Hi FrankMG, if you want the pleasures of an "own build", you can get a frame and then all the components yourself. However, if this seems like a bit much for a first time, there are lots of off-the-peg bikes for your money. They extend from the £350 Giant Bowery from CycleSurgery (which I recently very happily bought), to much more illustrious steeds like the Willier. They're quite a few between £350-£500, then more again to a grand or even more. Check out the link vinylvillian gave, and you'll soon be whizzing around on just one gear. By the way, the difference between single-speed and fixed does have a learning curve, so I would only recommend fixed to you if you are very confident in your bike handling skills. I'm a total wimp, so my 19 stone mashes away on single-speed, but I'm just not brave (skilled?) enough for fixed.
Hi FrankMG, if you want the pleasures of an "own build", you can get a frame and then all the components yourself. However, if this seems like a bit much for a first time, there are lots of off-the-peg bikes for your money. They extend from the £350 Giant Bowery from CycleSurgery (which I recently very happily bought), to much more illustrious steeds like the Willier. They're quite a few between £350-£500, then more again to a grand or even more. Check out the link vinylvillian gave, and you'll soon be whizzing around on just one gear. By the way, the difference between single-speed and fixed does have a learning curve, so I would only recommend fixed to you if you are very confident in your bike handling skills. I'm a total wimp, so my 19 stone mashes away on single-speed, but I'm just not brave (skilled?) enough for fixed.