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@laKosh
Hey all, I've been lurking for a while - mostly reading - and decided to finally make a thread, firstly, to introduce moi-self, but mainly to clear up a few queries and get some general advice.
;o
I'm 20, a student, really enjoy what little experience I've had of cycling in my YOUTH-youth and on a geared roadie that I've been riding about London, since moving up from Brighton. I'm not ashamed to admit I know little, or rather, have very fragmentary knowledge of the build-up, or the geometrical make-up of frames and so on... and probably am a little more comfortable with riding than I am talking about riding.
I've searched around the forums and learnt a fair bit from sheldon brown's site so I know some basics, most importantly I know how some people have been riding consistently for hours, day-in, day-out, for more years than my entire life can account for. The way I see it is that people ride for different reasons like couriering, racing, training, poloing, touring, down to pretending to drive an 'air-bike' around your living room when you were 6 years-old (massive insightful tangent), and some people know more whereas others know little, and possibly even little about them knowing little, which is a phase of progression all pass through.
Since getting more and more into cycling and trying out a couple of friends FG builds, I'm beginning to feel ready to try and go for an upgrade from the 59cm, tubular tyre'd monster which I currently claim as my steed, which is also a little bit sore under the hoofs, and has just been a temp ride for me.
Although I couldn't think of a better way to better acquaint myself with the experience and enjoyment I read comes from building your own first road FG or flip-flop, there are too many signs hinting at a bottomless pit conversion, costing me time, money, and beer, that I cannot or will not (in the case of the latter) squander. Dub me a thirsty spendthrift if you will.
What sort of price range should I expect, having my lack of expertise, in either getting a simple/standard first fixed-gear bike off the peg, or in building or altering one through the help of others, and if so what frame should I be aiming for etc. I like to make my money count, and although I can respect that business has to turn a profit I'm not really willing to go blowing a bundle of cash on a poorly made, dangerous or uncomfortable ride without researching or at least asking for some advice of those who already know better. I'd like to stick as close to/or as less than £300 as possible, at least in starting out.
Advice, pointers, ideas, constructive comments and I'm all up for those of you who wish to flame, but at least make it relevant; unguided wit is like a drill to the eardrum. All will be appreciated. Sorry for the ramble, hope St. Paddy is nice and prosperous to yo' bellies,
Si