How about building your own? I did it because I was starting to look at condor pistas thinking hmm thats not so much after all, then id rationalise myself to the next level and the next till I was spending serious money. In a more sober moment I thought, for riding round london a pure track frame aint going to be right for me, I wanted twitchy road angles, a BB wich wasnt to far off the ground and a geometry for my ape like build (long body and short legs - but not a dwarf). Right custom steel is the way to go. Cue dave yates's course and after a few chats on the phone he's sorted out a build for me to come and produce (speccing individual tubes can be done if needed). I spent five days at his workshop building my own frame (quality control is good as he watches everything you do and wasnt afraid to say thats not good enough do it again) which is truly cherrished (and fits like a glove).
So as much as I was tempted by carbon track bling. For £1k I got a bike handmade by me, totally custom, to the extent of sizing, tubes, ride, even brazing a bottle opener to the bb shell. If you have to spend the cash this is a satisfying way of doing it. At the same time it gives an appreciation of the framebuilders 'art' and the bunkum which is spouted too.
I'll bung this one into the mix.
How about building your own? I did it because I was starting to look at condor pistas thinking hmm thats not so much after all, then id rationalise myself to the next level and the next till I was spending serious money. In a more sober moment I thought, for riding round london a pure track frame aint going to be right for me, I wanted twitchy road angles, a BB wich wasnt to far off the ground and a geometry for my ape like build (long body and short legs - but not a dwarf). Right custom steel is the way to go. Cue dave yates's course and after a few chats on the phone he's sorted out a build for me to come and produce (speccing individual tubes can be done if needed). I spent five days at his workshop building my own frame (quality control is good as he watches everything you do and wasnt afraid to say thats not good enough do it again) which is truly cherrished (and fits like a glove).
So as much as I was tempted by carbon track bling. For £1k I got a bike handmade by me, totally custom, to the extent of sizing, tubes, ride, even brazing a bottle opener to the bb shell. If you have to spend the cash this is a satisfying way of doing it. At the same time it gives an appreciation of the framebuilders 'art' and the bunkum which is spouted too.