convert old bike or buy?

[DaveyA]

I decided I would like to try s/s or even give fixed a go through the winter etc. I thought one of my old road bikes would be a good candidate for a conversion. Nothing exotic just an old Olmo cheapy that I have had for about 20 odd years. I have stripped the frame and am half way through painting it. Looking around on the net it looks as if I might be able to save myself some time and bother as I could pick up a decent s/s used for around £250/300. So far I have not spent much on mine, mainly time which I don't really mind. Paint is going to cost around £20 and it is only going to be spray can so not tremendously durable. Price of the kit will be around £100, then brake cables, bar tape, bits and bobs. And at the end of the day it is still a 20+ years bike I have seen some used Langsters that I like the look of, more modern, lighter frames, ready built. My only reservation is whether I will get guards on properly. Nice looking bikes the Langsters and I quite fancy one. If there are owners here I would like your opinions, and I might ask about frame sizing.
Thanks a lot
Dave

 

[smokeysmoo]

I like Langster's myself, in fact I used to have this Langster Steel below but I stupidly sold it



FYI - neither the steel or alu version have braze ons for guards, (but they do have clearance), so you'd have to use either P clips to fit conventiional guards or fit something like THESE, (I don't like them myself).

With all that said though if it were I'd convert the Olmo TBH. You'll save a few quid and get the satisfaction of doing it, be careful though as it gets addictive, DAHIKT

 

[DaveyA]

Very smart looking bike that.
One thing I forgot to mention is that all of the Langsters I have seen come with gear ratios that would probably not be suitable for me, so I would likely need to spend a bit more money to remedy that.

 

[smokeysmoo]

I would likely need to spend a bit more money to remedy that.

Cogs aren't expensive and can cure most issues, but even if you needed to change the ratio up front it won't break the bank, that's the beauty of fixed.

PS: that is unless you buy PAUL components, they do look the dogs though, I particularly like THIS one

 

[DaveyA]

Works of art. Worth more than my bike

 

[Andrew1971]

I would convert your old bike it makes it different and build it to suit you the joy of recycling

 

[DaveyA]

Thats what I am going to do. Decision made.

Whole can of Hammerite smooth yellow used on back end of frame. Doesn't seem to cover as well as I expected. Back to Halfords Monday.

 

[biggs682]

another vote for converting current bike

 

[DaveyA]

Thought I would post a pic of the bike. I have it all stripped now and have been painting the yellow part of the frame. It looks ok in the picture but it was badly chipped and scratched, I loaned it to someone for a year or so and it came back in a sorry state and with some hideous pedals fitted, they weren't even the same. I did try to find the same colour which is a kind of flourescent green, but after a bad episode with Plasti Kote I had to strip it all off and start again. Sadly the transfers and the plastic chainguard did not survive, the blue part of the frame will remain untouched and I have had to resort to Hammerite smooth Yellow for the repaint.
Can anyone advise what size seatpost it might take? The one fitted is 26.4 but is a little small. There was a sticker on the frame that said it was built with Orbea tubing, least I think that is what it said.