MTB/Tourer for a Hobbit

Hi Guys
I'm a newbie, so please be nice.
I am wondering if any of you can help me out. It's many moons since I assembled racers and choppers from bits rescued out of skips and found in back alleys. I love all things retro, my weekend drive is a VW Bay Window
I'm looking for, or to have assembled an MTB / Tourer with the following criteria:-

Small frame, I'm 5' 5"
reasonably light (I live in the wilds of Devon it's approx 5 miles to a decent stretch of tarmac)
decent gearing and brakes
preferably tarmac/ light terrain tires
flat bars
ability to take mudguards (don't mind wet but not cow poo up me back)
ideally front suspension with lock out forks for when I reach the decent tarmac
I guess some of this stuff is not retro, but I would really appreciate any advice on where I start, should I try and get some one to build a bike. can anyone point me in the direction of a builder in the South West. or is it feasible to courier a bike
Budget is less than £500
It wold be cool if the frame was Orange to match me van

I'm posting this here before posting anything in the wants or post 97 section

Thanks and best regards
Flynny

Welcome to the fly trap.... sorry, forum.

If you are already a retro devotee you won't need warning that there is no turning back once you embark upon this path........ :twisted:

I have just built that which you describe, based on an Orange P7 frame.

Unfortunately it belongs to my daughter, so it's not for sale, but it is possible within your budget.

As for builders, there are more than a few RB members in your neck of the woods, so I'm sure with a bit of bartering a deal could be done.

Have a look in both the mtb classifieds for suitable frames and bits, and also slap a couple of wanted ads up too, plus Gumtree (in Exeter, Plymouth etc) and ebay are decent sources.

Cheers don't suppose your daughter and bike are for sale!!!!
My other half reckons I could get arrested for that comment joking of course. If you could pm me the spec that would be a start
Regards
Flynny

Dont worry about postage either, most of the folk here are willing to box up a bike and put it through the post. Its not as expensive as you might think.

Id recommend something steel if you want mudguards, only because I cant remember seeing ally frames with eyelets. That could just be because I wasn't looking though.

Personally i'd go for something pre 1990 to go on the back of the van although thats just my taste. Keep reading here and youll get a feel for what you want. Welcome to the mad house by the way.

flynny":3vlr4s9r said:

Cheers don't suppose your daughter and bike are for sale!!!!
My other half reckons I could get arrested for that comment joking of course. If you could pm me the spec that would be a start
Regards
Flynny

Click to expand...

The daughter is, but not the bike.

Actually, she's a member on this here very forum, so if she see's this, we are both dead men. :shock:

Not sure of the spec, as she bought the bits and I just bolted them all together.

16" steel Kona would be ideal...IIRC there is a Lava Dome in the for sales. With you budget you could get a really decent fork and drivetrain.

Which one, there is a 16" which was a barn find but can't find another.
Thanks for the info guys

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/univega-alpin ... 20d5ba49e7

Not too clued up on the newer Univegas but they are a great frame for not much money, my 94 Alpina has 3 sets of bottle bosses and all the rack and mudguard bosses you will ever need. Shame this one hasnt got rigid forks with it as those RST's wont be much use for a tourer needing full guards though.