I remembered an excellent tread some time ago with some top notch S/S commuters and wondered what there is on the market as I only seem to find the run-of-the-mill ones and after something a little more special. Budget around £750. Would spend more on the frame/fork/wheels than groupset/finishing kit.

Day 1 with upgrades?

ive been on the lookout for nearly two years and nothing inspires me enough to weigh in the old beast.

SS, rack and guard mounts, nice – sounds so easy doesnt it.

closest was an old pompino, but then they painted them white, then put flat bars on……….

I'm looking for something similar too.

I'd like a condor pista but I think they're a bit over budget. Does anyone know the build cost?

Traitor cycles have some qwerky but practical framesets. I'm holding on for a Crusade SS due the end of the year.

I love my wee bike and love to wheel out the picture of it…

how tall are you?
i have a pomp, blue, 135 spaced, with sks guards ( black ), in large. i've finally admitted to myself it's too big for me. i ordered a replacement M frame, but due to a stock cock-up they couldn't complete the order. has left me thinking i either get something like a surly crosscheck and port all the bits over, or flog the pomp and buy a complete bike.
nice bike, it's just too damn big. 🙁
am thinking about 300 quid posted?
can do flat bar ( carbon ) or drop ( as it is now ). runs sram 'v' brakes.

These are a bit of a bargain in the Evans sale:

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/rocky-mountain/boroughs-2009-single-speed-road-bike-ec022012

Felt Dispatch is nice if you want the hydroformed alu look rather than skinny steel:

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/felt/dispatch-2010-single-speed-road-bike-ec021713

I like the Charge Plug Grinder too, but it's flat-barred (which I prefer anyway for a commuter).

Old frame and do the conversion?

I was given the complete bike, but actually only retained frame, fork, BB, h/set and rear brake. All other kit was a variety of new (wheels), spares, s/h, NOS or gifts/hand-me-downs. Cost me just over £200. It sports full 'guards and a rack (not shown in pic).

Just deciding whether to keep it or get rid of it and just commute on (geared) winter trainer.

Pearson Touche, SS but with room for proper mudguards and you can customise a bit, bars, wheels etc when you order.

rides nice alu frame and carbon fork

since picture was taken i have fitted silver mudguards which look better

more stuff here:
http://www.pearson150.com/

Not sure what qualifies as special? I'm happy with a flat bar S/S roadrat. Added full length SKS guards, SLX discs. There are rack mounts but I prefer to carry a rucksack.

no no no! what you are after is a salsa casseroll. ss/geared, guards, rack, nice feeling and looking steel frame.

It has a funny split personality, it is quite compact which, even compared to my full bore racer makes it feel 'tall' and nimble, yet it has all the features of a audax bike, is a bit heavy, obviously quite robust and thus you expect it to be sedate when actually it is very nippy and fast turning(it isn't a tourer).

i don't have a pic, but someone here also has one.

*adds traitor luggernaut to the list*

What is the bag on your Pearson Rootes1? Looks interesting.

rocky mountain boroughs looks good on evans. i had a genesis day one (flat bar version converted to drops, it was black not orange) and that was great, only just changed to a surly cross check so i can run gears in the future as looking to move somewhere with more hills on the way to work… if you want versatility i'd say cross check is a good bet, much nicer build quality and smoother ride than the genesis but both great bikes

What is the bag on your Pearson Rootes1? Looks interesting.

'Old Man' Carradice SQR Tour – it is very good, stable, 16litres, waterproof, quick release – far better then a rucksack

Si

ourmaninthenorth are those stronglight cranks? they look exactly the samr as the ones on my old fixie but im not too sure what they are. made in france next to the pedal threads and chainring fixed on?

Alek I have a very nice bike I could sell you. It is certainly quite special and only £749. 🙂

One of these? From Charliethebikemonger, soon I think and £800.

Charliethebikemonger? Looks good but my commute is generally road and that looks like a CX.

Bedmaker! what you trying to sell me for £749? doubt its Ti loveliness for that price 🙂

Del – 5'9" so reckon a large is out of the question (16/17/18 depending on frame)

Will surf all other suggestions 😀

Cheers STW massive.

My m pompino fixie in that blue 😀 in good nick with front and half a rear sks guards 😀 getting a defy 3 so will be surplus to requirement soon.

This stands me about £150 all in. I'm looking at getting some shiny Nitto drops for it 😀

Pretty hard to beat a Pompino – stick a hub gear on for really low maintenance. I can show you how to do a belt drive conversion, then you won't have a chain to rust.

Day 1 is good too.

More money, then a Singular Peregrine has plenty room for mudguards and spiked tyres.

Quality Ken 😀

Had planned a cycle to work scheme from my LBS (squarewheels) but looking for inspiration prior to committing.

Would have enjoyed the retro-build too 😉 but much cheapness only!

Get a frame from Bob Jackson and build it up.

14 bike co on brick lane will make you a custom ss to your spec starting at about 750 ish or try condor cycles

If I found a 'nice' cheap frame I'd take you up on the belt drive Epicyclo 🙂 provided the belt/chainset/wheel/your time was affordable 😉