Post crash repair or write off?

[Citius]

Off topic, I've often been tempted by Dave Hinde prices but been put off by the horrendous reputation he has. Has he turned the corner and improved his service?

The reputation - such as it is - has been inflated through the internet, I suspect. I doubt he gets as many complaints as BT or British Gas - and yet 99% of the population routinely still buy from them...

 

[Gravity Aided]

I collected this wrecked bike from my dear friend's widow; he died whilst out on his bike in October. She was clearing the shed and called me.

Replacing the two damaged tubes doesn't make economic sense, especially as the frame is way to small for me.

I'm going to strip all the Campag Mirage, and other, bits off it, reuse the back wheel, rebuild the front wheel with new rim and spokes, and transplant them onto a pre-loved steel frame which I've yet to source from somewhere. Then I'll ride it for the annual remembrance ride we've set up for him.

What's a nice 15-year-old-ish lugged steel frame to suit someone 6' 2"? Or what's an affordable contemporary replacement?

If you run across an old 1980 ' s higher quality Schwinn's on eBay, they'll be made of Columbus Tenax. The Prelude is often inexpensive and well made. In the correct size as well.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

If you run across an old 1980 ' s higher quality Schwinn's on eBay, they'll be made of Columbus Tenax. The Prelude is often inexpensive and well made. In the correct size as well.

Regrettably, retro Schwinn's, and other quality US marques of that era, are as rare as hen's teeth in the UK.

 

[Gravity Aided]

Keep us in the loop if you can't source locally. There isn't a week goes by on Chicago CL that doesn't have some Columbus Tenax Schwinn going on, possibly 60-62cm.
This is todays, first listing, right when I opened up.
http://chicago.craigslist.org/wcl/bik/4963902113.html
This is nice too, but a bit more money
http://chicago.craigslist.org/sox/bik/4963610241.html