Single Speed Advice ?

Quigs Snr

Thinking of a Single Speed to cycle to work on. (As some forum members would know, I already have many, many bikes, all far too good to be leaving outdoors)

So I am thinking Single Speed, not a fixie. I am not looking for a fashion statement bike either, the bike would be like the rest of my roadbikes except with no gears. A Specialized Langster would be ok, but even better would be if I could pick up a cheap frame and go from there. Should be simple I thought, but not so. My usual dirt cheap frame provider, ribble does not do single speed frames and I am not over enthusiastic about converting a road frame. I saw some made in china heaps of dirt on Ebay called VISP, but they are incredibly heavy.

Also wheels. Any that I have seen for singlespeed are gobsmackingly heavy. Any recommendations on light/cheap ones ?

Raam

What's the budget?

Lumen

What's the total budget? Requirement for mudguards/rack? Drop bars vs flats?

Quigs Snr

This would be very much a race bike. So drop bars. I already have most of the spare bits at home I would need. Including a road frame as it happens, but would prefer a single specific frame. Budget of maybe 200 or so for the frame. The point of this would be to have a cheap, but lightish and racy piece of crap that I wouldn't care about. Cheap is a relative term and budget could move if I saw something that I liked. This would very much be the cheapest of the half dozen or so bikes that I own (A title currently held by a Cervelo S1).

Even if I could get a langster frameset in a size 52 or thereabouts that might be ok. Maybe I should just hang around adverts for a few weeks and see what turns up. I see a 54cm Langster there at the moment that might be ok. (Mudguards and rack not required BTW)

Seaswimmer

Quigs Snr wrote: »

Also wheels. Any that I have seen for singlespeed are gobsmackingly heavy. Any recommendations on light/cheap ones ?

Why not use a standard 8/9/10 speed wheel if you have an old spare. Buy the cog and the spacer kit and away you go...

Morgan

Something like this:
http://www.pearsoncycles.co.uk/store/product/24735/Pearson-Hanzo-Frame-19%22/

Lumen

Cheapish 52cm with horizontal dropouts:

http://www.on-one.co.uk/i/q/FROOLIPO/on-one-lincolnshire-poacher-frame

edit: that's actually frame-only, without fork

doozerie

I'm not sure that it helps at all but my fixie/singlespeed is a standard road frame from the early 90's (my former road bike, making for a relatively simple conversion) and it copes well with a singlespeed rear wheel - some of that is luck with the length of chain stay mind you but the forward facing dropout is long enough that it fits the chain quite well and will even handle a chain of one link shorter at a pinch. In fixie mode it really needs a chain with a half-link to centre the locknuts to make it less likely that the wheel will move but even in fixie mode it works okay - in singlespeed mode though, the wheel position hasn't been a problem, and I haven't had to use a tensioner, until the chain was very worn and needed replacing anyway.

For the rear wheel I bought a flip-flop hub in Cyclelogical for about 40euro or so and built it up with an Open Pro rim. I suspect the bearings are not great quality in the hub (can't remember the brand off-hand, something reasonably generic I think) and might even need replacing at this stage but for all that it still spins well in the frame. I'd be willing to put more money into the hub next time round and get something with decent bearings but I can't complain about how it worked out with the parts I've used.

Lumen

Dolan Precursor, £300

cunavalos

the cheapest ribble tt frame (approx 100GBP) has fairly long horizontal dropouts and is a fairly light frame. you probably have the spare forks or could acquire some and to convert an old pair of road bike wheels to single speed is dead easy, find and old 9 speed wheel and use something like this
http://www.bikemonger.co.uk/gusset-double-six-12t-spacer-kit-224-p.asp
and add the rest of the parts yourself.
Plus you will have the added advantage of being able to perfect your tt position while commuting, what more could you ask for.

P.S. I think you already know someone with a small and medium frame as described above

GTDolanator

Lumen wrote: »

Dolan Precursor, £300

i have one,theres no hole drilled for a brake on the rear so single speed is dodge

Lumen

Genesis Flyer frameset, £300.

Yi Harr

GTDolanator wrote: »

i have one,theres no hole drilled for a brake on the rear so single speed is dodge

Was enquiring about the Pre-Cursa in Hollingsworth and was told (aside from getting a drilled fork) that they (Dolan) can also tap the rear stay if necessary.

Raam

I have a Genesis Flyer. It's a nice frame.

Quigs Snr

Thanks for the replies folks. Plenty of nice machines on offer. Interesting that Dolan could drill the track bike for a back brake. Quite a versatile company it seems. Few guys in my club getting custom sprayed Dolan framesets (around 1100 for a Dolan Hercules frameset for the road sprayed in any color scheme you want, just sent them a sketch or description - I guess I shouldn't be surprised that they would do a simple drilling then...)

chakattack

Check out the Dolan FXE.

It's drilled for front and rear brakes and takes mudguards.

Quigs Snr

Thanks folks for the replies. I tried to get a Dolan FXE but no dice, discontinued and hard to find in my size. I could have gotten the Pre Cursa too, but again there would have been fiddling to fit the back brake. In the end I got lazy and got this as my commuter. Haven't ridden it yet, but seems ok for the money. I won't be losing any sleep about it being hacked around and being left outside work in bad weather.