build a bike

maboo

currently own a cube ams130 2011, used for trail centres etc. am looking to build a hardtail for use allong towpaths on the road and so on. just after some ideas of decent frames to start with that wont break the bank, many thanks

The Rookie

Handsome dog......

Or used.......or get an end of line sell off (My daughters Dirty Jo is ace!)

Adotparker

Ragley Piglet or on one inbred

cat_with_no_tail

Depends very much on what your definition of "breaking the bank" is, and if you're looking new, used, or both.

Rocklobster TIG Team SL - 3.25lb and reduced to £180
Merlin Malt 2 - 3.5lb and reduced to £135
On-One inbred 29er - 5.5lb(?) £140
Scandal 26er - 3.5lb - £170

You can get all of the above 2nd hand for less (marginally) on ebay.

If looking 2nd hand, I'd also look at boardman frames

Paul 8v

If you're not looking to break the bank an off the shelf bike will probably work out cheaper. A lot of the big boys get components much cheaper than you or I could. I have built my own bikes in the past and they were great as everything was completely to my spec but they weren't cheap. If you want cheap components I got my forks from on-one, they have some real bargains on there sometimes, I think my forks were reduced from about £600 to about £250. Second hand can always be a gamble unless it's very new still or well looked after

The Northern Monkey

see my rock lobster thread to see what can be achieved on a budget!

If you're clever, you can build something for peanuts... But its hard to not get carried away!

stubs

I managed to build up a bike for £300 using a Handsome Dog frame but its not easy you always forget to budget for the small things like cables and grips. It all mounts up scarily quickly when you do the sums. Its definitely not a way to get a bike on the cheap but it is very satisfying especially if you build up your own wheels.

maboo

thanks for all the great help so far, am partly doing it for the actual joy of my own build so off the shelf is not an option, plus means i can do it as and when i have the funds, :shock:

has any one any views on/ heard of these

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... elID=52442




EDIT: not in my size anyway

Anonymous

If you can stretch to it, On One Carbon 456

Undecaled at the right time of the year you can get it for £200 to £300.

More than just a tow-path kind of bike though. Slack, strong and can chuck it around a lot. You'll find you ride it for fun more than you expect and will cope with trail centres just as much as a bouncy bike. Doesn't have to replace the bouncy bike, it's just the optional extra to mess about on when you feel like it. Or it is for me.

Ignore Bike Radar's review though - almost everyone who owns one disagrees strongly with that review.

Adotparker

i wouldn't recommend the carbon inbred....... i have seen 2 separate between the headset and downtube....... although that was a particular batch i'm told.

Twelly

Adotparker wrote:

i wouldn't recommend the carbon inbred....... i have seen 2 separate between the headset and downtube....... although that was a particular batch i'm told.

It must have been raining. Carbon melts when it gets wet. Very delicate stuff