Wanted to build something I could leave chained-up in town without worry. And ride to work without using SPDs. Or pop to Sainsbury’s. Or do the ‘Cake Run’ into town…

So bought an old steel CX frame-and-forks from the classifieds and had all the other bits lying around as spares. Only the 1″ spacers, chain and pedals were new.

Wanted something ugly and un-nickable, but… I think it ended up looking quite good. It’s also SHWEEEET to ride (apart from the shocking toe-overlap. It IS too small, really):

There’ll also be MA-HOOSIVE ‘Clever Swot’ points coming your way if you can tell me what the bars are :O)

needs spds but it is sweet….the forks are P2?

upside down low riser bars?

and yeah looks good!!

lose the toe clips

Noooo… don’t need SPDs. I’d have to walk around work all day in them. Or take another pair of shoes to work. Nope.

P2s made by Dolan? Don’t think so…

Yeah – 2″ On-one risers on ‘backwards’ but rolled forward. They’ve also had an inch lopped off each end by a previous owner. I must have wacky wrists cos they’re REALLY comfy positioned like that.

And toe-clips rock. Makes it even more unattractive to would-be thieves :O)

pretty sure ive seen dale winton and graham norton bezzin round on something similar, just thought i’d throw that in there…

Really? Have I spawned a new Niche Bike without knowing it? The Camp TV Presenter’s Bike of choice?

Woo hoo!!!

*punches air*

is the planet x ‘X’ original on that?

Wanted something ugly and un-nickable

FAIL!

Think it looks great but anything that even vaguely looks good, automatically becomes a target.

Well spotted rOcKeTdOg. Happened to have a spare self-adhesive “X” of theirs. Thought it went quite well on a silver bike…

Why do folk think toe clips are ugly?

I’ve got toe clips on my commuter and i love them –

the thieves in your area muyst be more discerning than mine (edinburgh) that would be quite nickable round my way i think!

Yep, looks pretty good to me. Apart from the toeclips obviously. They look ugly because they’re big and cumbersome, hang down wrong when you’re not on the bike, not that it matters. The reason I’d avoid them is because they’re incredibly dangerous IMO.

Anything not nailed down is nickable round our way. i’ve had a snapped frame nicked from our back garden. Saved me taking it down the tip though.

Do you really need a brake brace for the rear? skid-tastic! 🙂

Yeah – those spindly steel seatstays flexed alarmingly under v-braking so needed a little ‘reinforcement’. Plus there’s a wee dent right near one brake boss which I don’t trust :O).

Mmm…. “Cake Bike”

Are the bars flipped Marys?

Nope – On-one 2″ risers on ‘backwards’ but rolled forward. They’ve also had an inch lopped off each end by a previous owner.

Nice.

What gear ratio is it?

42 x 18. Any lower than that and I’d never get up the 1in5 hill on the way home :O)

Are they On-one 2″ risers on ‘backwards’ but rolled forward? Maybe also had an inch lopped off each end?

Quite disturbingly I really like that 🙂