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[Closed] The STW Cheap Bike Challenge.

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[#368421]

Ok, so here one for the serial bike builders/dreamers out there:

spec up a bike suitable for a discipline/niche of your choice, but, and its a big but:

It has to be "singletrack capable";

by that I mean it has got to be able to handle the usual toe curlingly technical "angry w*nk" of a hill climb and also still stay in one piece for the eagerly anticipated "holymarymotherofgod" rapid descent pay off with rocky drop offs.

The [u]maximum[/u] budget is [b]£500.00[/b] and you [u]HAVE[/u] to use [u]RETAIL[/u] prices and you are [u]NOT[/u] allowed to use any "bits you have hanging around" or e(vil)Bay.

your kit list must be shown and it has to feature both [u]SOURCES & PRICES[/u]

Extra points awarded for Under Budget, Niche, Unusual, Inspired, Upgradeable, British and the of course the Simplistic.

I may even put up a prize for the best build, but I'm not telling what it is!

get to work, your country needs you!

oh and pictures are encouraged!


 
Posted : 06/03/2009 8:42 pm
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Can we forget about postage? It's £11 for the wheels I was looking at!!


 
Posted : 06/03/2009 8:47 pm
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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!


 
Posted : 06/03/2009 9:03 pm
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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.


 
Posted : 06/03/2009 9:05 pm
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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]


 
Posted : 06/03/2009 9:10 pm
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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]


 
Posted : 06/03/2009 9:13 pm
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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...


 
Posted : 06/03/2009 9:15 pm
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I think it's going to have to have V brakes!


 
Posted : 06/03/2009 9:19 pm
 dobo
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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!


 
Posted : 06/03/2009 9:22 pm
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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!


 
Posted : 06/03/2009 9:23 pm
 dobo
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well heres my offering for a saddle

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


 
Posted : 06/03/2009 9:27 pm
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So we can have S/S then? Cool 8)


 
Posted : 06/03/2009 9:48 pm
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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]


 
Posted : 06/03/2009 10:02 pm
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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)


 
Posted : 06/03/2009 10:15 pm
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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...


 
Posted : 06/03/2009 10:17 pm
 ton
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i wanna play but am cofused!!!!! wot we gotta do.


 
Posted : 06/03/2009 10:19 pm
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i wanna play but am cofused!!!!! wot we gotta do.

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


 
Posted : 06/03/2009 10:23 pm
 ton
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i am gonna build a ss 29r for ssuk.
and i have to buy from shops yes.


 
Posted : 06/03/2009 10:25 pm
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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.


 
Posted : 06/03/2009 10:33 pm
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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!!


 
Posted : 06/03/2009 10:39 pm
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[url= http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=33982 ]GT Avalanche[/url]


 
Posted : 06/03/2009 10:41 pm
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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!!


 
Posted : 06/03/2009 10:42 pm
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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 😀


 
Posted : 06/03/2009 10:42 pm
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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. 🙂


 
Posted : 06/03/2009 10:51 pm
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Sorry for geting bored.:-)


 
Posted : 06/03/2009 10:51 pm
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i was thinking along the same lines as peteimpreza.


 
Posted : 06/03/2009 10:52 pm
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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?


 
Posted : 06/03/2009 10:52 pm
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Don't know why i wrote Level 10?

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


 
Posted : 06/03/2009 10:54 pm
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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.


 
Posted : 06/03/2009 10:59 pm
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Wheels and SS-kit from On-One and the rest from CRC should get you a rigid SS for not very much.


 
Posted : 06/03/2009 11:02 pm
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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 😀


 
Posted : 06/03/2009 11:05 pm
 taka
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i think you should try selling them once you have built them and see who has made the biggest profit


 
Posted : 06/03/2009 11:08 pm
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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]


 
Posted : 06/03/2009 11:10 pm
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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?? 😯


 
Posted : 06/03/2009 11:10 pm
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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] 🙁


 
Posted : 06/03/2009 11:13 pm
 ton
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Those Viper 29ers used to be cheaper than that 😕


 
Posted : 06/03/2009 11:26 pm
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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.


 
Posted : 06/03/2009 11:28 pm
 ton
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and all mine is chose for durability and strength... 😀


 
Posted : 06/03/2009 11:30 pm
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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.....


 
Posted : 06/03/2009 11:33 pm
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[url= http://www.paulscycles.co.uk/products.php?plid=m1b2s1p438 ][/url]
Job done.


 
Posted : 06/03/2009 11:38 pm
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[/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


 
Posted : 06/03/2009 11:44 pm
 dobo
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[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


 
Posted : 06/03/2009 11:49 pm
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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!


 
Posted : 06/03/2009 11:50 pm
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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'....


 
Posted : 07/03/2009 12:03 am
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