A fresh start

[suffolksky]

Howdy all, I was recently knocked off my bike by a car and my bike was crushed. I'm going to use the insurance money and the time before I get back on the saddle as an opportunity to build a bike that really suits me.
My start budget is £400-600 and I'd like to work around a nice vintage frame (I like the idea of an italian one but that's not too important). The bike needs to be light and spritely for my commute, but also strong enough for some lightweight touring in the summer (so i'll need to fit a pannier rack as well). I've already got handlebars/quil stem/aero brake levers/saddle/good road tyres, but these can also be replaced with time. Any advice on frames, wheels, group sets etc? It's important to me that they look good and fit together. Thanks!

 

[non-fixie]

Sorry about your accident. I hope all is well, body-wise.

WRT your question: the good news is that there are many frames and parts to choose from, but we'll need a little more information on your personal preferences for the best results.

I suggest we just post stuff that might be interesting, and you comment on what you like and what you don't, and we should be able to converge to something useful.

To get things started I'll post one of my bikes that might fit the brief, apart from the fact that it's not Italian.

It is a Roy Thame that I bought as a bare frame and built with the best parts I had available: Brooks saddle, MAFAC brakes, TA triple crank set, SunTour Cyclone derailleurs, Simplex Retrofriction shift levers, Nitto B135 bars and Campagnolo Chorus pedals. It's fairly lightweight at ~25 lbs and it has plenty of room for wider tyres and mudguards. Oh, and there are eyelets for a rear rack as well.

I've toured on it for a week in France and liked it very much.

 

[suffolksky]

Re:

I'm fully recovered thank you! My helmet took almost the entire force and saved my body (save for a few bruised) and certainly saved my head! Just shows how essential a helmet is really.

Okay that's a good idea. Also any specific questions I could answer that may help?

I'm looking to get all the parts off eBay. I'll probably buy a frame/fork set. I'm 6'3" and i think i would be comfortable between 58-60cm. Definitely steel. Definitely rear rack islets. I'm looking for something with a bit of understated style, a single colour affair perhaps, maybe bright so cars can see me! I don't know much about brands. Obviously my budget is limiting, but if the frame is good then i can spend more on that and get what i can with the rest and change the other components with time.

I spend much of my time in hilly exeter so i need a good gear range and fairly powerful brakes. Again it would be great to keep the vintage feel like on your bike.

I don't know anything when it comes to wheels so any advice would be welcome!

Your example is very much the sort of bike i had in mind - that modern-classic blend. As much as I like downtubes i think i'll change to brifters at some point. Having used it for touring, is there anything you'd change?

 

[suffolksky]

Also I prefer a more relaxed riding position. At the moment I have an upwards angled stem to give that

 

[non-fixie]

Modern-classic blend? How old are you? The newest parts on the Roy Thame are the Campagnolo Chorus pedals from the late eighties ....

Kidding aside: the only new bits are the cables, tyres and chain, about £100 in total. The frame cost me around £100 as well IIRC; the rest came from my parts bin, but I expect I'd be able to do a similar build for well below £500.

If you don't have a generous parts bin a good strategy is often to buy two bikes: one with the right frame, and another with the drivetrain you want. If it's low gearing you're looking for, the second bike would probably be a hybrid (= MTB gearing + 700c wheels). Lots of cheap ones with 3x6 or 3x7 and low miles available, at least in my area.

At 6'3" you'll want a larger frame than 58-60cm CT (unless your legs are really short). I ride 62-64cm touring bikes, and I'm only 6'1". A larger frame will bring up the bars, relative to the saddle, so you'll have less (hopefully no) need for an upward-angled stem. Measure your cycling inseam (http://www.jensonusa.com/bike-fit-guide, multiply by .7 and see what comes up. (I have a 35" inseam.)

WRT to changes: during the build I have contemplated using brifters on this bike. I have a pair of old Campagnolo 9-speeds that should work with 6-speed Shimano, but in in the end I decided in favour of the Simplex retrofriction, as I really wanted to try those.

I do also have a touring bike with brifters, a slightly newer Van Tuyl with Shimano. Deore 3x7 drivetrain with Sora brifters. Very comfortable, although the 60cm frame is a bit too small for me, as you can see. I will probably replace that frame with one a couple of inches taller.

 

[Retro junkie]

Re:

hi
apart from your accident it should now be an exciting time, being able to build it your way makes the finished product more personal to you. take a look at dawes galaxy or a super galaxy frame and forks, a great quality frame which ever one you go for.
both with take all the addons you can throw there way. they also have cantillever brakes which once set up right are powerful for your descents. they are also one frame that more usually come in bigger sizes, so you should not have a problem there.
good luck
rich

 

[suffolksky]

Modern-classic blend? How old are you? The newest parts on the Roy Thame are the Campagnolo Chorus pedals from the late eighties ....

Kidding aside: the only new bits are the cables, tyres and chain, about £100 in total. The frame cost me around £100 as well IIRC; the rest came from my parts bin, but I expect I'd be able to do a similar build for well below £500.

If you don't have a generous parts bin a good strategy is often to buy two bikes: one with the right frame, and another with the drivetrain you want. If it's low gearing you're looking for, the second bike would probably be a hybrid (= MTB gearing + 700c wheels). Lots of cheap ones with 3x6 or 3x7 and low miles available, at least in my area.

At 6'3" you'll want a larger frame than 58-60cm CT (unless your legs are really short). I ride 62-64cm touring bikes, and I'm only 6'1". A larger frame will bring up the bars, relative to the saddle, so you'll have less (hopefully no) need for an upward-angled stem. Measure your cycling inseam (http://www.jensonusa.com/bike-fit-guide, multiply by .7 and see what comes up. (I have a 35" inseam.)

WRT to changes: during the build I have contemplated using brifters on this bike. I have a pair of old Campagnolo 9-speeds that should work with 6-speed Shimano, but in in the end I decided in favour of the Simplex retrofriction, as I really wanted to try those.

I do also have a touring bike with brifters, a slightly newer Van Tuyl with Shimano. Deore 3x7 drivetrain with Sora brifters. Very comfortable, although the 60cm frame is a bit too small for me, as you can see. I will probably replace that frame with one a couple of inches taller.

haha, i may have used the word modern where i meant 'shiny'

I think i'll go down that two bike idea. It seems surprisingly hard to find a bare frame.

Thanks for the sizing tips as well!

 

[suffolksky]

Re: Re:

hi
apart from your accident it should now be an exciting time, being able to build it your way makes the finished product more personal to you. take a look at dawes galaxy or a super galaxy frame and forks, a great quality frame which ever one you go for.
both with take all the addons you can throw there way. they also have cantillever brakes which once set up right are powerful for your descents. they are also one frame that more usually come in bigger sizes, so you should not have a problem there.
good luck
rich

You're right, it's very exciting!
Okay I've seen a few dawes galaxy around. Thanks for the advice, i definitely want something compatible and good quality. So cantilever would be better than calliper?

 

[non-fixie]

A nice advantage of cantilever brakes is that they open up much wider, which means removing a wheel with wide tyres is easier.

 

[suffolksky]

Okay thanks!