Back, and building a bike.

I've always wanted to build my own bike, and have a crack at Everest.

So I've decided to set myself a challenge: to build a good bike from scratch, from second hand parts, for no more than £200. Now I have no idea how to do this, so I shall be enlisting the help of a colleague from work, and a fellow blogger, Mr. Simon Summerscales. Simon is a pretty well known media strategy geezer or something, but what's less well know is his incredible bike knowledge (he recently lent me a DVD about saddles). Plus he sits opposite me and likes skiving off to visit the bike shop near work (in our lunch hour, obviously). So he'll be helping out - deciding what we buy and be explaining why, and that kind of thing.

Tomorrow we'll be listing the parts we need to buy. Everest can wait.

Comments

[Ben]

Tom did that once.

[henry lambert]

are you going single speed?

[Paul H. Colman]

Yup, the plan is a fixed gear.

Tom can help, if he fancies.

[The Kaiser]

Good.

[lauren]

this is going to fun to watch! i'm currently blog tracking a couple who are setting off 'round europe in a caravan made from recycled parts, so this will match, somehow.

[lauren]

yay! welcome back paul - this is gonna be fun to watch. i'm blog-tracking a couple's adventures around europe in a caravan built from recycled parts, so this will fit in nicely with that, somehow.

[claire]

Someone I knew did this - he got most of his parts from ebay.

[henry lambert]

cool. I just bought myself one. brilliant fun.

[Tom]

Paul, how you doing fella, recently got a donor frame and build up a S/S for under the cost you have. It's not fixed, but if you need any info - this is the place to look. I am also currently sourcing fixed bits for my next build!

http://londonfgss.com/

[Tom]

Hmm, not sure what happened there? Paul, great link for all your fixed singlespeed needs. http://londonfgss.com/

[lauren]

hmm.. your blog is a bit funky today... sorry about the double-up there..

[Paul H. Colman]

Thanks for the help, Tom.

It should be fun, the challenge should be to do it for the money. Simon has produced a list of what everything should cost, I'll post today.

[henry lambert]

Does this mean you're now a 'London type': http://lifeinthemiddle.typepad.co.uk/life_in_the_middle/2007/07/what-i-did-toda.html#comments

[NP]

Are you still wanting to that next school of the web project thing?
Apparently it's your turn again if you still want to do it..

[Paul H. Colman]

Sure.

Drop me an email at paul.colman@wk.com

[Ben]

Very good point that Henry.

Notice how in that post (way back in July) I pointed out that bikes don't have gears any more.
http://lifeinthemiddle.typepad.co.uk/life_in_the_middle/2007/07/what-i-did-toda.html#comment-76016900

I should be a Trends Person.

[Paul H. Colman]

I'm thinking of getting some Converse.

[Ben]

The MD of the place where you now work recommended purchasing some black leather converse all star low rise back in October last year. Don't you read your own blog?
http://lifeinthemiddle.typepad.co.uk/life_in_the_middle/2006/10/fashion_help_ne.html#comment-24211510

All the advice you'll ever need is here.

[henry lambert]

what is the world coming to?

[Paul H. Colman]

Of course I don't read this blog, I'm too busy watching BBC 7.

[patrick]

Well done, Paul. Just don't let Summerscales flog you that dodgy lime green Cannondale frame he used to ride.

[Paul H. Colman]

He's already warned me about listening to you Patrick. He claims it's a 'working' frame.

[Martin McAllister]

Amazing, you're going to have loads of fun doing this.

If I could recommend two things.

First:
http://sheldonbrown.com/fixed/index.html
He's kind of like the godfather of online fixed help.

And second, what you really need to start with is a racer with two chain rings ( the inner chain ring gives you perfect chainline, sorry to get techy early on) and a fixed back wheel. Then you can just upgrade the parts you need to.

Drop us a line if you need tools or advice or give the staufenberger guys a shout, they're real clue'd up.

[Paul H. Colman]

Thanks, Martin, really appreciate it.

Going to start looking for stuff tomorrow.

[Paul H. Colman]

Just been reading the Sheldon Brown site, it's fantastic - loads of the information that I didn't know.

I'm getting excited about this.

[Tom]

So fella, you manage to get a bike to start from? The Sheldon Brown site is excellent, got a few tips from there too. Just watching a nice frame on the bay.

[Paul H. Colman]

Yeah, loved the site.

I'm sitting down with my Simon Summerscales today to plan a strategy - I think the first place we're going to start is a frame. Who knows, we might go after the one you're watching.

[Tom]

There are plenty out there fella, depends on what you're after I guess. I am really after a vintage frame with nice lugs, some chrome etc. I still think a complete bike, and swapping bits is gonna be the best way to get it under the £200 mark? Just looked on LFGSS and a chap was flogging a complete set of wheels with 18t cog and conti tyres £25.

[anthony]

I've just built a fixie from scratch, based on a alloy beach cruiser frame, as I wasn't totally into the vintage road/track frame thing. I have 2 things to say.

1.
don't go to that brick lane bikes store. if you ever walk in there, you will end spending about £300 quid more than you meant. This is because like them or not, they have some dope gear and you keep walking past and dropping in and it gets you. even worse, you may end up, despite yourself, fancying the girl who works there.

2.
for looking for a cheap usable road or track frame, go buy a whole bike from a large car boot sale around the m25 somewhere, e.g. hertfordshire. my mum lives here and I have never been to a big car boot without seeing a very usable racer, whole thing for around 20 30 quid. redbourne, aldenham, denham are all good boots.

ps more greasy food and knee injuries pls.

[Paul H. Colman]

I fear it may be too late re Brick Lane Bikes, although we set the strict budget we have avoid becoming to beguiled by the lady behind the counter.

Honestly speaking, I try to avoid car boot sales.

[Tom]

BLB is ok, as long as you only go when you know what you want! Always been decent with me, and even asked my advice on a few things?

I agree, Car Boots are painful, and every time I have been to one, it has nothing of worth?

Gum tree, free papers, local papers, ebay, and local shop windows. Are you gonna post pics of the bike as it progresses?

[Paul H. Colman]

I will post pictures as I go along. So far I haven't done anything so nothing to post. But I'm thinking frames this afternoon.

[Tom]

Just spotted this, might be a good base unit? Junk the rear wheel, strip off the gears, rear brake etc, and hey presto? Might have been sold now mind?

http://www.gumtree.com/london/64/14618564.html

[anthony]

do it!

in the spirit of beersphere/coffee morning, how about a london night cycle ride (then pub) for ad ppl/planners in London?

we could hit embankment/sth bank and zig zag over a few bridges or maybe a greenwich foot tunnel/isle of dogs route?

tom above, are you tom himpe who I met?

[Tom]

No Anthony, I am Ben Terrett's business partner from The Design Conspiracy. Paul, did you see if the bike was available?

[Paul H. Colman]

The bike is to expensive, Tom. My budget is only half that for the frame - part of the fun of this task is trying to stick to the budget.

[Paul H. Colman]

Anthony, a ride sounds good, though we might be able to combine with the Staufenburger boys.

[Tom]

Really? Sure you would have enough for all the required parts with £110!

Got a mate with a set of wheeels in his loft, but might bag them for myself!!