Building a new bike - what frame?

Wow, I didn't know there was a carbon fiber version!
OK, I'm not going to get that, but they 531 version with chrome fork and chain-stay is really nice!

glpinxit":2inlo3l3 said:

Kinesis Racelight- there is a very good reason why it has a reputation among many cyclists as the basis for an excellent winter bike. I have one and so does Mrs Glpinxit- both with carbon forks and Shimano 105.

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Your post left a mark.
I really like this frame and I am now seriously considering building a bike around it.

Tonight I finally got around putting together a list of the components I need. I found a frame that comes with a BB with square tapered spindle, so I based my choice of groupset around that. It doesn't entirely make sense, but it's a start.
For some reason I like MTB-style single chainsets, which have the advantage of not needing a front derailleur.
So far my list, with a mix of new and second hand items, sits at £600.
This using SRAM components for cassette (10 speeds), rear derailleur and chain.
A third party chainset.
Shimano Ultegra calipers
Mavic Wheels.
And various bits and pieces.
I'm not too bothered by making it a head turner, so I will choose components with an eye to economy, obviously keeping in mind that sometimes it's more economical to spend more than less, so to speak.
But I will definitely go for basic stem, handlebar, spacers, seatpost.

Part of the reason that pushes me to do this is to actually learn to work on a modern bike. So, any input is more than welcome.
Feel free to tell me I'm better off buying a complete bike. I know you are probably right.
Also because with my speed, I guess it would take at least 2-3 months to put a bike together.

Go for it!
But do bear in mind that although eBay can be overpriced the prices achieved reflect buyers’ perceptions of value and fashion. This means the Racelight can be an eBay bargain. My wife is short so hers is tiny, all parts were nearly new and the complete bike (latest version of the frame too) was £400. I picked up my Racelight frameset (superseded version) for under £50 including post and it wears 10 speed Shimano 105 bought piece by piece also barely used for under £200 all in (including all other stuff like cables, tape, bars and stem). Saddle, seatpost, wheels/tyres and pedals came from another bike.

Re:

I get the feeling you like old bikes. With the racelight, bear in mind it wont have gear lever bosses, so you will need bar end shifters or Brifters. Also its 130mm dropout width, so old wheels wont drop in without some faffing and it has a 1 1/8 fork steerer so you will need newer forks and and threadless stem and headset.

Having said that, I have one of the older versions and they are nice all-purpose frames

Your feeling is right, I do like old bikes.
But I am getting a bit frustrated with the downtube shifting, and with the lack of short gears on my Peugeout.
They are not insurmountable problems, I could modify the gearing - probably - and I'm sure a new reach derailleur would help the shifting precision, but my current bike is also not my size, and there is no cure for that.
Which is why I'm considering a modern bike as a commuter, for practicality.

Re:

The project stalled.
First, I got tempted in buying a ready-made bike. I had found one I liked, won the auction for it, only to discovered I got scammed.
I'm waiting for the case to settle, and to get my money back.
In the meantime I eyed a couple of Racelight frames, that frame is growing on me, both the T2 and the T3 version.
But, yesterday a friend of mine donated her old bike to me, so the project has now slightly changed direction.

The bike is a 2011 Forme Vitesse, 48cm in size. And it's a wreck. But it's free, which is ideal for a project like mine, as I am still not 100% sure a modern bike is the way to go.

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I think a Spa Audax (maybe with steel fork rather than carbon?) would suit you. I have the tourer, (had it 5 years now) and it's a good frame, all perfectly aligned and threads perfect etc. I bought just the frame (which came with taper roller headset which I couldn't get on with) and just put my selection of parts on it. Yes, It's a modern frame, but built with traditional values (skinny db tubes). I'm certainly glad I bought it. The tourer is more aimed towards 'touring', with bosses for front panniers, bosses for rear carrier (as well as mudguard eyes), and vbrake/cantilever bosses. The Audax is more a 'day bike' with mudguard eyes and caliper brakes. Hope that helps.

Any carboot sales nearby? I've been finding all sorts of exciting stuff for less than a round of drinks.

This started out very cheap with not too much work or money to make nice



And 'collection only' on ebay is always a way to push down prices for most things, this was less than £100

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fastpedaller":1we6dkt9 said:

I think a Spa Audax (maybe with steel fork rather than carbon?) would suit you. I have the tourer, (had it 5 years now) and it's a good frame, all perfectly aligned and threads perfect etc. I bought just the frame (which came with taper roller headset which I couldn't get on with) and just put my selection of parts on it. Yes, It's a modern frame, but built with traditional values (skinny db tubes). I'm certainly glad I bought it. The tourer is more aimed towards 'touring', with bosses for front panniers, bosses for rear carrier (as well as mudguard eyes), and vbrake/cantilever bosses. The Audax is more a 'day bike' with mudguard eyes and caliper brakes. Hope that helps.

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hehe, look what I found for sale: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Spa-52cm-Fas ... %7Ciid%3A1

I didn't know about this brand, thank you for pointing it out to me.
I wrote them an email asking for more info on their Audax bike, I couldn't find much online.

legrandefromage":1brld4gh said:

Any carboot sales nearby? I've been finding all sorts of exciting stuff for less than a round of drinks.

This started out very cheap with not too much work or money to make nice

And 'collection only' on ebay is always a way to push down prices for most things, this was less than £100

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A carboot sale is a good idea.
I will look around if there is something.

My wife got her new bike stolen, so my budget for building my own bike has been slashed, as my priority is now to buy a new ride for her. So a carboot sale might be my only option.

Also, I can see there is an abundance of bikes just one size bigger than what is my idea size (51-52cm), so I need to find the time to see how big a 54cm fits, because there are a lot of 54cm around, and not many smaller bikes.