Choosing a Frame Type and Size

[mickle]

£36blimmin7? Cor blimey!

 

[MacB]

£36blimmin7? Cor blimey!

yeah I blame the Euro fx rate...........

 

[roadiewill]

'Effective' top-tube (centre of seat post to the (top) centre of the head tube) + stem length, measured horizontally = reach.

ie centre of seat post to centre of bars.

Known as 'effective' top-tube because many bikes don't have horizontal top tubes these days. The length of a sloping top-tube means nothing when sizing a bike. You measure it as if it has a horizontal top-tube.

oohh I have a reach of 695mm

 

[hubgearfreak]

£36blimmin7? Cor blimey!

indeed. that's a shocking price.

best look on classifieds or even ebay for a s/h tourer.

the bobjackson, just for information, will take 35s

 

[hubgearfreak]

there's these on ebay. the first one especially looks OK except for a hopeless back wheel - which won't matter to you

170307030724 250381878574 110356832411 310125958051

 

[MacB]

the £367 is mainly the price of the SRAM hub gear and shifter, £293 for them. I wasn't unhappy with another £74 for the rims, spokes, build and delivery. I was originally going for the Rohloff built into a wheel and that was looking at £1300 by the time all was done.

I'm definitely leaning towards the complete Roadrat, I like the idea of having a spare rear wheel for SS. If I go for this I'm also thinking on a new front wheel with a schmidt dyno hub, but that'll probably have to wait for next Winter.

Is it really that hard to get a wheel off with track ends, surely it's the same for anyone riding these fixed or SS?

 

[MacB]

sorry HGF, just seen your post with e-bay No's, off to look now....thanks....Al

 

[hubgearfreak]

there's also this
http://forum.ctc.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=21284

 

[MacB]

great links HGF, out of curiosity how do you know all of them have horizontal dropouts? If steel can I assume that dropout width can be re-set to accomodate 135mm?

Really like the first one on e-bay, suspect the final price will be pretty high, but have it on my watch list. Not so keen on the next 2, but the last one looks like it'll go pretty cheap, it's also very close to me. This is the Dawes Civic, I'm trying to find some old records on this model. If cheap enough I could have this buffed, repsrayed and built around my new wheel well inside budget. How would I know things like headset size etc?

 

[hubgearfreak]

the last one looks like it'll go pretty cheap, it's also very close to me. This is the Dawes Civic, I'm trying to find some old records on this model. If cheap enough I could have this buffed, repsrayed and built around my new wheel well inside budget. How would I know things like headset size etc?

i had one. the positronic gears must have been at the very start of indexing (at least for dérailleurs ) AFAIR, it rode fine. if it's near to you, why not go have a look? as for the dropouts, you'll need to see the bike, ask the seller, or get further photos, but just experience says to me that they're likely to be.
the BB, headset & etc. would all be standard
if i were you, i certainly wouldn't pay more than £50 for that, and then ride it round as is for a bit to see if you like it, before investing in new paint.

 

[TheDoctor]

Positron gears were around in '82 or so IIRC

 

[MacB]

found some bumph on the frame material, Reynolds 500, not well rated, think I'll give that one a miss. However am still watching the first one and have PM'd the guy selling the Dawes on CTC....cheers.....Al

 

[mickle]

531 is manganese vanadium or some such, 501 is not-japanese chromoly, 500 is one step up from mild.

 

[hubgearfreak]

531 is manganese vanadium or some such, 501 is not-japanese chromoly, 500 is one step up from mild.

501 & 500 are the same metal, but 501 is butted.
500 isn't the same as hi tensile, carbolite, 18/23, mild or whatever people want to call gas pipe

I wouldn't be put off a 500 or 501 framed bike at the right price & size, just because it doesn't have the snob value of 'higher' materials

 

[MacB]

Excellent info guys...HGF. great table, have now found the Reynolds site and some others and now 'know' things about steel I never expected to.

Re the bike in 500 steel, what differences, if any, would I notice over another steel like 531/653/853?