Pompino Alternative

A year or two back C+ ran a short test on a single speed/fixed cyclocross bike, trouble is I can't remember what it was. Anybody got a comprehensive set of back issues able to find out? I was wondering if it was available frame and fork.
I'm thinking of building a do it all on/off road fixed/free cross/touring/hack bike - a proper old fashioned second/winter bike I suppose. For some reason whenever the urge takes me to do something like this On-One are always out of stock of Pomp frames in my size so I'm looking for an alternative.
SJS used to do a cheap touring/cross frameset that could have done the job, horizontal dropouts rather than track ends, but what the hell. Trouble is they seem to have stopped selling them.
I'm thinking of building a do it all on/off road fixed/free cross/touring/hack bike - a proper old fashioned second/winter bike I suppose. For some reason whenever the urge takes me to do something like this On-One are always out of stock of Pomp frames in my size so I'm looking for an alternative.
SJS used to do a cheap touring/cross frameset that could have done the job, horizontal dropouts rather than track ends, but what the hell. Trouble is they seem to have stopped selling them.
"Swearing, it turns out, is big and clever" - Jarvis Cocker
0
Posts
99p for this?!?!
The Surlys have always been expensive for their spec, this is even harder to understand now that the dollar has got much weaker against the pound but prices haven't come down over the last couple of years.
I've been racking my brains and I think the bike concerned was a Perkins. Bikeradar don't seem to have the test online, not that I'm surprised by that! Anybody got a copy?
Trouble is I can't find a web presence for them or any local or online stockists. They're not exactly local to me. Any ideas?
Bear in mind that a Pomp frame and fork costs about £175, you are not going to get a custom built frame and fork "for a bit more" than that.
Somebody mentioned the Cotic Road Rat, well it's a nice frame but I don't like the 132.5mm track end spacing. I'd be using a track hub for fixed work and probably a BMX hub for off road SS work so I'd want 120mm spacing.
Claude butler, I'm having a brain spaz, I don't mean them, but rather .... forgot the name, they're based in Leeds I think and are cheeper than Mercian. If you're looking at 225 pounds for a frame you could go to a framebuilder and spend the same, plus an upcharge to customise to your specifications.
On-one, as usual, have virtually no stock. Just the small and extra large at £149, no other sizes at any price.
I've spoken to/e-mailed a few frame builders over the last week and prices for a custom build single speed steel cross bike range from cor to blimey! Nobody got under the price of a Surly Cross Check F+F for a custom built frame only. Wish I could find out who was supplying SJS with their touring/cross frames a while back, £125 F+F IIRC.
www.timetrialbikes.com
This appears to be nothing more than a cycling related launch site for pop ups.
and Tel No: 01509 416 650
I've not tried that number.
The full bike price was £650, that seemed very good compared to a £550 Perkins, £400 Langster et al. especially if it is made to measure.
Let us know if you manage to contact them.
John
I don't think it's realistic to expect a custom frame, even without forks, built in the UK to match the price of an off the peg F&F factory built mass produced in the far east, let alone go under it. The two are completely different.
Actually it's frames like the Surly which are overpriced for what they are, when you compared them with complete off the peg bikes, UK custom frames, and imported off the peg frames (not US). As a comparison US custom prices will be at least double UK prices.
I haven't managed to speak with Vernon Barker yet, but if I do I'm afraid I'll just end up buying one of his off the peg fixie winter training bikes for £595. And I don't have that much money to spend at the moment