Cheap but ace frame advice needed

galatzo
galatzo Posts: 1,295
edited October 2013 in Road buying advice
Need some ideas for a cheap but ace frame.
Top whack is probably £500 but I'd like to spend much less.
Struggling to find anything new I really like.
Not much on Ebay comes up in a 52cm toptube.

Ridleys at CRC are a bit hefty but sizing is nice for me 52cm tt and 13cm ht

Like the Soul Faith 2012 model but £375 plus all the duty payable stops it being such a bargain.
http://2013.bikesoul.com/faith-frameset-2012/

Dolan Hercules looks a decent price and would fit with my likely colour scheme
http://www.dolan-bikes.com/dolan-hercul ... meset.html
http://www.dolan-bikes.com/dolan-hercul ... -bike.html

Cinelli Experience is cheap but not really hitting the spot and won't suit Sram Force 22
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/cinelli-experie ... eset-2013/

Like a Cannondale but not seen any of last years Caad10s on offer in my size.
Likewise Canyon AL frames aren't cheap
Genesis Aethein look nice but ht is only 10cm in my size

Groupset is Sram Force 22 (no chainset yet so BSA or BB30 doesn't matter)
Fulcrum Racing 5.5 wheels till Spring.
Planet-X Strada Lite bars
Selle Italia Fibra saddle )off white as it's so old) or Fizik Kurve Bull (white)
Stem and seatpost tbc when frame decided on.

Let me know what you've seen of if you think I just need to be patient and keep watching Ebay although been bikeless for about 6 weeks and hating it !

Cheers
25th August 2013 12hrs 37mins 52.3 seconds 238km 5500mtrs FYRM Never again.

Comments

  • thebadgerboy1982
    thebadgerboy1982 Posts: 266
    I'd go:
    http://www.condorcycles.com/Condor-Bike ... e.tpl.html

    Or
    http://www.bobjacksoncycles.co.uk/produ ... cts_id=487
    Thebadgerboy1982@gmail.com
  • KonkyWonky
    KonkyWonky Posts: 186
    Planet X have some good deals on frames at the moment, not just their own brand either.

    http://www.planet-x-bikes.co.uk/c/q/frames
    2013 Canyon Ultimate AL 7.0
    2003 Specialized Allez Sport
  • letap73
    letap73 Posts: 1,608
    All good suggestions above, I have seen the Dolan in the flesh and it looks great.
    Suggest this below:
    http://www.cycledivision.co.uk/product- ... pid21.html
    Definitely worth a visit up the M1 (it's not far from you). I bought a frame and for me it has been a revelation.
  • napoleond
    napoleond Posts: 5,992
    Trigon make frames for a hell of a lot of companies. Including Deda. They also make MOst components for pinarello. They are a quality product.
    Insta: ATEnduranceCoaching
    ABCC Cycling Coach
  • spanner239
    spanner239 Posts: 181
    The Dolan Hercules at £400 is a very good frame, includes the seat post as well and they look fantastic in the flesh.
  • galatzo
    galatzo Posts: 1,295
    Cheers
    Nothing I fancy at Planet X at the moment unless they reduce the N2A and then I'd have another one of them in a shot.
    BTW They're charging £2k for the N2A if Ultegra 11 speed and their carbon clinchers with a claimed weight of 7.88kg which doesn't seem the bargain I'd usually expect from them.
    Will nip up to Cycle Division and have a look at the Trigon later today.
    The Dolan does seem a bargain what with the seatpost included and internal cable routing. Only thing that concerns me is that the geometry is similar to the Cinelli Saetta I had and didn't like the handling of.
    Keep 'em coming !
    25th August 2013 12hrs 37mins 52.3 seconds 238km 5500mtrs FYRM Never again.
  • arlowood
    arlowood Posts: 2,561
    spanner239 wrote:
    The Dolan Hercules at £400 is a very good frame, includes the seat post as well and they look fantastic in the flesh.

    Good price but out of stock in the 52cm size that the OP is looking for.

    I would suggest he scans what's on offer through Pauil Milnes Ebay shop.

    They have a Dolan Hecules in a 52 if he wants to go down the carbon route:-

    http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/terry-dolan-5 ... 2582b4acc2

    However for less money he could pick up some excellent alloy offerings such as the Merida Race Lite:-

    http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/merida-race-l ... 1e818ced25

    or the Forme Plateau (Forme bikes are manufactured by Kinesis and are underrated IMHO):-

    http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/forme-plateau ... 27d817a042

    These are all worthy of consideration and within the budget the OP specified

    Just to clarify, I don't have any links to Paul Milnes other than an excellent buying experience earlier this year - bought a Forme Longcliffe frame from them to build as a winter bike.
  • galatzo
    galatzo Posts: 1,295
    arlowood wrote:
    spanner239 wrote:
    The Dolan Hercules at £400 is a very good frame, includes the seat post as well and they look fantastic in the flesh.

    Good price but out of stock in the 52cm size that the OP is looking for.

    I would suggest he scans what's on offer through Pauil Milnes Ebay shop.

    They have a Dolan Hecules in a 52 if he wants to go down the carbon route:-

    http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/terry-dolan-5 ... 2582b4acc2

    However for less money he could pick up some excellent alloy offerings such as the Merida Race Lite:-

    http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/merida-race-l ... 1e818ced25

    or the Forme Plateau (Forme bikes are manufactured by Kinesis and are underrated IMHO):-

    http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/forme-plateau ... 27d817a042

    These are all worthy of consideration and within the budget the OP specified

    Just to clarify, I don't have any links to Paul Milnes other than an excellent buying experience earlier this year - bought a Forme Longcliffe frame from them to build as a winter bike.

    It's a 52 toptube I'm after which is a 44cm Small in the Hercules which they still have.
    Milnes have one or 2 I've looked at, mostly Merida, but nothing really doing it for me.

    Cheers though.
    25th August 2013 12hrs 37mins 52.3 seconds 238km 5500mtrs FYRM Never again.

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