Ultrabudget build

Hi I'm new so forgive me if this is irritating or in the wrong place or conflicts forum rules.

Basically I'm planning to do a week of sponsered cycling, but being a student have very little to no moneys. I built up a single speed 24" jump bike (24Seven Dark Angel for anyone interested) before but that was essentially an oversized BMX and so made sense in my head. Road bikes, however, are lost on me, so I have no idea what goes with what and whatnot.

I've been doing some skip searching for a LOOONG time and all I've managed to find is a 50cm ladies peugot race bike, however a teacher has said he'd have a look see to see what he can find frame wise as well. Esentially I'm trying to build up something costing as much less than £100 as possible, that I could then take to uni with me.

I know I can pick up a Marin Hamilton for £100 but I'm guessing thats going to be more mountain bikey and so not what I'm looking for. Is it going to be cheaper to pick up a race bike and convert it, try to buy a single speed bike or build from the ground up? I'm just not really sure what the best option is.

Any help is much appreciated, as well as any advice on what people want to sell me.

I can give you the rear wheel for £15.
slight untrueness, though see for yourself?
:]

Right well a provisional back wheel. PS I'm just under 5'9" and wear a 33" trouser leg. i'm nto sure what that means in frame sizes, about 54cm?

size sounds about right, I've got some bars (31.8) brakes (front and rear), levers (drop levers) and cables all in one lot you can have for £15 as i'm feeling nice.

that rear wheel for £15 leaves £85 for an old racer to convert, that will have all the other parts you need. You might need a 56, but frame size is quite a personal thing

I'm jealous, I wish I was building my first fixed :(

That was the other thing, I think I'll start with single speed cause I've never ridden fixed before, am I missing out? Just think I should get used to road cycling first then can reconvert later once I learn the ropes.

Right, old racer search. I have a possible lead on a peugot mens racer from a teacher, 1970s. Hopefully he's bringing the photos tomorrow, will update.

Worth a browse.
http://www.freecycle.org/group/uk

or you could wait until your student loan/overdraft comes thru and buy something cheap but decent. otherwise you will likely spend another £200 to replace the shitty parts in the first place.

I tried freecycle, unfortunately people in Brent aren't so generous and there is no way to look at the whole of London at any one time even though I obviously don't mind travelling. Found it all a bit daunting haha.

I'm a sixth form student and need the bike before I get the loan (essentially need it before exams so I can do the week of sponsered cycling). Damn lack of monies.

job?

I have a job for you - wash my fleet of ancient german cars and I'll sort you out. It's win/win - you'll get closer to your bike and I'll have clean cars.

go fixed straight away, make sure you have foot retention and a brake and you'll be fine.

£100 should be enough to get you started, have you checked your grannies garage?

I have a job for you - wash my fleet of ancient german cars and I'll sort you out. It's win/win - you'll get closer to your bike and I'll have clean cars.

If you are serious I'm gain. I can't tell if this is road bikers sarcasm though.

If you are serious I'm gain. I can't tell if this is road bikers sarcasm though.

Roadie humor is'nt usually that advanced ;)

go fixed straight away, make sure you have foot retention and a brake and you'll be fine.

£100 should be enough to get you started, have you checked your grannies garage?

Extinguished family ties and all skips I would be able to find, lots of old U brakes and plastic pedals and levers and a 50cm peugeot ladies racer were the fruits of my search.

bummer my grannie had a couple of gems, unfortunately (for you) they have too much family history to give them away.

Trawl ebay relentlessly. I got my 1980 Raleigh Magnum (not the BMX, the cheap and nasty racing bike) complete and in working order for £12.

I've got some bullhorns and drop bar brake levers w/hoods that you could have for free if you fancy.

go fixed straight away.
get a front brak, learn to stop with your feet, and go from there.

Trawl ebay relentlessly. I got my 1980 Raleigh Magnum (not the BMX, the cheap and nasty racing bike) complete and in working order for £12.

^

This. I saw an 80's falcon racer in good nick go for about 15. Tip though, try and extend your search away from london. If you've got a car prepare to travel around a bit. Or look for something on a cheap rail links to london (birmingham £12 return w/railcard on chiltern - and bikes go for free without reservations)

Ebay trawling it is, problem is I have no idea what is what. Apart from the fact I'm looking for steel and you wanna aim before 1980 if possible i think? Ah well research research research.

Got an old Peugeot frame that I can let go for £25 if yer interested. Based in NW London as well. Not sure of size but it might fit. Let me know. Have other junk that might be of interest if you want to trawl through the crap.

Ebay trawling it is, problem is I have no idea what is what. Apart from the fact I'm looking for steel and you wanna aim before 1980 if possible i think? Ah well research research research.

If your looking to go fixed in the future. You want to be able to adjust the chain tension. So something with horizontal drop-outs is what you want.

Also old bikes sell for the same as old frames. So you might as well try and pick up a complete bike.

Once you you have the frame/bike it will be easy to decide what else you need. A proper fixed/singlespeed rear wheel is always a nice addition. But you can singlespeed a bike easy enough with the existing wheel, and swap this later to go fixed, to save money.

Well the teachers bike fell through, he's worked out he's more attached than he thought. Ebay looks expensive, can't see anything finishing for under £100. If I'm looking to perhaps upgrade in the future is it worth paying more for a Reynolds 531 frame over a Carbolite 103 or HiTen? Best thing I've seen is an HLE Peugeot complete racer but that starts bidding at £70.