Best value parts to put on a custom frame

comedylegs
comedylegs Posts: 5
edited March 2013 in Road buying advice
I'm a tall fella with very long legs (101 cm/40 inches crotch-to-floor - NOT a typo!) looking for a first road bike, and struggling. I've tried a couple of the largest 'off the peg' bikes (including the Trek 1.5 64cm) and it's not really big enough. Rather then spend £850 on something imperfect I'm considering a custom-built steel frameset (available for around £600), a set of 'proportional' 215mm custom cranks (£300-ish) and then buying a decent entry-level bike and transferring the other components.

So, I'd appreciate any advice on which sub-£500 road bikes have the best components relative to their cost. The Decathlon Triban 3 looks good value at £300 and, to offset the cost, I might be able to sell on the frame, given its glittering reviews. Any other suggestions or advice to this novice?

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