Help me build my friend a depression-busting CX bike!

So I have a friend who is rather down on his luck. His long-term girlfriend left him, he only gets to see his kid at weekends and he doesn't really have many friends his own age. Poor guy has been through a lot.

After talking to him about getting into cycling, I want to build him a CX bike - something good for the road, but which will take fat tyres for some gravel grinding too; gears to get him started; and not a deathtrap!

So here we are, starting absolutely from scratch. If I can source the parts, I'll build it up and give it to him to get him out on the road and smiling again. With build pics as we go...

NEED:

• Frame (56cm or so)
  
• Fork
  
• Headset
  
• Bars
  
• Stem
  
• Seatpost
  
• Saddle
  
• Brakes (cantis or mini-Vs, I guess)
  
• Front derailleur
  
• Rear derailleur
  
• Crankset
  
• Cassette
  
• STI levers
  
• Cables
  
• Wheelset
  
• Tyres (25c road for now)
  
• Pedals (probably just platforms for the time being)
  
  

So, forumengers... what can you offer me? Cheap parts, free parts... doesn't have to special to you, but it will be to him. Please help me make someone happy again. :)

I'll have a shimano group going soon, a mix of ultegra (mostly) 6600 and 105, £130 if that's not too pricey
but aren't you based in Japan, shipping might not be worth it?

I'll have TEKTRO CR710 canti brakes going next week

Should have updated my profile (have now) - been back in the UK for almost 2 months now! :)

Thanks for the offer on the groupset and brakes. I'll PM you both tonight.

^ Great work on this. Your mate will really appreciate it I'm sure. You really need support when stuff like this happens. Have some rep.

Got stem, Bontrager 100m, tyres Vitoria Pro Tech used but going strong, and black bar tape you can have for postage.

Good cause. Good work.

Got some older Shimano cantis if you want them too...

^ You, sir, are fucking amazing. I will almost certainly take all of that stuff. Thank you! Again, will PM later. :)

have a set of mavic cosmic elite wheels to shift if you want them..

#forumlove

well done chaps

I have some cannondale C3 bars, a 130mm stem, a front wheel and a usable 28c durano tyre you can have for free if you're prepared to come pick them up from deptford next week. Send me a pm if you want them.

All of you awesome people now have PMs. Thanks!

After a frame and fork now really... this is going to be the tricky bit. Should have mentioned, he's around 6', so something like a 56cm would be good.

Mielec frame? Custom?

I've got a few sets of bars kicking around. Let me know if you're still in need.

I also have a SS tensioner (the kind that screws into the derailleur hanger) which could get you rolling singlespeed if the groupset falls through.

(both free to such a cause -- good work)

^^ cheap but quite a long turn around time.

got a pair of cx70 cantis with kool stops you are welcome to, pretty much new

you can only have them if we all get to go on a ride with him! :)

Thanks guys. Think I'm set for bars and brakes but will let you know. Mielec is an idea but, yeah, long turn-around time. I think second-hand will be easier, probably.

I'll try to get him out, but Cornwall isn't that close to London! ;)

haha i'll be in corny all summer!

why dont you go sscx, that was you could even buy a new pomp and save the money from groupo?

it may sound odd but i could get one of these:

http://apro.bikemag.hu/browse/orszaguti/vaz/muffolt-uj-tura-verseny-cyclocross-vazak-l227950.html

and send it to you. the price of the frame is £120, shipping via DPD tracked is £15. they are brand new, available in the sizes listed. they can take 48c tires plus guards. there's option for colour (metallic red, green or blue). i can also do custom colours as i have a contact that paints cars and he could do it for the price of the ingredients.

all that if steel is an option of course.

haha i'll be in corny all summer!

why dont you go sscx, that was you could even buy a new pomp and save the money from groupo?

Riding the hills here on SS would kill a new cyclist I think. Pretty sure I couldn't do it!

it may sound odd but i could get one of these:

http://apro.bikemag.hu/browse/orszaguti/vaz/muffolt-uj-tura-verseny-cyclocross-vazak-l227950.html

and send it to you. the price of the frame is £120, shipping via DPD tracked is £15. they are brand new, available in the sizes listed. they can take 48c tires plus guards. there's option for colour (metallic red, green or blue). i can also do custom colours as i have a contact that paints cars and he could do it for the price of the ingredients.

all that if steel is an option of course.

That might well work actually. Let me have a think about this and see how other parts pan out for a bit (this would, of course, need a BB and headset too). Thanks!

I can let you have a chainset and BB, headset, (I need to know type and size) stem, bars, a saddle and a seat post, once I know what size / length. The chainset will be a double 53 / 39 so not too great for CX. I probably could find a front mech and possibly a rear. I will go and rummage around in the shed for you, see what else I can find.

Riding the hills here on SS would kill a new cyclist I think. Pretty sure I couldn't do it!

oh yeah cornwall sorry i'm being thick, durp

i have a 58cm surly pacer frame, with cantilever mounts welded on the seat stays, with surly cross check forks.......

I can let you have a chainset and BB, headset, (I need to know type and size) stem, bars, a saddle and a seat post, once I know what size / length. The chainset will be a double 53 / 39 so not too great for CX. I probably could find a front mech and possibly a rear. I will go and rummage around in the shed for you, see what else I can find.

Legend. Will PM you shortly.

i have a 58cm surly pacer frame, with cantilever mounts welded on the seat stays, with surly cross check forks.......

Again will PM you, thanks! Will it take CX tyres?

He wants to get into road riding really, but has expressed interest in getting off-road a bit so although gearing isn't too important, space for knobbies would be nice. :)

it has had small block 8 tyres(35c, but big volume tyres) in it, run fine, not huge amounts of clearance, but certainly do-able....