Frame for Life! (Dolan, maybe)

i don't know- having ridden a lot of road bikes- i kinda jumped in at the fixed gear deep end-
though after riding a couple of friends ones.
But i'd never have gotten such a sweet bike if i hadn't.
The advice was what pushed me off the proverbial diving board.

BringMeMyFix

Hubba hubba!!! That's the most attractive ape I've ever seen!

More 'funky gibbon' than 'ape' - Goody, init ;)

i just blew my wad.

I'm working on it.. just.. a... little... bit...

If you think about a London Langster, you'll be able to 'keep the wolf from the door' for a little bit longer.

LOL.. thanks for the tip!

london langster, the new margaret thatcher

It's not for turning.

langster - milksnatcher

:)

peejay78 langster - milksnatcher

HA

Wappingwarrior, I think that you should take you time choosing the components that you want for sure, go for rides etc but if you have the chance to use the scheme and get a £750 bike you should go for it while you can. If it turns out to be the wrong thing for you it's not like you're going to have any trouble selling it on and also, if you're at the company next year then just do the scheme again. I always think you should spend as much as you can on your bike and whilst I totally agree with what the guys are saying above re: getting a cheap bike first, this isn't as easy when paying for it all using cyclescheme. Bricklane Bikes will sort you out, tell them what you want and what you know and they'll get you on something that you should get along with.

Thanks for all the comments. I did think about going the off-the-peg route and took out a fuji track. Problem is, with the roads I ride daily, cheap wheels don't last long. My ridgeback had a new rear, which has been rebuild once again and the fronts now been rebuild (straighten) 3 times. With the Fuji, the wheels are the weakest part, which I'd want to upgrade straight away. So taking the price of the Fuji, plus new wheels and a front brake and I'm almost into custom-build money.

Plus in the long run, starting with a off-the-peg bike is likely to be more expensive. I don't really want to be in the scheme every year!!!

I'm looking for a good quality custom build, that can handle the roads and that I can look after and may occasionally upgrade the odd part over the next few years. I'm not the type of guy who get's bored of stuff and changes in every so often. I like to buy good stuff I like and look after it and keep it long term.

Hope that helps you see where I'm coming from.

Get some properly tensioned, hand-built wheels from a good wheel builder.
32H Goldtecs or similar quality hub, DT stainless spokes, Deep-V or CxP33s or OpenPro for a bit lighter weight.
The builder is more important than the parts. Cheap wheels usually fail because they are built by machine and the machine's can't put enough tension in the spokes, so the wheels go out of true quickly and spokes start breaking. Also, I doubt most factory built wheels are stress relieved.
A front brake isn't costly - 105 Shimano will stop you as good as anything else.
Frame and cranks are so varied.. can't suggest any. Ask the shop what they can get, compare, buy.
Bars, saddle, pedals etc. Buy them to best suit your own arse, arms, legs, feet..

BringMeMyFix It's not for turning.

hahaha

I've put a deposit down on a frame! Looking to put velocity wheels on it! Should get the rest spec'd up in a few days!

More details later.

a frame......

Yeah it's a kind of tent. Not that nippy for weaving in out of the cars but great for rain.

Huh?

An A frame tent.....never mind.

Gotcha.
its a slow day.

Ya telling me, I can see a pub outside and I gotta sit here and work.

benanza Ya telling me, I can see a pub outside and I gotta sit here and work.

Do you work in that ice cream van outside the John Snow ?

i have my bike sitting next to me, i can touch it from my desk, and on top of that it is gloriously sunny outside.
However i have a 20 mile cycle home to look forward to in an hour!