[Closed] The STW Cheap Bike Challenge.

Can we forget about postage? It's £11 for the wheels I was looking at!!

postage can be listed as a separate total.

Damn this is hard, I figured I'd start with the frame and the best I've found so far is this:

[img] [/img]

[url= http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=5736 ]20" On One Inbred Single Sp Horiz Dropout Frame £119.99[/url]

its also a 20" shop soiled item, so its not the sort of thing that could be replicated easily so I'm going to forgo it as one of the things I figured this thread could achieve was a template that beginners could loosely follow if they wanted to get into riding with their own respectable custom build on the cheap!

Ooooh can I play? I definitely fall into the [i]serial bike builders/dreamers[/i] category . . . in fact I do this all the time . . . but it costs me a fortune 👿

Watch this space . . . in fact if I can get under budget I may go ahead and order all the kit.

feeling a bit flush are we?

brand-x, handsome dog and a few others do half decent hardtails for thess than that. Cant find geometry tables for anythi other than brand-x, which all seem to have the same top tube length so maybe a bit pants.

Dirty Jo semi creme
[img] [/img]

headset i'm nominating the FSA pig, its not sealed and its not the cheepest, but with a few squirts of grease every year it'll outlast a king one. £17.99 from CRC

[img] [/img]

you can get that Dirty Jo without the icky decals from [url= http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=12527 ]CRC[/url] and it's a brilliant frame. It really is! That would be my starting point too. In fact it was when I did this for real...

I think it's going to have to have V brakes!

if you use some cheap wheels, rigid forks and singlespeed it i think you could afford to put some hydro brakes on it.

if you can get front sus, gears and hydro brakes now that would be impressive!

woah! beat this for a starting point!

Dialled Bikes - Love/hate

the frame comes on pre-order with a Phil Wood EBB, DB Pablo Esco Bars & Salsa QR seat clamp for £220.00 (delivered)[url= http://www.dialledbikes.com/news/news_lovehate.html ] LINK[/url]

so that gives me £280.00 to buy forks, headset, chainset, wheels, brakes, seatpost & saddle

its gonna be tight! but it ticks all the boxes for Niche & Upgradeablity!

well heres my offering for a saddle

[url= http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=34088 ]295g £12 Selle Italia X0 SE[/url]

So we can have S/S then? Cool 8)

that dialled frames a flippin bargain! Stil think £280's a tall order.

I've ridden these, they'r not the greatest, but far better than budget forks from a few years back, probably better than mid range forks for a few years back.
[url= http://www.southwatercycles.com/products.php?plid=m9b189s151p2779&rs=gb ]SR suntour forks[/url]

Brand-X XC hardtail frame from CRC for £99.99
Velocity Triple V/Deore Wheels, [u]with Kenda Blue Groove tyres[/u], from On-One for £97.85 (presumably you get innertubes as well)

I think that link you posted above for the Love/Hate is a little old? This might be a more [url= http://dialledbikes.wordpress.com/2009/02/12/lovehate-update/ ]current pricing...[/url] £265 without bars etc 🙁

Shame, cause I was just about to order one inspired by your link! i wonder if they'll give it to me for £220...

i wanna play but am cofused!!!!! wot we gotta do.

i wanna play but am cofused!!!!! wot we gotta do.

Build a singletrack-capable bike for under £500, or suggest parts.

i am gonna build a ss 29r for ssuk.
and i have to buy from shops yes.

29er's going to make it more expensive. For cheap-cheap-cheap, you've got to go 26er, I think.

Best buy would actually be a complete bike, I'm sure. Four or five years ago, I got a Deore-equipped Inbred for a smidge over £500, and they were dropped to £400 not long after. CRC have some nice-looking bikes for under £500.

Dialled Bikes - Love/hate - £220.00 [url= http://www.dialledbikes.com/news/news_lovehate.html ](Dialled Bikes)[/url]
Phil Wood EDD - £0.00
DB P. Esco Bars 25.4mm - £0.00
Salsa QR seat clamp - £0.00

Headset FSA Pig - £16.63 [url= http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/Cycle/7/FSA_Pig_Aheadset/125673781/ ](wiggle)[/url]

Salsa CroMoto Rigid Fork - £55.99 [url= http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/Cycle/7/Salsa_CroMoto_Rigid_Fork/5360029121/ ](wiggle) [/url]

Ritchey Comp MTB V2 Stem - £22.50 [url= http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/Cycle/7/Ritchey_Comp_MTB_V2_Stem/5360012209/ ](wiggle - 28.6x130x6x25.4)[/url]

FSA SL-280 XC Seatpost - £12.99 [url= http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=7636 ](chainreaction)[/url]

SUB TOTAL : £328.11

Shimano XT M756 on Mavic XC717 Front & Rear - £129.99 [url= http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=28544 ](chainreaction)[/url]

SUB TOTAL : £458.10

Shit this is difficult!! how am I supposed to sort out the drivetrain, pedals, saddle, grips, brakes, tyres, tubes!

agh! I'm gonna have to change this!!

[url= http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=33982 ]GT Avalanche[/url]

Thanks to some thieving toe rags who knicked my maxlight xc120 and then found I was only covered for £500 despite having xtr kit and Fox talas rlc's etc on it I had this exact dilemna.
My solution is that Ive just bought a charge duster rigid from wiggle for £350 (reduced from £500) and intend on putting some suntour epicon forks on it for CRC at £130- this leaves me with £20 to either get a bigger lock or to borrow a mentalist rottweiler for when they come back to see what the replacement bike is like!!

agh! so the Dialled offer's gone?!? oh well, I need to change the build to get it under, which is a shame because I had that Love/Hate with the salsa forks thing going on in my head 😀

All Terrain Cycles/Handsone Dog Talisman frame,150
Chain Reaction Cycles/FSA The Pig H/S,17.99
MERLIN/Rockshox Dart 3 Poplock fork,30.04
EVANS/Shimano SLX front brake..88.08

...and then i got bored being detailed and disciplined.

Merlin wheels set retailing for 80 pounds,

Avid BB7 rear disc brake,40ish

standard deore rear mech and front mech,

14.99 pound seatpost from Langsett Cycles,

Sella Royal Frecia Saddle,24-ish

Deore two piece crankset.60 pounds,

brake levers for v brake level 10?

kona Jack Shit pedals,20-ish?

It seems like it oculd be quite a nice bike though. 🙂

Sorry for geting bored.:-)

i was thinking along the same lines as peteimpreza.

Why are you speccing XT wheels??

What you need is a pair of [url= https://www.merlincycles.co.uk/?fn=product&productId=987&categoryId=98 ]Deores[/url].

What's that, nearly £60 saved?

Don't know why i wrote Level 10?

A v brake lever set for ten pounds is what i ment.

And what about something like this [url= https://www.merlincycles.co.uk/?fn=product&productId=1349&categoryId=87 ]Sintesi[/url] frame, complete with headset??

You're not thinking propply, Nutt.

I reckon it can be done for less than £400, actually, if yer going SS and Rigid.

Wheels and SS-kit from On-One and the rest from CRC should get you a rigid SS for not very much.

peteimpreza - Member

GT Avalanche

Surely buying a complete bikes is cheating though. Reckon it's gotta be something you'd be prepared to struggle up the said [i]toe curlingly technical "angry w*nk" of a hill climb[/i] and be prepared to sit down, shut up and hold on for the [i]eagerly anticipated "holymarymotherofgod" rapid descent pay off with rocky drop offs.[/i]

Reckon I'll go for a 24" jump bike with big tyres . . . watch this space 😀

i think you should try selling them once you have built them and see who has made the biggest profit

Full sus with disc brakes. £499

[url= http://www.winstanleysbikes.co.uk/images/prod_7508.jp g" target="_blank">http://www.winstanleysbikes.co.uk/images/prod_7508.jp g"/> [/img][/url]

MAMADIRT; PUT THE CREDIT CARD DOWN, AND STEP AWAY FROM THE KEYBOARD.

Every week, we have to warn her.

What does your doc think about your tiny bike buying obsession?? 😯

My local bike shop have rockhoppers for £499 so why would you spend all this time building one up,,, its a silly game and i don't understand the rules so I'm not playing [throws toys out of pram] 🙁

frame http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=29514
forks http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/Cycle/7/Salsa_CroMoto_Rigid_Fork/5360029121/
wheels http://www.spacycles.co.uk/products.php?plid=m2b0s141p1134
brakes x 2 http://www.spacycles.co.uk/products.php?plid=m2b0s101p1502
chain http://www.spacycles.co.uk/products.php?plid=m2b0s111p1118
levers http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=9734
h/set http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=1066
post http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=15690
saddle http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=11215
c/set http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=5733
bb http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=17473
tyres x 2 http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=36426

bout £450. leaves £50 for tubes and pedals.

Those Viper 29ers used to be cheaper than that 😕

Nonononononono....NO The last time I took part in one of your contests (Ultimate SS) It cost me a small fortune as I've only gone ahead and ordered it! Its going to arrive in April. You're a very bad person MrNutt.

and all mine is chose for durability and strength... 😀

mmm, taking Pop Larkin's lead, I'm gonna try and build around this:

Kinesis Maxlight XC 2 Frame - £220.21 [url= http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/Cycle/7/Kinesis_Maxlight_XC_2_Frame/5360029592/ ](wiggle)[/url]

Headset FSA Pig - £16.63 (wiggle)

Salsa CroMoto Rigid Fork - £55.99 (wiggle)

FSA XC281 Riser Bars 680mm 25mm Black 31.8mm
FSA OS190 LXC Stem 100mm 6 Deg Black 1.1/8" 31.8mm
FSA SL 280 Carbon Wrap Seatpost 27.2 350mm Carbon

Selected FSA Package Price - £69.99 [url= http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Kits.aspx?ModelID=27554 ](chainreaction)[/url]

SUB TOTAL = £362.82

hmmm.....

[url= http://www.paulscycles.co.uk/products.php?plid=m1b2s1p438 ][/url]
Job done.

[/url]frame £75[url= http://www.allterraincycles.co.uk/product/6479.html ]handsom dog[/url]

forks £55 [url= http://www.fatbirds.co.uk/detail.asp/sku=FFFMTB001 ]orange[/url]

brakes and gear levers £80 [url= http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Kits.aspx?ModelID=23920 ]deore

[url= http://www.merlincycles.co.uk/?fn=product&productId=1200&categoryId=112 ]£175 Hayes Stroker Ryde and Deore 117 wheels[/url]

I think you need to drop the price of that frame Mr. Nutt, i got my PD sirius, headset & rigid forks for £250! quality frame & forks

come on, we've gotta try and keep the standards up, Handsome dog? really? MUST TRY HARDER!!

I think you're right, I'm gonna have to sacrifice the frame for the wheel set!

Stop being a ponce and a snob! I've seen plenty of 'budget' frames being ridden about, by people with more skilz than you, yer mincing pansy!

I reckon you could build up a perfectly servicable SS bike with rigid fork, for not a lot more than £300, if you really shop around, and scour the bargain basements. Maybe nearer £400 for a fully geared bike, and £500 would get possibly get you a suss fork and maybe even some cable discs.

Maybe you should've titled the thread 'build a niche bike for a ponce for £500'....

dobo I'm impressed, thats a nice deal you've found there!

Hayes Stroker Ryde Brakes
Deore disc hubs handbuilt with stainless steel double butted spokes and Mavic 117 black disc rims

- £175.70 😯 nice!

Headset FSA Pig - £16.63 (wiggle)

Salsa CroMoto Rigid Fork - £55.99 (wiggle)

FSA XC281 Riser Bars 680mm 25mm Black 31.8mm
FSA OS190 LXC Stem 100mm 6 Deg Black 1.1/8" 31.8mm
FSA SL 280 Carbon Wrap Seatpost 27.2 350mm Carbon

Selected FSA Package Price - £69.99 (chainreaction)

SUB TOTAL: £318.41

Remaining Budget: £181.59 to spend on:

Frame,
seatclamp,
BB,
chainset,
cranks,
pedals,
tyres,
grips,

and erm gears?

Damn, this must be a hell of a lot easier when dealing with trade prices! 😆

hmmm, those Rock Lobsters look pretty cheap/butch eh Rudeboy 😉

Not as cheap as that piece of folded sheet metal you ride around on, Nutt.

You don't get this, do you? You're trying to build up something with 'nice' bits. You've gotta go budget and basic, to keep the price down.

'Carbon wrap seatpost' indeed... 🙄

Right, a little over budget but I can't be seen riding around on any old thing 😉

24" steel rigid singlespeed jump bike . . .

[img] [/img]

£100.00 Frame: Fireeye Bloodshot (BMX B/B) - CRC
£29.31 Forks: Handsome dog rigid - All Terrain Cycles
£14.99 Headset: FSA Pig - Winstanleys BMX
£13.99 Stem: Kore Sweet 69 22.2mm - CRC
£11.99 Bars: Brand X D/H risers 22.2/25.4mm - CRC
£5.50 Grips: Blank (white) - Winstanleys BMX
£7.99 Levers: Blank (white) - Winstanleys BMX
£5.40 Cables: 2 x Odyssey slick (white) - Winstanleys BMX
£67.98 Brakes Tektro Aquila cable disc (front and rear)
£35.99 Cranks: 4Jeri BMX cranks (BMX B/B included) - Winstanleys BMX
£16.00 Chainwheel: 36T Fireeye - CRC
£4.99 Chain 4Jeri BMX - Winstanleys BMX
£10.00 Seat Blank - CRC
£14.99 Seatpost Tioga - CRC
£2.00 Seatclamp Brand X -CRC
£9.38 Pedals Wellgo platform - Wiggle
£19.98 2 x Tyres Maxxis Max Daddy 24" - CRC
£7.98 2 x Tubes Conti 24" - CRC
£63.63 F wheel DMR Comp 24" - All Terrain Cycles
£73.40 R wheel DMR Comp 24" - All Terrain Cycles
£13.99 S/S kit Gusset 1er 16T and spacers - CRC

Grand total - [b]£529.48[/b] . . . I'm sure you'll tell me if I've left out anything essential. Don't think I'll be building one up anytime soon (the Visa card is safely tucked away . . . for the moment) - much rather have [url= http://www.winstanleysbmx.com/product/13670/Subrosa_Letum_Cruiser_Bike_2008 ]one of these for £229[/url] - baaaaaaaargin!!

Edit: Bit of an oversight on the chainwheel/sprocket sizes as it's a 24"er but a larger chainwheel/smaller sprocket shouldn't make a difference to the price.

Single speed town or hack bike:
[img] [/img]

And I found that frame ages ago!
[img] [/img]

Did I miss anything off?

so how flexable is the budget?

how about:

on one 456 £119 crc
marzocci all mountain 4 £140 crc
tioga headset £8.88 wiggle
hussefelt bar and stem £22 merlin
wtb grips £4.74 bonthrone bikes
system x seatpost £8.60 wiggle
seatclamp 2.99 halfords
tioga saddle 9.99 crc
lx xm117 wheels lx disc kit £159 merlin
michelen tyres £14 crc
fsa cranks & bb £47 merlin
chain 3.99 crc
on one single sped kit £10.28 on-one
v8 copy pedals £11.99 crc
gusset chain tensioner £8 charlie bike monger

£73 pound over budget but i have built a 140mm forked single speed 456 with hydro discs and external BB.

I will admit that i wouldn't wanna ride it cos of the shitty tyres!

See, tinribz knows what he's up to!

Although you could still strip about £100 off that, by using V-brakes, and leaving out some of the extras, as well as nicking £5-10 here and there.

Decathlon is a place to find some good basic bargains.

Tomthumb's build looks very good indeed!

right!! I'm starting with this:

[img] [/img]

Charge Iron Frame - £174.99 [url= http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/Cycle/7/Charge_Iron_Frame/5360022345/ ](wiggle)[/url]

Hayes Stroker Ryde Brakes
Deore disc hubs handbuilt with stainless steel double butted spokes and Mavic 117 black disc rims

- £175.70

SUB TOTAL: £350.69

so thats frame, wheels and brakes, I think I may be able to do this!! this could be quite a quick & light singlespeed! must work hard to get this right!!

I started with that too Mr Nutt (lovely isn't it) but sadly had to drop to the Fireeye to keep the cost down. I shall watch your build with interest (and one hand on the visa card 😉 ) Don't forget it's a 24" specific frame (doesn't say so on the Wiggle site I know but check out the complete bikes on the Charge site - the V brake mounts are positioned for 24" wheels) - your bargain wheels may be too big (tho' I've been known to cram 26"ers into a 24" frame before now).

impressive builds, i think i would go the xc route and use tinribs zochi mz super comps and a Brand-X XC Hardtail 7000 from crc, then some of thoms kit and with any luck come in under 500

I shall watch your build with interest (and one hand on the visa card)

Now now, Mama...

ok...

sticking with the British build here!!

Charge Iron Frame - £174.99 (wiggle)

Orange F8 Rigid Fork - £53.78[url= http://www.orangebikes.co.uk/components/components.php ] (orangebikes)[/url]

then adding the wheel set:

Hayes Stroker Ryde Brakes
Deore disc hubs handbuilt with stainless steel double butted spokes and Mavic 117 black disc rims

- £175.70

so now we've got a modest rolling chassis that could climb and descend nicely, now it just need the easy bits!

SUBTOTAL: £404.47

bits to buy:

tyres
Headset
Seat Clamp
Bars
Grips
Cranks, Pedals, BB, Chainset
seat post
saddle

damn its gonna be a tight order on just £95.53!!

AGH!! CRASH!!

why didn't I read the wheel size!!! the seat post should have given it away!! oh the horror!!

back to the drawing board!!

Oh but wait!! nah that would brake my own rule, just thought of building it up as a 30'er!! (the orange forks are 26's) but I can't swap a rear wheel from the wheel deal 🙁

No, go for it, 26" wheels should cram in there just about - chainstay length is 16".

This was my V24 with 26" wheels and very low 26" cruiser forks (even filed the slots in the V brake arms so that I could use Vs instead of discs) - wheel was only just in the dropouts though.

[img] http://images.fotopic.net/?iid=yl9alu&=1&nostamp=1&quality=70 [/img]

Or you could just order [url= http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/Cycle/7/Charge_Iron/5360026611/ ]one of these[/url]. 🙄

hmmm

...must

...find

...impossible?!?

...bike

mamadirt, don't visit http://www.identitibikes.com/ if your within grabbing distance of your purse dear!!!

and definatly don't look here: http://www.curtisbikes.co.uk/

[img] [/img]

especially at that, no, don't even think about that...

[img] [/img]

nope, not at all.

must not look 😆

Oooooh, lovely but sadly just a little over budget 🙁 - never mind about the frame though - where'd they get those Gold Label forks from? - I want a pair for my Tazer.

Actually scratch the budget - I reckon if I use some kit from under the stairs and in the garage I could build up one of these easily for under £500 . . .

[img] [/img]

. . . and yet another orange bike wouldn't even notice would it?

hehe I refuse to be defeated on this challenge, I'm surprised that no one like CRC has put together a build kit that you could make up frames with!

There you go Brant something to keep you busy during your transcontinental business executive/international playboy flights?

just do three spec's

Mint Pack
Works Pack
Skint Pack

and do them as:

Transmission - everything that turns around
Transmission SS - everything SS that turns around
Control - bars, stem, brakes, grips/bar tape, bar ends,
Finishing kit -Headset, BB, QR Skewers, seat clamp, saddle, seat post, pedals,

then folks can just pick the frame and forks and buy bundled deals to build up the bike of their dreams?

aw'cwmon! 😀

Hmmm, not sure. I reckon this thread shows that folks who like to do their own builds are either going to go down the mega budget option of 'under the stairs or in the garage' or pimp it to the max 😉 with complete disregard for the latest special offers - I don't see myself dropping £530 on that Fireye build anytime soon. It's certainly made me consider a 24"er build though - you are a bad man Mr Nutt - do CRC pay you commission? 😉

Ton, those forks are not long enough for a 29er frame, are they?

Are people including P&P in their prices?

Personally, I think you've [i]got[/i] to build it around those £99 wheels and tyres from On-One. Decent tyres make a huge difference to how the bike rides, and you're getting Nevegals with those wheels. You're looking at £30 for tyres and tubes, so unless you can find a pair of wheels for under £70, you're going to struggle to beat these.

Those wheels are disk-compatible, but I think you've got to go for V brakes for a budget build. I'd get a frame that will take Vs, but leaves the disc-door open for later.

full XT groupset! £270! or the old octalink deore is at rush for £200!

[url= http://www.rushcycles.co.uk/products.php?plid=m2b170s442p2976&rs=gb ]http://www.rushcycles.co.uk/products.php?plid=m2b170s442p2976&rs=gb[/url]

[url= http://www.jejamescycles.co.uk/shimano-xt-groupset-v-brake-m760-id38796.html ]http://www.jejamescycles.co.uk/shimano-xt-groupset-v-brake-m760-id38796.html[/url]

Frame GT avelanche 18" £77 [url] http://www.sunsetmtb.co.uk/shop/index.php?product_id=1043&category_id=22 [/url]
Fork
Wheels £100 on-one
Groupset £200 rush
Bars EA30 riser CRC £20
Stem Answer ATAC £15 CRC
Post £20, take your pick from CRC
Saddle £20 take your pic
pedals wellog Mg1 £30 on ebay
grips DMR zips CRC £4

£489 without forks 🙁

My [url= http://www.bikesportltd.co.uk/product.aspx?id=584 ]LBS are doing a Specialized Hardrock Pro for £499.99[/url] and for £200 less, you can get the Sport level model. Not sure you could beat that, or similar built bikes, while buying new parts.

haro mary ss on offer too at £350 complete.
impossible to beat i think.

[b]Done it!!!!!!!!!

Decent frame, forks (With poploc!!) and wheels, ready to upgrade to discs, and an LX drivetrain, Kenda tyres and brand name finishing kit!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Total price £489.67 which leaves a bit for 2 tubes from Tesco, some cable if needed and electrical tape for rim strips[/b]

FRAME Merlin Malt 1 with Seatpost, seatclamp and headset £99.95
http://www.merlincycles.co.uk/?fn=product&productId=433&categoryId=87

FORK RS Tora+Poploc £99.95
http://www.merlincycles.co.uk/?fn=product&productId=1572&categoryId=18

Wheels Deore + 117s £59.95
http://www.merlincycles.co.uk/?fn=product&productId=943&categoryId=99

WTB Saddle £13.99
http://www.woollyhatshop.com/view_product.php?id=1322

TYRES Kenda Blue Groove x2 £25.98
http://www.woollyhatshop.com/view_product.php?id=974

Truvative Stem £12.99
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/Cycle/7/Truvativ_XR_Oversized_Stem/5360021107/

Truvative Bars £14.99 (Will fit stem)
http://www.woollyhatshop.com/view_product.php?id=1654

Shimano Acera V Brakes x2 £21.98
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=34700

Matching Acera Brake Levers £13.99
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=34691

Truvative Chainset £19.99
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=5733

BB to fit above £11.99
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=34652

Deore LX Front mech £12.99
http://www.woollyhatshop.com/view_product.php?id=2471

Deore LX Rear mech £21.99
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=15113

Deore shifters £24.95
http://www.woollyhatshop.com/view_product.php?id=1545

Deore Cassette & Chain £29.99
http://www.woollyhatshop.com/view_product.php?id=2695

DMR Grips £4
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=3388

Personally, I think you've got to build it around those £99 wheels and tyres from On-One. Decent tyres make a huge difference to how the bike rides

True, but my Deore/Mavic/Kenda combo comes in at under £86.
😀

Plus postage, and doesn't include tubes and rim tape...

wow, thats pretty dam good, definately on a par with £500 bike from the shops anyway. They'r all free post are they not? £2 for 2 tubes form decathlon, £1 for enough lecy tape to make 100's of whels from poudland, cables are 99p form decathlon.

I have that stem on my bike, stiff, light and 1/5th of the price of a thompson one, but thats about all we've got in common.

Problem is now you've got to build the thing. whis i probably £200 in tools!

Hands up who's going to buy it?

Can you tell it's boring at work, To up the ante, I thought I'd try and source it all from one place, and have gears and hydro discs. A quick shifty at merlin gets you this...

Wheels: Deore on Mavic XM117 with LX Discs (£151.95 @merlin)
Tyres:Maxxis Tomahawk (£17.96 for the pair @ merlin)
Brakes:LX dual control (£0- see above @ merlin)

Rear mech: Deore (£26.95 @merlin)
Cassette: Sram PG970 11-32 + PC971 chain (£36.95 @merlin)
Chain: PC971 chain (-£0 see above- @ merlin)
Chainset: Deore hollowtech (inc bb) (£49.95 @merlin)

Grips: Lizard Skins (£7.50@merlin)
Bars: Truativ Husselfelt bar/stem combo (£22.95@merlin)
Stem:Husselfelt (-£0 see above- @ merlin)
Headset: Ritchey WCS (£22.95 @merlin)
Seatpost: Easton EA30 (£21.95 @merlin)
Seat: sdg bel-air (£19.95@merlin)

Forks: Salsa CroMoto Rigid Fork (£55.99 @ wiggle*)
Frame: Merlin dual (inc seatclamp) (£64.95@ merlin)

[b]Total £ 499.55[/b] 🙂

Ok, so still needs 1x cable, 2x tubes, and pedals (which you never get with a new bike), but you could trade those for the outer and inner ring from the chainset.

I reckon that would be a pretty decent bike though- obviously the frame is the weak point. None of the other kit is at all bad though- some of it is pretty nice even, and if you wanted to run it singlespeed that would give you an extra £20 for a better frame.

Why is this thread so damn addictive? I have a brand new Simtra frame on ebay at the mo (a bit long for me and it was the wrong colour orange OK 😳 ) . . . if it doesn't sell I may just have to trawl this thread for bargains and build it up anyway (pimping as and when funds allow).

Ok, a weight weenies build that would make a great XC bike,

Rock Lobster team tig frame (3.5lbs, £180), Salsa Cromoto rigid forks (£55), Deore on Mavic XM117 with LX Discs (£152 or XT on 717 running LX V's for less), On-one converter (£10), Deore Cranks/BB (£50). Assorted choice of finishing kit from earlier posts (including electricians tape and decathlon tubes) up to a max of £54.

Very doable for under £500 (except pedals, again). Great frame and forks, decent wheels/brakes. Tempting.

Still bored at work.

I've come up with:

9spd, suspension, V-brakes Handbuilt readily available freehub wheels, 27" bars for [b]£414[/b]
(+£15 for a bashguard - though not always needed with 1x9spd)

Sintesi 708 (inc. headset - inc. star but/top cap?) £80 - merlin
FSA seatpost £13 - CRC
Deore/Mavic XM117 V-brake wheels £60 - merlin (sale wheels)
Deore 9spd Casette/Chain (11-32 or 11-34T) £30 - merlin
Michelin Mud 2" tyres £16 - CRC
tubes £5.50 - merlin
Deore triple chainset/BB £30 - merlin
Wellgo V8 flat pedals £11.50 - merlin
Selle Italia Saddle £12 - CRC
Truvativ Hussefelt 27" bars/40mm stem £23 - merlin
Planet X grips £3 - CRC
Deore V-brake kit £33 - merlin
LX 9spd rear shifter £15 - merlin
Hone front mech £12 - CRC
LX rear mech £22 - CRC
Rockshox Dart 2 (postmount) £60 - CRC

[b]27spd[/b], shimano [b]pre-bled hydraulics disc[/b] brakes, [b]Hollowtech[/b] style triple chainset, [b]air[/b] fork, [b]lock on[/b] grips, [b]SPD[/b]s, [b]folding 2.3"[/b] tyres, [b]handbuilt readily available freehub[/b] wheels for [b]£560.50[/b]

Merlin Malt 1 (inc. headset, seat QR, seatpost) £100 - merlin
Shimano Deore 6bolt/Mavic XM317 £84 - merlin (handbuilt wheels)
Deore 9spd Chain/casette (11-32 or 11-34T) £30 - merlin
Continental Gravity 2.3" folding (and tubes) £36 - merlin
Truvativ Firex triple (hollowtech style BB) £45 - merlin
Shimano M520 SPD pedals (inc. cleats) £20 - merlin/JeJames
Selle Italia saddle £12 - CRC
Truvativ Hussefelt 27" bars/40mm stem £23 - merlin
Outland lock on grips £10.50 - merlin
Deore dual control 27spd shifters/160mm 6-bolt rotors (post mount front) £80 - CRC
Hone front mech £12 - CRC
LX rear mech £22 - CRC
Marzocchi MZ air/coil fork £86 - merlin

By dropping the air fork, External BB, SPDs, folding tyres, lock on grips,
more-known-frame I can get it to [b]£476.50[/b] (So still got pre-bled hydros, 27spd)

Ooh, and I think except wheels/frames all the postage is inlcuded too

Ha ha, the bike i bought a couple of weeks ago pwns anything on this thread so so far. It cost £560, but i've sold the Thomson post (bought an Easton EA70 for £11 to replace it) and extra tyres it came with and now i'm down to £526. If i can sort out that last little bit i'll post a picture.

Yes, but finbar, you're bike doesn't fit into the rules of this 'game' by being second hand? and not retail, and coming as one item?

Ah, sorry - reading fail. My apologies. But still:

[img] [/img]