OTP or build?

I tried the small and the extra small plug for size...

The frame offered is a compact so I have been assured it will fit.

By fit I mean I can stand with my feet flat on the ground and my nuts dont rest on the top tube.

Delete

Delete

Wtf

No idea about the frame. So hard to tell. But you can get alot of bike for £550.
Have a look through this list, and you'll see what I mean.
http://www.lfgss.com/thread9085.html

The Plug is a steel frame and the shop build is an aluminium. Did you have a preferance?

If you are very short, a compact geometry is absolutely the way to go. Something like a Giant Bowery, Specialized Langster, Kona Paddy wagen, Felt Dispatch, Trek DIstrict etc. Also standover is a pretty poor way to fit a bike TBH. My groin rests on the top tube of my fixed, and I'd consider it a 1/2" size too small.

How tall are you?
What is you inside leg measurement?
what colour undies are you wearing?

Hi,

So I have tried a few frames for size from the major manufacturers and they are all a little too big. My local bike shop fella offered to build me this bike for the same price as the Charge Plug I was originally after.

Any thoughts on this spec, is it a good deal, are any of the parts cause for concern?

Velo Ecosse Single Speed Frame 50cm Red (Alloy with carbon fork)
Xkegmet XR-300 wheel set (Black)
Continental Gatorskin tyres 23 or 25C
Tektro R538 Brakes
Tektro brake levers
Alloy Stem, bars and seat post
Continental Bar tape (Black) (Optional)
FSA bottom bracket
FSA Chainset 48T 170mm
16T Fixed Sprocket (Variable)
Izumi 1/8th Chain

£549.95

Thanks for any help, guidance, digs about my tiny legs and so forth.

There are plenty of OTP bikes with 50cm frame size

True, but the ones I tried were either too big for me to stand with my feet on the floor and my crotch clear of the top tube or the ones where I was clear left me really hunched up on the frame.

All of the shops I visited to try a bike for size were unwilling to order me a smaller one to try for size unless I actually paid the full price up front with no refund if it didnt fit. One charming gent even offered to sell it on for me if I didnt like it for a small fee.

So my off the peg choice is limited by that.

How tall are you and what's your inside leg? If it's around 27" - 29" maybe go for the 43cm Fuji Track with 650c wheels, standover height is 27.5" on it.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Fuji-Track-650-wheel-43cm-junior-fixie-track-bike_W0QQitemZ260560717909QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Bikes_GL?hash=item3caaa10855

This is the fourth thread with this title that you have started within 24 hours.
Are you a fuckwit, or do you assume that we all are?

Merge?

http://www.lfgss.com/thread40217.html

No idea about the frame. So hard to tell. But you can get alot of bike for £550.
Have a look through this list, and you'll see what I mean.
http://www.lfgss.com/thread9085.html

The Plug is a steel frame and the shop build is an aluminium. Did you have a preferance?

If you are very short, a compact geometry is absolutely the way to go. Something like a Giant Bowery, Specialized Langster, Kona Paddy wagen, Felt Dispatch, Trek DIstrict etc. Also standover is a pretty poor way to fit a bike TBH. My groin rests on the top tube of my fixed, and I'd consider it a 1/2" size too small.

How tall are you?
What is you inside leg measurement?
what colour undies are you wearing?

is there an echo in here?

Cheers for the advice.

I am 5'5 with a 30" inside leg.

Whats a better way to fit a bike?

I still fit shoes by seeing if I can get a finger in the back. How would you recommend I fit myself for a frame that fits.

Baz

bazschmaz, there are plenty of threads with info about bike sizing, best to have a quick search. use the box up there^^^ under your login with the magnifying glass to the right of it.

you'll be amazed how much people have already discussed about this. Figure out your size and then you'll be able to figure out whether that frame will fit you...

be well

Cheers for the advice.

I am 5'5 with a 30" inside leg.

Whats a better way to fit a bike?

I still fit shoes by seeing if I can get a finger in the back. How would you recommend I fit myself for a frame that fits.

Baz

Standover wont effect how the bike feels to ride, and seat tube length can be varied by moving your seatpost up and down, without effecting your positioning much. The length of the top tube is not so easy to adjust for, and is therefore the most important measurement.

The problem is that it cannot be calculated from your measurements, as flexibility play a part.

Test rides are the best way, if you havent already discoered your ideal ETT (effective top tube).

I'm 5'7" with 30" inside leg, and I like a ETT of around 53 - 54 cm. I'd guess you'd be around 51 - 52 cm. But its just that, a guess. Try setting the seat to the right height, holding the bars and seeing if the bars obscure the front hub (another guess TBH). This is a nice starting point at least.

Hello all.

Thanks to a barely awake driver the langster has been written off, sad in one way because it was my first fixed bike and was only 2 months old - and cause I fractured my shoulder blade! Good in another cause I'll likely get very close to RRP from her insurers, plus extras for the saddle and helmet - the Langster was a firm ride to say the least so I can get something a bit nicer to ride.

I hope to have about £500 to spend, can get a 2010 Genesis Flyer for that, the steel frame and other components seem nice and the ride should be less brutally harsh.

However, a lot of bods on here turn their noses up at OTP and build bikes. Could I get a whole bike, or most at least, done for £500? I can get a full Brother cycles frame, fork, headset, BB, crankset, stem, seatpost and bars for £510, leaving just saddle (I do have a cheapo Spesh one about), brakes and wheels to find.

So is the Flyer going to save me loads of hassle, or could £500 get me a better bike, exactly how I want it?

Buy second hand things and build one up. If nothing else, you'll love it more.

Use the search - and couple it with the knowledge you have about the bikes you have ridden.

If you havent ridden that many frames, that should be your first priority. Go test some out, and you'll answer your own questions. I'm sure we can all throw our opinions at you, but what i consider to be an excellent frame, could be harsh as hell for you. You won't know until you've ridden some...... Good luck

Could you not buy a frame for say £400/500 and use the bits from your old bike?

I miss my Langster.

There's a (I think, it's blocked at work) 59cm Steamroller frame with FSA headset and Miche BB for £220 delivered on eBay atm.
Would be more forgiving than the Langster I expect.

i am asking for advice (not abuse from all the smart veteran fixie riders) as to what to do re

1) buy a new bike...(probably built at blb as they are part of the cycle to work scheme and i can fix it up to my own specs)

2) keep my 531 reynolds frame with forks and (try!) and convert it to a fixie (it is currently a questionable single speed as chain keeps on coming off as need new bracket etc)

advice?

i have a feeling the steel frame will never be as good a ride as an aluminium frame with carbon forks and the drop outs at the back are obviously not track drop outs. also the geometry of my reynolds is wider and when i tried a track fixie (orbea a10 dude) it seemed so much tighter to ride.

maybe best not to try and bastardise a road bike? or better to use a good quality frame and maybe change the forks to make it a smoother ride and once all the right bits are on ?

thanks

All depends on your budget. Dolan track frames on Ebay at the minute for £200 mind.

puppy kill the reynolds into a fixie and go on from there!

budget depends.. if the nhs actually act reasonable and let me buy the bike from BLB then my budget is about 500

if not then i need to build it a bit cheaper tbh

I'd always go for steel over aluminium because I like my Perineum, but that's a personal choice.