Trivial: You can have any two of ...

annoyingtwit

Trivial because I'm not going to buy this bike. Out of vague curiosity I searched to see what sort of frames I could buy if I wanted to upgrade my cheap steel single speed. Despite searching for frames, this popped up:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BLACK-ALLOY-R ... SwHgVW7njG

I did experience brief bike lust for this, but will restrain myself as it would be an unnecessary duplication of something I have already. But, I was impressed by how nice it looks (IMHO) and it's light too. (Though, I wouldn't want a bike without a rear brake as I ride freewheel, not fixed.)

Finally gets to point: My question is, as is well known: Strong, Light, Cheap. Pick any two. This bike is definitely light at 9kg, and it's definitely cheap at £229 delivered. So, in what way will it be lacking in 'Strong' or other features?

dstev55

Whilst not heavy, I wouldn't have called 9kg for a fixie particularly light either. Probably about right.

Wheelspinner

9kg? Definitely about right for an alloy frame missing brake and lever, give or take a few hundred grams.

I converted an old Cannonade alloy (CAAD7) road bike to SS with some seriously light wheels and components, in a size 58 which weighed only 6.2kg.

annoyingtwit

Interesting points about the weight. My Viking single speed bike (which does have a rear brake) is 11.8kg. So, to my eyes, I thought that the 9kg weight for the bike linked to above was quite light.

@Wheelspinner - when you say 'seriously light wheels', could you give me some details? Rims/hubs/spokes?

Wheelspinner

AnnoyingTwit wrote:

Interesting points about the weight. My Viking single speed bike (which does have a rear brake) is 11.8kg. So, to my eyes, I thought that the 9kg weight for the bike linked to above was quite light.

@Wheelspinner - when you say 'seriously light wheels', could you give me some details? Rims/hubs/spokes?

These: http://www.wiggle.com.au/fast-forward-f2r-carbon-tubular-240s-wheelset/

Mine were a prototype set FFWD sent to the local distributor to demo, and were actually lighter than the weight quoted there of 1125 gms for the *pair*. I think mine came in about 1090 gms. Fabulous wheels to ride.

I stripped the paint off the CAAD frame, used a Thomson Masterpiece seat post and SLR Kit Carbone saddle, plus 3T LTD Carbon bars and stem. Forks were some crazy light Look HSC6SL full carbon ones. Had Campag Record cranks with a single Specialites TA chain ring, Record brakes and some (rare) Record carbon brake levers (not shifters, just brakes)...

I could easily have shaved another half kilo off it with lighter cranks and BB, and some lighter brake callipers, but wasn't much point..

This was it before I put the new wheels on, ditched the tensioner, and with different saddle and stem.

annoyingtwit

Interesting build. I personally feel I can't justify large amounts on bikes to trundle around at commuting speeds. I am keen to do more bike DIY, and once I get through some current projects I'd like to build wheels. (I rebuilt one wheel by replacing all the spokes but I want to do more than that.)

Looking at £££ that I could imagine spending some day, I could buy a Campagnolo Record front hub @ 118g. H Plus Son Archetype Road Rim @ 470g, DT Swiss Competition spokes @ 191g + nipples @ 10.56g = near as dammit 790g for a front wheel. Quite a bit more than yours (though, cheaper of course). For a rear wheel, there's the weight of the freewheel, maybe 200g plus extra weight for a rear hub weighing more than the front. I think I'd struggle to build a wheelset less than 1.8kg without spending more than I could imagine. Unfortunately I 'prepared' for my assumed wheel building future by impulse buying a Shimano 105 front hub. It weighs a lot. The specs say 151g, but it feels heavier to me.

On the other hand, I note that there are cheaper carbon bits. E.g. £40 will get me a full carbon fork on ebay in the UK, which should weigh a lot less than my steel forks. However, whether no-brand carbon forks will let me down when I'm coming down a hill at speed - that's another question. Saving say 500g isn't that important. But, if my current forks wore out in some way (unlikely, my single speed is cheap + STRONG + BOAT ANCHOR), then I'd actually consider CF forks.