Crap Thieving Scouse Bastards :eek:

[TdC]

also, there is only one possible bike for you now Scouse. you knows it!

http://surlybikes.com/bikes/krampus

 

[TdC]

dammit Scouse now you have me checking out MTB frames again

btw two more "cheap" UK brands: dialledbikes and pipedream bikes
they both use a philosophy similar to the on-one's of this earth: design a bike in the UK, make it somewhere cheaply but well. Well known classy hand made bikes like Curtis et all have discovered this too. Last time I checked, Curtis was offering UK built frames for mega-cash and Taiwan built frames for cheap and cheerful. That said, an immensely respected marque like Curtis will never let the quality slide and neither do the small brands as they'll lose their customers in the blink of an eye.

 

[Scouse]

also, there is only one possible bike for you now Scouse. you knows it!

http://surlybikes.com/bikes/krampus

*want*

That is hellagorgeous.

But no teedles. NO! Front suspension is a mandatory. It's my one and only multi-use bikeh and occasionally I'll be riding it up and down this lovely thing or something similar, in addition to long sojourns into the nearby Peak District - and with my crappy joints they need all the tender lovin' they can get.

 

[TdC]

boo bad teedles

there are fatbikes with front sus, but that's like another 400+ squids right there

 

[Cemeterygates]

Go for a Canyon.....mega spec for the money!!

 

[Scouse]

Go for a Canyon.....mega spec for the money!!

I do love the Grand Canyon AL - but it's a little out of my price range.


My biggest problem at the moment is fucking average people.

Being of a proper height and sensible manly dimensions I could do with a bike with an overall reach in the region of 67cm.

To even approach this I've got to go for a slightly oversized frame - instead of a 19" seat tube I'm having to look at 21" or 22" seat tubes simply to get the proportionally longer effective top-tube length. Even then I'm still 5 or 6cm short of what I want in terms of reach. And all because I've got proper-sized arms.

Any suggestions? Tom, TdC, anyone?

 

[Tom]

Go to a proper bike shop (ie not staffed by students) and get measured up.

 

[Scouse]

Go to a proper bike shop (ie not staffed by students) and get measured up.

It's not the measurements that are the problem, Tom. I know that on level ground I suit a slightly longer reach than standard. It's finding the right bike to fit that in sufficient time for me not to simply go "fuck it" and buy the 21" cube I tried yesterday

I've been giving >this< and this a thorough study and also had a go here.

Also, my experience tells me I feel much more comfortable on bigger frames - because the longer top tube stops me feeling cramped 'cause of my long arms...

 

[Cemeterygates]

I do love the Grand Canyon AL - but it's a little out of my price range.


My biggest problem at the moment is fucking average people.

Being of a proper height and sensible manly dimensions I could do with a bike with an overall reach in the region of 67cm.

To even approach this I've got to go for a slightly oversized frame - instead of a 19" seat tube I'm having to look at 21" or 22" seat tubes simply to get the proportionally longer effective top-tube length. Even then I'm still 5 or 6cm short of what I want in terms of reach. And all because I've got proper-sized arms.

Any suggestions? Tom, TdC, anyone?

A longer stem could help?

 

[Shagrat]

A longer stem could help?

that's what my wife says....

 

[Shagrat]

also, there is only one possible bike for you now Scouse. you knows it!

http://surlybikes.com/bikes/krampus

that's a nice looking bike. I need a second bike really, I've got a scott roadster for getting to work but its a total road bike and I could do with something more "rugged", this might be just the thing, or some variation of..

 

[TdC]

the Krampus is something very like a fatbike. They certainly are something else. All I can say is try before you buy

Scouse : tbh Sheldon Brown is god (may he RIP). if he said something is a good idea then it usually is.

 

[Scouse]

Sheldon Brown is god (may he RIP). if he said something is a good idea then it usually is.

He says I need a longer top-tube

I'd go for a longer stem Cemeterygates - but apparently there's a limit to how long you should have stem's too.

 

[Cemeterygates]

Bit of a hi-jack, but really temped to swap my frame for one of these bad boys!
http://www.on-one.co.uk/i/q/FROOC456P/on_one_carbon_456_frame

 

[Tom]

It's not the measurements that are the problem, Tom.

Yes it is mate, you're not the only one with long arms. Get measured up, properly.

I think you could benefit from a custom frame tbh, one that'll live with you for the next few decades. Mercian make quality frames, the sort of thing that you keep forever (I've had my Mercian for 20 years now), but they're for the road. I'm sure there are plenty of custom MTB builders around that'll produce something which negates your requirement for funny stems and odd angles.

http://www.merciancycles.co.uk/

Bicycles are extremely personal devices, yes, you can just jump on most and ride, but if you really enjoy cycling (as I do) then you'll never be satisfied until you find something that fits you like that two-year-old pair of leather shoes with half a dozen holes in, which you won't throw away.

Also:

http://www.rourke.biz/custom_framesets.php

 

[Scouse]

I think you could benefit from a custom frame tbh

I agree, but my current financial situation dictates otherwise old bean.

Soon tho

Edit: Mercian is on my way home in a couple of weeks. I may drop in.

Editedit: Tho they (both) look road-bike orientated - which is a non-starter for me.

 

[Raven]

Get a job!

 

[Tom]

I agree, but my current financial situation dictates otherwise old bean.

Soon tho

Edit: Mercian is on my way home in a couple of weeks. I may drop in.

Editedit: Tho they (both) look road-bike orientated - which is a non-starter for me.

Rourke make MTB frames too - look at their gallery.

 

[Scouse]

Rourke make MTB frames too - look at their gallery.

Aye. It's also relatively on my way home.

But Stoke, tho

 

[TdC]

lol

 

[TdC]

Bit of a hi-jack, but really temped to swap my frame for one of these bad boys!
http://www.on-one.co.uk/i/q/FROOC456P/on_one_carbon_456_frame

buy my Ti 456 frame then. one careful owner, I promise! what size you need?

 

[Cemeterygates]

buy my Ti 456 frame then. one careful owner, I promise! what size you need?

I want the carbon one in black n red An 18 would be about right.....but might go for a 16 for better "lob it about like a twunt" capabilities

 

[TdC]

my Ti 456 is 16"

also, there's an air-sprung DT-Swiss XMC carbon/magnesuim 130mm fork attached to it. I may be tempted to part with both. Want pics?

 

[Scouse]

Asked Planet X Bikes whether they can make me this to my size.

They don't actually stock 'em - but they do do custom builds.

If they don't get a shuft on and give me estimates for cost, and time then I'll lose patience and go out and buy something else instead. I NEED TO RIDE!

 

[TdC]

you asked them! good work that man!!!

 

[Scouse]

you asked them! good work that man!!!

Aye. I've also been looking at that Solaris frame quite enviously. 500 quid for the frame.

This is where my complete n00b-ness fails me. I wouldn't know what I could put together for approx. £500 to go on that frame to make it rideable. I suspect that for that price what I could get would be pretty p00p.

If I'm really honest - I don't even know all the parts that would be needed. I've never built a bike.

 

[TdC]

I have and tbh you're looking at another grand to do it justice (cue hordes of naysayers) if you buy everything new and don't have mates down the local bike shop.

Let's pretend you have the Solaris frame...I'll do you a list of kit.

 

[TdC]

ok I got you everything and the grand total came to 1624.13 pounds, sans frame ofc. I even made an effort to be cheap (ish) and cheerful. though this is what you get for buying bike bits off the rack so to speak. A complete bike from a major brand will *always* be cheaper because of the mega-deals they make with the parts vendors.

The first two things I chose were a Manitou Tower 29er fork 100mm travel which would fit the Solaris beautifully, and a Mavic C29maxx 29" wheelset. That alone put you on about 700 squids right away with the wheels being a shade under 500 and the fork taking up the rest. For a bespoke bike, those kinds of prices are actually pretty budget (imo). To keep the prices down I got you SLX disk brakes, and an SLX/XT mix of shifter stuff. A reasonably cheap front end, the awesome Nobby Nick tyres (the cheap ones, not the 50 squids each ones), Odi grips and ofc DMR v8 flat pedals. The rest of the kit is all filler. Come to think of it I didn't even get you a chain, so add another 5er.

I think if I really worked on it I might be able to shave 100 or so squids off there, and if you get a mate to set it up for you and pay him with oral pleasures you'll have the Solaris with a low/mid setup for 2 grand.

 

[Scouse]

I have and tbh you're looking at another grand to do it justice (cue hordes of naysayers) if you buy everything new and don't have mates down the local bike shop.

Let's pretend you have the Solaris frame...I'll do you a list of kit.

Ooooh. Cool. Ta

I could stretch, at the absolute outside, to a grand (£1500 all-in). Had a look at this - which bike radar'd had built for the review but it's way out of the price range unfortunately

I'm guessing the most important things are wheels n gears - good gearing for the long-distance riding I do most and solid wheels. But WTF do I know

 

[Scouse]

ok I got you everything and the grand total came to 1624.13 pounds, sans frame ofc.

Posting at practically the same time

Cheers m8. That'd bring the lot to £2000+ unfortunately. I'll have to see what the insurance pays on my old bike but it's lookin' doubtful. But I *do* love it.