Trying to collect all the old ideas into 1.
Back in the summer I fell in love with a Salsa Fargo but then decided it was a touch chunky. The Salsa Vaya ticks boxes but maybe bigger tyres 29ers) might be nice. Currently lusting over On One and Genesis alfine hubbed stuff. A Singular, Gryphon or Peregrine, would be nice but too pricey although I would really only need frame forks and wheels.
What have I missed, especially at under a grand? Frame only or complete bike.

Genesis.

How will you build a Vaya for £1K?

I built up a Fargo a month or so ago and am loving it. Rides beautifully, especially with the super fat Balloon Bike Big Apples 2.35’s on at the moment.

Frame & fork was £390 and with various spare bits lying around and some new bits i built it up for less than £800.

Not the lightest bike ever (tyres are nearly 1kg each) but doesn’t feel heavy when it’s ridden. It’s my go to bike at the moment and i shall be popping out for a little ride on it later. 🙂

My LBS built up a Vaya at the same time which was very nice but more aimed at the commuter side of things compared to the Fargo and tyre clearance is nowhere near as generous.

I have a 29er Inbred as well but comparing with the Fargo they are chalk and cheese. Still a great bike but very different.

Where was the Fargo frame at that price?

Trek Portland.

I’m just finishing my singular gryphon, picked up the frame s/h so cheaper but not cheap, transferred a lot of kit off my road bike. But it’s been more expensive than I thought, esp the brakes avid bb7 road calipers are Soooooooo expensive! £120 just for the calipers – I only paid that for a full set of m775 xt disc brakes!

But on the flip side it looks amazing, should be super versatile (got 4 tours planned already next year) and hopefully fun, fun, fun – will tell that next weekend when it’s hopefully finished.

Matts,

My LBS did me a good deal. Had to wait a few weeks for it, That was the ‘old’ Fargo frame though, not the new suspension corrected one (which i don’t like as much). Not sure if the old ones are still available. I could ask if you’d like, they’re only 400yards down the road from me?

Rik, i found the same with my BB7 Road brakes, no deals anywhere and i paid £60 per end as well. Good brakes though.

MrTall – Def not cheap enough on the bb7 but then the rrp is £75 each. Heard lots of bad stories about bb5s so hopefully worth the extra. Certainly look nice out of the box, bit surprised about how heavy they are, but I’m running with campag record ergo so no options.

If the Gryphon rides as well as it looks, I’ll def be a chuffed man.

I run mine geared with 105 9 speed shifters. Bit of a faff to get it working initially (had to swap around the BB spacers) but now works a treat.

The extra adjustment of the BB7’s is supposedly well worth the extra cost of them over the BB5’s. There really isn’t any other option is there if you’re using road levers.

I’ve got a Fargo and I love it. The most comfortable bike I’ve ever ridden, handles well off road, on road, with a trailer, loaded up with panniers and with the child seat on. Every time I ride it I don’t want to get off and just keep pedalling. Brilliant hardly comes close.

Cotic Roadrat ticks all your requirements

I’m off out on the Fargo now to get a few easy miles in.

Big fat slicks and muddy towpaths should make it interesting…..

http://www.slanecycles.com/shimano-tiagra-brr505-cable-centrelock-disc-brake-for-road-p-10421.html?currency=GBP

The roadrat looks good.
Must admit my totally inconsistent brain is now thinking that I want some nice wide tyres rather than just 42’s. Its coming back to a Fargo.
Thing is I want a short TT ie 53 cm max. Thats screwing me a bit.

+1 on the BB7’s

got them fitted on my Kona Major Jake

When you’re using BB7s with dropbar levers it’s worth sticking an in-line adjuster in the brake cable. Saves a lot of faffing.

I would love it if the old fashioned design of dropbar lever was re-introduced. The sort where the cable comes out the top and has an adjuster. It’s not as if we need the aerodynamic advantages (if any) of an aero lever on a bike with fat knobbies.

Have you seen the Kona Honky Inc? Steel frame, 105, BB7 discs, and down from £1100 to around £800 now.