames are EXCELLENT.... Steel is real!  If you have any possibility of riding off-road, look at their Rock Tour frame.  It is a mountain bike frame made exclusively for touring.  I have one that I LOVE LOVE LOVE.  I will be doing 500+ off-road miles in Northern Spain on it in the spring.  This is their description from their web site:

So when the Adventure Cycling Association opened the Great Divide Trail, we decided to build the perfect bike for the explorer. We mixed in some old school goodness with some leading edge features.

With a shorter top tube than our race designs, you can enjoy a more comfy, upright fit for all day exploration. Our leading edge chainstay disc mounts let you mount a rear rack without interfering with the disc brakes (chainstay disc mounts are available only on sizes 16″ and up). And disc brakes make your life a lot easier in the mountains. No more overheating your rims on controlled descents. Plus, you get lots of tire clearance whether for 26 inch wheels or our no-extra-charge 29er designs. Rack mounts and triple water bottle boss sets give you lots of ways to secure your cargo. Our head tube gusset system adds strength and provides excellent fork clearance, whether you go rigid or mount today’s suspension forks.

[Tourista829]

As Artie Johnson use to say on Laugh In, "Very Interesting!" However, there is nothing to laugh about, it looks like a very good mtn or even an expedition bike. Thanks for the info.

[canali]

check out their newer 'fast lane' model....has disc and can run fatter tires (up to 38" i think with fenders) and even handle loads of up to 40-50 lbs...not a true touring gig and yet not a true sport frame....this frame and the 'grand tour' were ones that Richard (schwinn) suggested I look at and even tweak in my search for an 'all rounder' (for both touring and randonneuring, even if I had to swap out a ligher wheel set and remove the racks for less weight, which I'm cool with).

[driftlessregion]

It used to be that all Waterfords were lugged and no Gunnars were, but Waterford does offer some non-lugged frames.
Not only are their frames great but Richard Schwinn has been a terrific advocate for bicycling in the state included president of the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin not too long ago.

[paddleboy17]

If you want a lugged frame, I think your only choice is to buy a Waterford or a Rivendell.  Waterford also makes Rivendell's frames.

I think most of Waterfords frames come lugged or TIG welded.  You pay a premium to get a lugged frame.

As far as I know, all of the Gunnar frames are TIG welded.

[mikeedgar]

check out their newer 'fast lane' model....has disc and can run fatter tires (up to 38" i think with fenders) and even handle loads of up to 40-50 lbs...not a true touring gig and yet not a true sport frame....this frame and the 'grand tour' were ones that Richard (schwinn) suggested I look at and even tweak in my search for an 'all rounder' (for both touring and randonneuring, even if I had to swap out a ligher wheel set and remove the racks for less weight, which I'm cool with).

I have a Fast Lane with disk brakes. It is for "light touring" and so I pull Burley Nomad. The Nomad only puts about 11 lbs on the bike. I had no problems on a 3000 mile ride.

[driftlessregion]

There other lugged frames but most are expensive custom frames such as Bob Jackson, Vanilla and Bruce Gordon. Waterford's non-lugged, i.e., TIG welded frames are the competition frames and all Gunnar are TIG welded. Most Waterfords are built to customer fit while most Gunnars are stock frames but they do offer custom fit too. Gunnar charges more for that but Waterford does not.
Waterford has off and on made Rivendell frames but Rivendell is currently made by Mark Nobilette while others like the Atlantis and Home Hilsen by Rivendell are made by Waterford. Curt Goodrich, one of the premier frame builders in the country at one time also made Rivendell frames, probably before he was famous. Some of the other Riv brands are made in Asia.

[ducnut]

I have a Fast Lane with disk brakes. It is for "light touring" and so I pull Burley Nomad. The Nomad only puts about 11 lbs on the bike. I had no problems on a 3000 mile ride.

Thanks for reviving this thread. I'm looking at going to a steel-framed, disc bike. I'd totally forgotten about this model and am going to give Waterford a ring, in the AM.