If you were going to buy an SS commuter for under £700....

rick_chasey

What would it be?

I'm beginning to get fed up with my POS kona paddy wagon where any moving or rotating part seems to have some problem with it - some that prevent me from riding the thing, some which I just put up with.

I can't seem to go 3 weeks without some kind of serious issue that requires daylight (not at home in the week during daylight) and usually £££ for me to fix.

Gearing's too small and it seems I need to replace a lot to sort that out, the bearing in my front wheel is gone (it won't rotate much more than 270 degrees before grinning to a halt when spinning), I seem to get constant bizarre punctures front and back regardless of what rubber i put on it (or what wheel i put on it).

The brake lever is fucked and there's a sharp piece of metal which presumably is part of the lever spring which keeps sticking into my finger, and the stoping distance is getting alarmingly long.

Whatever I do or get done to the hub it rattles around.

It's POS basically.

The frame is probably fine, but I figure once I sort everything else out, I'm most of the way to a much nicer commuter anyway.

Which begs the question - what nicer commuter would that be?

Any ideas?

rick_chasey

And I'm asking for an SS since, as you can see, I HATE bike maintenance, especially on a commuter bike which I treat fairly badly. Ride it through central london through anything it can throw at me and keep it outside.

itboffin

Dolan track bike with espresso coast brake wheelset and 3t finishing kit, job done.

asprilla

Second hand steel converted to SS and £400 of wine.

tgotb

£700 :shock:
That's significantly more than I spent on my carbon track bike!

rick_chasey

TGOTB wrote:

£700 :shock:
That's significantly more than I spent on my carbon track bike!

I did say under.

If I can pick up a good one for £200 than perfect.

Wheelspinner

Buying one always a bit tricky to get cheap. Spesh Langster an option I suppose. Used Cannondale Capo perhaps?

Otherwise, build one; I did.



Cannondale CAAD something or other, don't remember what, paint stripped, road wheels with a SS spacer conversion and a simple tensioner. Fast, LIGHT, tough. Picked up the frame off the Bay, good but cheap wheels likewise, and the rest was a parts bin rummage and a bit of scrounging.

There are probably people on this very website who could assist you!

craker

Rick Chasey wrote:

I seem to get constant bizarre punctures front and back regardless of what rubber i put on it (or what wheel i put on it).

Changing the bike's really not going to help. You've offended someone.

marcusjb

Slightly over budget (£800) - Pearson Once More Into The Breach would probably be on my list. Takes guards if you are into that sort of thing. Light and quick if it is anything like the previous Touché was.

Track down a second hand condor tempo - well boss frameset.

buccal

I'm on a Day One Disc at the moment.

Great winter trainer.

Lefthook

If the frame is still good, just strip it and upgrade/replace all the parts. Maybe get it repainted to feel like a new bike.

New wheels, upgraded brakes, a new chainset and rear cog/freewheel in the ratio you want will make it a different bike. The bottom brackets are about a £10. The headset has semi integrated bearings, easy enough to drop in a new set at £20 a year.

You seem to want to throw away a decent frame. Strip it and treat it as a new build and have fun.

I have halo aerorage wheels - no maintenance in 2 years on them
Some ultegra levers - really upgraded the breaking performance
Halo clickster freewheel - been on for 6 months - no issues
Headset bearings - http://www.wiggle.co.uk/?s=cane+creek+s2 (only £12.99 not £20)

Spend the money saved on a custom paint job and have a unique bike.

Anonymous

marcusjb wrote:

Slightly over budget (£800) - Pearson Once More Into The Breach would probably be on my list. Takes guards if you are into that sort of thing. Light and quick if it is anything like the previous Touché was.

This. I had a Touche and it was excellent. Takes proper guards, light and nippy.

lostboysaint

Asprilla wrote:

Second hand steel converted to SS and £400 of wine.

That. Except that if you do it carefully you'll get £500 of wine!

rick_chasey

Lefthook wrote:

If the frame is still good, just strip it and upgrade/replace all the parts. Maybe get it repainted to feel like a new bike.

New wheels, upgraded brakes, a new chainset and rear cog/freewheel in the ratio you want will make it a different bike. The bottom brackets are about a £10. The headset has semi integrated bearings, easy enough to drop in a new set at £20 a year.

You seem to want to throw away a decent frame. Strip it and treat it as a new build and have fun.

I have halo aerorage wheels - no maintenance in 2 years on them
Some ultegra levers - really upgraded the breaking performance
Halo clickster freewheel - been on for 6 months - no issues
Headset bearings - http://www.wiggle.co.uk/?s=cane+creek+s2 (only £12.99 not £20)

Spend the money saved on a custom paint job and have a unique bike.

In fairness, I do ride a halo aerorage rear wheel after a moped went all ben hur on me and stuck his moped in my rear wheel whilst I was moving.

rick_chasey

So how much would it cost for me to get a new chainset - (sprocket, chain, chain ring, cranks, bottom bracket), new brakes, brake levers, new wheel(s) & new handlebar? (the one I have irritates me more than I thought it would)

Baring in mind none of this I'm willing or capable of putting together myself.

il_principe

Kinesis Decade Convert2 can be run as a SS or geared bike. V happy with mine. Bought frame only and then built up with Components of my choosing and a carbon fork. Can alos recommend the Halo Aeroage wheels. Bombproof and sealed bearings.

http://www.kinesisbikes.co.uk/products/decade/convert2

http://velo29.com/en/bike-frames/track-frames/kinesis/decade-convert2-fixed-wheel-frame.html

N0bodyOfTheGoat

It is over budget at £800, but on paper (without seeing or trying one in the flesh), I am drawn to the Pinnacle Arkose Singlespeed 2015...

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/pin ... e-ec071310

My cycling confidence has taken a big hit since last Xmas' big hit, which ultimately centred on not being able to stop with rim brakes on my Specialised Tricross Singlecross, when I discovered a stationary lorry in my path after a blind sweeping bend. Whenever I now see wet, windy and/or cold conditions predicted on the weather forecast, I "bottle it" and take the bus in.
I keep thinking that if I had a bike with "proper" hydraulic brakes (rather than mechanical or these hybrids doing the rounds), I would be far more inclined to ride to work everyday like I did for two years straight previous to my collision and consequent skull/hand fractures.

asprilla

Loads of options and usual suspects

Charge Plug O, 1 or 2, Genesis Day One, Day One Disc or Flyer, Spesh Langster, Fuji Feather, Cooper Sebring.....

rick_chasey

What are discs like to maintain?

Here a lot of positive things but it seems like it's more stuff to go wrong.

asprilla

Rick Chasey wrote:

What are discs like to maintain?

Here a lot of positive things but it seems like it's more stuff to go wrong.

I used hydraulic ones for a year and they were great; fit and forget. Cables ones, for me, needed constant adjustment. They don't self centre so you need to adjust the inboard (fixed) pad to take pad wear into account.

tgotb

Rick Chasey wrote:

What are discs like to maintain?

Here a lot of positive things but it seems like it's more stuff to go wrong.

My discs seem to be less reliable than my old rim brakes; I'm still having endless problems with the pads on my commuter getting polished. At its worst, it's like the old chromed steel rims used to be in the wet.

I've tried different pads, different bedding-in procedures, different cleaning processes, all sorts of things. I'm probably just unlucky (though I've also had suggestions that I'm not using the "correct" braking technique for discs) but for me they're definitely not a panacea. Had exactly the same experience with two different sets of cable brakes and one set of hydraulics (on different bikes). Same hydraulics on the CX bikes are fine, though they did start to get polished when I was doing (mud free) Summer racing. When they're good they're very good, but I wouldn't describe them as zero maintenance.

On the flip side, I used to get through a set of rims every year or so; now they should last indefinitely...

Lefthook

Rick Chasey wrote:

So how much would it cost for me to get a new chainset - (sprocket, chain, chain ring, cranks, bottom bracket), new brakes, brake levers, new wheel(s) & new handlebar? (the one I have irritates me more than I thought it would)

Baring in mind none of this I'm willing or capable of putting together myself.

None of the assembly is overcomplicated and youtube should see you through 90%-only item you might need help/tools for is the Bottom Bracket.

Freewheel:
Cheap (http://www.charliethebikemonger.com/dic ... -247-p.asp) £9
Middle (http://www.charliethebikemonger.com/hal ... 1436-p.asp) £29
Bling (http://www.charliethebikemonger.com/whi ... -235-p.asp) £75

Wheels just match the rear with Halo £75

Brakes:
Levers (http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/shim ... -prod13673) £35
Calipers (Shimano Ultegra Brake Caliper 6700) £30

Chain: Any 3/32 compatible-KMC are OK

BB:
Cheap (http://www.wiggle.co.uk/shimano-bb-un55 ... sh-thread/)(http://www.charliethebikemonger.com/shi ... 3586-p.asp) £9-29) -treat as a throw away item or spend more on a nice one,


Worth checking the sizing of the old when removed before ordering to get ride shell and spindle size.(cant remember them off top of my head. If you dont have the tool, then worth getting bike shop to remove, or likely someone on here has the right tool and will lend for a beer.

Cranks:
Have you not just replaced the chain ring recently? viewtopic.php?f=40012&t=12989159&hilit=130+bcd&start=20

If you're looking to change the crank and chainring, then you are just limited to whatever single speed crankset that will fit the bottom bracket size/type. Maybe £100?

Handlebars - a very personal choice, you can fit anything that matches the stem size, ranging from £20-£200.

So I estimate you could rebuild for £350 or so with some nice kit. You could pick up a new cheap bike for that, but you would be compromising components and complaining about these parts failing again in 6-12month.

Your Kona has done 2-3 years hard service, maybe time to sprinkle some love on it to fix problems rather than throw away.

il_principe

Rick Chasey wrote:

So how much would it cost for me to get a new chainset - (sprocket, chain, chain ring, cranks, bottom bracket), new brakes, brake levers, new wheel(s) & new handlebar? (the one I have irritates me more than I thought it would)

Baring in mind none of this I'm willing or capable of putting together myself.

How long is a piece of string. You could do it very cheaply, or invest a bit more and get better parts. I'd invest a bit more as the cheap route may prove to be false economy.

Sprocket - nothing less than a Shimano ones. The super cheap jobbies are made of cheese. If you are feeling rich the a White Industries ENO will last forever.
Chain - KMC's 1/8 chains are excellent and hard wearing (do not get SRAM I've had 2 fail on me)
Chain ring/cranks - I use a Miche Track. Has proved to be very durable.
BB - again a basic Shimano should last well
Brakes - worth spending a bit here. 105 or Veloce at a minimum. Do not get cheap Tektro ones.
Levers - Cane Creek
Wheels - Halo Aeroage are ideal for SS commuting
Bars - anything Alu from Ritchey, 3T, Deda etc will do the job
I'd also upgrade to a carbon fork. The Columbus Tusk is cheap and good quality.

rick_chasey

Cheers lefthook, Il principe

All makes sense.

You're probably right. Does make a lot more sense doing it that way.

I just hate this side of cycling. I just like riding the bloody things.

il_principe

Here's what it cost me to spec and build my Kinesis back in mid 2009. This is my every day commuter, it's done about 10,000 miles.

Frame, fork &Headset : Kinesis Decade Convert 2 size 57 black - £337
Crankset: Miche Primato Advanced 50T - £99.99
BB: Miche to fit Primato - £13.99
Handlebar: Cinelli Bianca Palm Bar 44cm width - £52.35
Stem: Cinelli Bianca 110mm - £77.10
Brakes: Campagnolo Veloce 10 Black - £77.39
Brake levers: Cane Creek SCR-5 Black - £36.99
Fork: Kinesis RC05 Carbon Road Forks - £122.60
Build: £60

So far I have replaced:

2 x Front wheel. 1 written off when a car hit me, one when I rode into a kerb at speed (may have been a little tipsy)
BB - replaced last month with a Shimano one
Rear brake - some scrote stole it! Repalced with a Tektro which was a mistake as this did not last long.Is still on the bike, just not fit for purpose...
Fork - it got badly damaged at work.

roger_merriman

Asprilla wrote:

Rick Chasey wrote:

What are discs like to maintain?

Here a lot of positive things but it seems like it's more stuff to go wrong.

I used hydraulic ones for a year and they were great; fit and forget. Cables ones, for me, needed constant adjustment. They don't self centre so you need to adjust the inboard (fixed) pad to take pad wear into account.

Road pivot brakes are really nice brakes, this said the hydraulic disk on the old MTB have yet to need work on them this year, (2000miles wet gritty) pads still have plenty of life and they just work, a few rides like that eats rim brake pads. They for me have been fit and forget.

newton98

Rick, I was going to PM you about giving a hand assembling but I'm not allowed to apparently, I have all the tools. If you're out on Sunday morning with KW we can do effy box and discuss. If not PM me.

Cheers, James

rick_chasey

Lovely thanks for the offer.

Might very well take you up on that!!

jedster

personally I'd just spend £500 on a on-one pompino but then I like guards, racks and already have a pompetamine so have sizing and set up dialled in.

Keep thinking about buying one but my old 1992 steel stumpjumper ss conversion just refuses to die - still on original fork, calipers, one brake lever, cranks and, amazingly, BB.

stepdavi

Got a genesis day one disc ss' 15 last week for commuter, it's £650 rrp and I got some sks bluemels 45mm guards to wintertime it. Great bike, done 60 miles on it now and it's great, gearing is nice 46 18. Tyres seem decent, not gonna match pace of propel or climbing of madone but as a commuter/winter hack it's perfect.

rick_chasey

I have decided to take the advice to take it apart and replace all the bits I'm not happy with.

Cheers guys. Have probably caused me a big headache and dubious if it'll save me money, but I'll probably have a better bike at the end of it.

Now, what components to buy?

*wanders off to internet shops*