Cold, raw, white-hot metal. Mixture of Track, ATB, Hybrid with aftermarket parts. a bike for 1%er. SNAFU

inspired by @Rik_Van_Looy, set myself a challenge to build a singlespeed bike for £50 i got by selling some bits on t'bay. found a run-down 55cm mtb bike on 'tree for £30 which i'm picking up next wednesday. also, i am the only bidder on this frame if it goes for 99p, will take it, if more, then not. how it looks will be more important than how it runs.

Got the mtb last week, it was run down like hell, barely got home, parts falling off. Took the bars, stem, saddle and seatpost off it, chucked the frame and wheels.

Ordered this frame for 158£ delivered.

Frame cost over three times your total bike budget?

lolz

spent last week hanging about in classifieds, 'bay and 'tree looking for cheap frame like this, could not find any. so i settled on this. this frame is perfect for what I need to get through winter.

now the challenge is to build it for 200£.

parts off the mtb

That was few quids under 200, beat it.

No way, how did you manage? Wait a second, did it wash up to the shore? And 200 was a return train ticket there and back? :)

shouldve jus got a pre cursa or fxe.
my precursa rat cost me just over 250

1 Attachment

I've just spend some time here and on ebay to get good deals. Patient my young Padawan is what you need ;)

Love your bike, man. I would have got something like that but one of my friends convinced me this is what I need. Plus it can take 700x35c tyres.

^ path racers are great, especially for winter bikes, big clearances, mud guard eyelets and drilled front/back. but seems like a lot to spend on a frame for a budget build, especially a 'rat bike', so many complete bikes sell on here for less than £200. having said that, look forward to seeing the finished article :)

It is all those points that you mention why this will be a good frame for winter. I would have bought something here but lately I have been drinking and smoking quite often and therefore cant find energy or will to go and collect stuff.

This is a 65 year old frame, I am gonna breathe new life into it.

Interesting build and discussion.

The "notMacklam" will make a great rat/beater - it's always good to see old frames getting used and perhaps in time, upgraded/cherished etc, especially if build cost & effort starts to mess with your smoking regime!...
Also agreed, that if you want rad tarck-rat your best bet is something like a full Dolan build e.g. this one for £180 (now sold).
If you want rad and super cheap, it's usually just patience or luck... but you'll need to have a working bike whilst you assemble the bizarre mishmash of parts costing you almost nothing!
Once in a while you get lucky, like my recent £6.50 for everything but the wheels Rockhopper

totally fair enough! ;)

6.50? that is great! pulling together a mishmash of parts is what i was excited about but most of the time they don't fit together. mtb frame rear drop outs are 130cm, for e.g. and if you have got track wheel you have to use, it will not fit (if it has sealed bearings, chainging axle is not an option).

the mtb seatpost diameter was smaller than the frame one so I cut out shims out of cookies box.

Frame and fork is 2.9kg.

I have given it a nickname, Snow Leopard.

love this bike so much. the fluo forks make it

bought a 15£ bottom bracket, 68, 110mm, fingers crossed it is the right length.

also got a 8.50£ tyre, 700x35c

total spend so far £211.5

I am wondering what would be the cheapest way to secure the brake cables on the frame and make it look tidy

Cable ties should do the job!

do you mean these

when you cut the excess off, the ends stay really sharp

tape over em then

the ends stay really sharp

Gentle dremel to the sharp bit. Gets it flush and flat. My LBS does this all the time

alright, cable ties and tape it is

but i will also try to make something like this out of thin metal sheet, just for the sake of it.

Cut them with a knife instead, doesnt leave them sharp.

Those metal cable clips off eBay would cost less than the hassle and materials trying to fashion them yourself, I bet.