N+1 - single speed / pub hack / self build <=£350
hatbeard
Posts: 1,087
Given how anxious I get when I have to lock up my tricross outside the pub/supermarket I have been thinking about buying myself a cheapy pub hack and as an extension of that giving singlespeed and maybe even fixed riding a go.
now I could just grab a b'twin vitamin (if I can still find one) but the spinny gearing would get on my nerves I think and given it's budget construction it wouldn't appear to be the easiest thing to change on the bike so I've been looking at the low end singlespeeds in the sales.
the SE Draft lite is available for £200 in 'punk pink' which while not my ideal colour choice would probably help reduce it's nickability which is a desireable trait for this particular beast.
I would prefer to have a drop bar with road levers though so that takes me up to the level of charges plug racer or the se racing draft bikes which are £275 -> £350 region which then starts to get away from the whole pub hack territory and the nickability starts going up again.
not sure what to do. The pompino frameset bundle on-one are doing looks interesting but I don't know what other bits I would need to buy to get the bike up and running as I've not built a bike before especially not a single speed.
now I could just grab a b'twin vitamin (if I can still find one) but the spinny gearing would get on my nerves I think and given it's budget construction it wouldn't appear to be the easiest thing to change on the bike so I've been looking at the low end singlespeeds in the sales.
the SE Draft lite is available for £200 in 'punk pink' which while not my ideal colour choice would probably help reduce it's nickability which is a desireable trait for this particular beast.
I would prefer to have a drop bar with road levers though so that takes me up to the level of charges plug racer or the se racing draft bikes which are £275 -> £350 region which then starts to get away from the whole pub hack territory and the nickability starts going up again.
not sure what to do. The pompino frameset bundle on-one are doing looks interesting but I don't know what other bits I would need to buy to get the bike up and running as I've not built a bike before especially not a single speed.
Hat + Beard
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Cheap parts from here http://stores.ebay.co.uk/BANKRUPT-SURPLUS-BIKES-BITS/Frames-/_i.html?LH_SellerWithStore=1&LH_TitleDesc=1&_fsub=3&_sasi=1&_sid=80591543&_trksid=p4634.c0.m322
Or wait for the next Ribble frame sale, I got my winter 7005 for £65Rule #5 // Harden The Feck Up.
Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.0 -
Bought a Felt curbside for MrsAH recently from Wiggle and it's lovely (and i'n budget) but the gearing is a bit spinny so you'd want to change that- ah, flats too. Forget I spoke.FCN 5 belt driven fixie for city bits
CAADX 105 beastie for bumpy bits
Litespeed L3 for Strava bits
Smoke me a kipper, I'll be back for breakfast.0 -
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how tall are you? i have a fixie for saleBMC TM01 - FCN 0
Look 695 (Geared) - FCN 1
Bowman Palace:R - FCN 1
Cannondale CAAD 9 - FCN 2
Premier (CX) - FCN 6
Premier (fixed/SS) - FCN30 -
5'9.5" (the 0.5 inch is important
)
my tricross is a 54cmHat + Beard0 -
ah mines a tad too small then even though its a medium, its a small medium. It was going cheap as well
its essentially a pearson hanzo as wellBMC TM01 - FCN 0
Look 695 (Geared) - FCN 1
Bowman Palace:R - FCN 1
Cannondale CAAD 9 - FCN 2
Premier (CX) - FCN 6
Premier (fixed/SS) - FCN30 -
I'm a bit tempted to trade in the Alu Langster and get the 2010 Steel, 'cause it's pretty and do I need another reason?
I'm 5'10" gthough so it might be a bit big for a shortarse like you
Want a heads up if it does go?0 -
this looks like a bit of a billy bargain...
http://www.winstanleysbikes.co.uk/produ ... _Bike_2010
thoughts?Hat + Beard0 -
hatbeard wrote:this looks like a bit of a billy bargain...
http://www.winstanleysbikes.co.uk/produ ... _Bike_2010
thoughts?
Didn't Winstanleys have a Mark Anthony type reputation some time back?I've added a signature to prove it is still possible.0 -
Ahh..the ole N+1
To be honest, I would still feel rather attached to a bike that cost over £200, well, probably over £150, hence for a pub / local shops jobby I'd get the cheapest thing I could lay my hands on!
Check this site out.
http://www.fixedgearfrenzy.co.uk/produc ... 010_CRBR54
You could always spray paint the rims if they is a bit loud :P0 -
nich wrote:Ahh..the ole N+1
To be honest, I would still feel rather attached to a bike that cost over £200, well, probably over £150, hence for a pub / local shops jobby I'd get the cheapest thing I could lay my hands on!
indeed, I started out wanting a vitamin but it's not something I can improve if i want to change anything with it now i'm looking at sub £500 bikes which would be awesome but totally defeat the point of having something I can leave locked up with less stress.
right now I'm thinking the se draft lite is the best bet. it's £188 in the sales and I have got the price confirmed for price match with evans so I could pick it up fully setup from my local store and I'd get a free 6 week service so pretty much ideal for my purposes. ok it's bright pink but I don't give a toss what people think and I reckon it would be a half decent deterrent for some thieves
next years c2w is when I will get my next proper shiny bike Hat + Beard0 -
Nothing a bit of duct tape won't fix :P0 -
Langsters have always seemed like great bikes to me (especially if you - very sensibly - want road levers), but I have come to the conclusion that steel is a nicer ride than alu on a single speed (I know there is a retro steel version, but it has only one, silly brake and no carbon fork).
I would suggest you keep an eye on the second-hand market (especially eBay) as you will no doubt find a great bike at your budget that doesn't scream out 'I'm new; please nick me' to your local scumbags.0 -
DP
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You can change anything on a Vitamin - I don't think they're voodoo or anything. For my money, pick up an old road bike with downtube shifters from eBay - with care, you can pick up a 531 bike for £20 - and do a quick conversion. It's cheaper, your bike will be cooler, AND less stealable. I have put together more than one bike for nothing out of the bits I have lying around in boxes; once you start buying used/vintage bikes, it all tends to build up.0
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SamWise1972 wrote:You can change anything on a Vitamin - I don't think they're voodoo or anything. For my money, pick up an old road bike with downtube shifters from eBay - with care, you can pick up a 531 bike for £20 - and do a quick conversion. It's cheaper, your bike will be cooler, AND less stealable. I have put together more than one bike for nothing out of the bits I have lying around in boxes; once you start buying used/vintage bikes, it all tends to build up.
I know you can technically change stuff on a vitamin but it's a case that it's only inherent value is the fact it's so cheap, once you start upgrading components the rest of the bike will start to show it's weaknesses more.
I wouldnt mind a project build but i don't really have the space in my flat to be leaving half built bikes laying about.Hat + Beard0 -
Just bought a single speed Tricross for £200 on eBay, they come up fairly often.0
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Canny Jock wrote:Just bought a single speed Tricross for £200 on eBay, they come up fairly often.
Yeah, I got my customised Fuji track (carbon fork, 105 brakes, decent Alex rims etc.) for less than £250 on ebay. It doesn't look pretty, which will deter the thieves, but all-in-all is a much more fun bike to ride than my infinitely more expensive Pearson Touche ever was.0 -
Canny Jock wrote:Just bought a single speed Tricross for £200 on eBay, they come up fairly often.
I did have a look for one of those actually but couldn't find any.
I ordered the se draft lite as it fits the bill for now.Hat + Beard0 -
On-One have basic Pompinos for £3990
