Low on dough faux pro

Always fancied a proper lo pro but never had the dollar to cover even an off the peg faux pro so I've decided I'm going to build my own using a fairly standard welded steel road bike as the basis.

http://croxtonshedworks.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/project-lo-pro-15.jpg

Picked this up off the bay. Plan is to cut out the top tube and weld a slightly longer sloping one in its place. Also goin to braze in some track ends and a custom seat stay bridge.

Not sure what my plan is with forks tho. The ones that are in there are ugly, heavy and too long a-c. Could replace them with another set of 1" forks running them threadless through the shorter head tube or could try and find a set of 1" threadless carbon forks but I think that might be asking a bit much on my budget. Otherwise I think I'm going to have to replace the headtube and run 1 1/8", unless anyone has any other ideas.

come one surely it's cheaper just to buy one
a lot less hassle too

^ ha. True but not really the spirit ;)

I'd source new 1" forks with a lower crown. Also you could just drop the TT and cut the headtube.... you won't have the faux-pro slopping TT, but you'd have a lo-pro without having to source/pay for a new longer TT.

Out of curiously is it the right size?

Will you just fit a new lug on the top of the head tube?

come one surely it's cheaper just to buy one
a lot less hassle too

I'm sure it would be a lot less hassle but not half as rewarding at the end. So far the frame has cost me £30 and I guess I'll be looking at about another £20 for track ends. All the other materials I can get for free and I've got a mate who'll do the welding and brazing free of charge too.

^ ha. True but not really the spirit ;)

I'd source new 1" forks with a lower crown. Also you could just drop the TT and cut the headtube.... you won't have the faux-pro slopping TT, but you'd have a lo-pro without having to source/pay for a new longer TT.

Out of curiously is it the right size?

I've already got another donor frame lined up for the top tube (gonna use the down tube tho as it's longer).

Will you just fit a new lug on the top of the head tube?

It's a welded frame so I'm just going to get the new tube welded in.

Looking forward to seeing this progress.

This looks rad, good luck with it!

Has good potential

http://croxtonshedworks.wordpress.com/2012/06/19/cuttin-n-shutting-the-process-begins/

Hope this isn't considered forum etiquette. Having a nightmare trying to embed pictures on here at the moment.

do you plan on running it with risers by any chance...

Yeah, risers is the plan.

Please give it a curved top tube...

No curved top tube! Make it look tight. I like this, good luck with it.

Pffttt... you shhh!

how would a curved TT affect how "tight" it looked? Tighter with shirly?

Curved toptube!!!

Nooooo!

I'm going to side with no curve too, frames tend to look a bit more aggressive with a straight sloping top tube.

Gonna go with a straigh top tube, mostly as I'm using the downtube from another frame but I'm also more partial to a straight top tube for aesthetics.

My missus wants one too now so might go for something different with that.

I'll put my order in. you can make me one as well.
Faux Pro's all round from Chris

Not a massive update. Got some carbon prongs from ebay the other day. Pretty stoked. They were cheap and i can run a wedge clamp type stem like the old Thomson Elite or maybe an Azonic Shorty.

http://croxtonshedworks.files.wordpress.com/2012/07/specialized-fact-carbon-fork4.jpg

Been havin a bit of a nightmare scrounging the bits I need for a jig but I'm hoping to get something built in the next couple of weeks.

http://croxtonshedworks.files.wordpress.com/2012/07/frame-with-unistrut.jpg

hows this thing going?
Love to see the final outcome

Seconded.

Looking forward to seeing this...

On another note, what tyres are on the bike you sorted for your mate Paul?

chop chop

Nice project, look forward to seeing some more progress!