The definitive OTP ( Off-The-Peg ) List (<£500 and <£1,000 sections)

ta2, I have tried to not list sites which appear to be pulling in traffic by offering unreasonably low prices, then obviously showing that they have no stock. But thanks for looking. It all helps.
Original link is showing as discontinued. I think it's unreasonable to expect suppliers to have bikes in stock. Even wiggle lists most bikes as 5-7 days delivery. I have ordered something (a helmet) from that site today, which was listed in stock so I'll be able to see if they are one of these sites that lists everything so they show up on google products search.

On the other hand, I ordered something from Parker International the other day, which was listed as in stock, paid for premium (£4) delivery, and it took them 5 working days to send it to me.

@ Ebenzo: i second the vote for the Potenza. Excellent parts spec, handsome respectable frame. I'm not looking at your original post as I type this, but a few things stuck out to me. First, don't pay attention to the closeness of the tire to the seat tube. It's "adjustable" on all of the frames you mentioned by just adding (or subtracting) a link in the chain (for example), and plus, most of us attempt to get it as close as possible for a "snapppier" bike in traffic and such anyway.

Second, don't pay attention to the way the bike looks. Chances are you aren't really sure what constitutes a good looking bike yet anyway. The chain is colored to stand out help sell the bike, and the reality is that a good looking bike has no one aspect that stands out (especially the chain). I'm not trying to be a condescending dick, just saying that you shouldn't be thinking about the looks because if you are, you're simply being manipulated in the price range.

@ GA2G: he didn't get it yet. keep encouraging him.

I think it's unreasonable to expect suppliers to have bikes in stock. Even wiggle lists most bikes as 5-7 days delivery.

Well, well, well. Thanks for putting me straight, and informing me how things are in the bicycle world.
Or,......it could be possible that almost everyone here on this forum did know this.

@ GA2G: he didn't get it yet. keep encouraging him.

Well this has confused me. Because I thought he'd bought it on Saturday, and was awaiting assembly, then collection.

Went to Condor, Gray's Inn Road yesterday.
Got myself a Potenza =D

well i'm corrected. i'll begin discouraging him immediately.

Well all I can say is thanks GA2G for letting me know about the Potenza! Appreciated.

About the opening on Saturday thing, I will clarify:
I went on Friday, closed.
Rang Saturday morning, enquired about their opening times that day and about the Potenza
"Yes we're open...yes, we have a Potenza you can have a look at."
SCORE!
So I went to the store, the fixie specialist (nice guy!) took me away to a separate place just down the road, fitted me, talked options, went back to the main store, completed the order, £100 deposit.

So effectively...GA2G is correct? I didn't actually pick it up but order it, and it's being built.

I think this forum needs date stamping on the posts otherwise people get confused if they don't know what today's date is! :]

And how do you edit stuff it?
Sorry to be such a nuisance!

And how do you edit stuff it?
Sorry to be such a nuisance!

Such answers may be found in the Forum Testing section of this forum. Look down to the bottom of the main page.

Well done GA2G for updating all.

I've now added myself to one of the people who bought an OTP bike. I picked up a Charge Plug Freestyler, but I got it 2nd hand so does that count as OTP?!
I'll also be removing the majority of parts to set up exactly what I'm after for the money/parts I currently have.

wait for the subrosa!

Just added the stupifyingly low-priced Archie Wilkinson Speedway bikes. They come in £199 or £460 models - single speed bikes.
The full-size frame has a 53cm seat-tube, 55cm top-tube. Their smaller frame offers a 45cm seat-tube and 55cm top-tube.

My thanks to Jayne and Karl at Archie Wilkinson Cycles.

Is there a better OTP polo/beater? 200 smackers for a bike! Unbelievable.

Congrats on getting the Potenza. Its one of the two OTP steel bikes that I actually seriously crave - the other being the Masi Speciale Fixed Ltd.
.

I just read that the Masi is now produced by Haro.

Im also not a big fan of the cable guides on the frame. It does look fucking awesome however in this video.

http://www.vimeo.com/2989396

Rear wheel clearances as tight as a nuns nasty.

Just added the stupifyingly low-priced Archie Wilkinson Speedway bikes. They come in £199 or £460 models - single speed bikes.
The full-size frame has a 53cm seat-tube, 55cm top-tube. Their smaller frame offers a 45cm seat-tube and 55cm top-tube.

My thanks to Jayne and Karl at Archie Wilkinson Cycles.

Is there a better OTP polo/beater? 200 smackers for a bike! Unbelievable.

If you haven't tried cycle speedway then you should all give it a go! I started riding some speedway last summer back in Leicester and it's a great rush. It's really fast and fun - a completely different kind of ride on a set of 700s. I imagine the Archie Wilkinson bikes would work quite well as polo bikes cus they're set up as simple as possible (with no cable routing or any other than the necessities!). They are also set up to take a bit of a beating - speedway is a CONTACT sport!

Over on the Foreign OTP thread, there is a bike called the KHS Flite 100.
A very nice bike - tight angles, and a good weight. So I emailed KHS (UK), and just received a reply from "Steve".

They will be looking to bring in the Flite 100 to Britain for the 2010 season...so nearer the end of this year.
He also sent a photo (attached below) of a Flite 100 sold here in the UK. I'm looking forward to it.

1 Attachment

~£450 US MSRRP - if it gets anywhere near that over here I can see it going down bloody well.

It looks like a really nice track bike. I may be worng, so this is just speculation, but it looks like it's aimed more towards people starting out in track racing. I imagine it'd be pretty fast around the city as well though.

QUICK NOTE;

I think the 2009 Bianchi Pista have a slighty different geometry to the old one, check out the head tube angle - it's much more relaxed, does that mean it's no longer a proper 'track' bike anymore?;

(2007)

(2009)

It's hard to tell because the image size is so different and also the frame size could be different here. I think that the geometry can vary between sizes.

alright, look at the distance between the tyre and the down tube, I also found a geometry chart that a bit confusing but according to it, the new one have a more relaxed head tube.

An 55cm Bianchi Pista;

2001 - 74 degrees
2002 - 74 degrees
2003 - 74 degrees
2004 - 74 degrees (last one to use Reynolds 520)
2005 - 74 degrees
2006 - 74 degrees
2008 - 74 degrees

and then suddenly;

2009 - 75.5 degrees

The geometry has appear to be changed after nearly a decades.

Hmm, strange but they need to keep with the times I think.

I wonder if it is really a move with the times. If you are selling a track bike, people will know what they're buying. By relaxing any of the angles, means that buyers will then look for more track-worthy bikes elsewhere, or change their original wish list to other bikes without the tight angles.

For a more relaxed angle, there are loads of bikes that better fill this requirement. Lighter ones too.

EDIT:
Good photographic comparison Ed. I saw the difference straightaway.

Yeah alright, no need to rub it in!

I suspect the change was due to the rise in popularity of that bike due to it's retro appeal and of course, being a singlespeed/fixed gear bike, so Bianchi took the oppourity to tweak it a bit in order to make it slighty more comfortable for your typical consumer.

Don't make it easy for him Ed. That's your problem you know, you're too bloody nice. I'll bet that Trip is making you like this. Kick that to the curb mate (niceness, not Trip). Anyway, you're spoiling my fun. I was going to stick the knife in a bit more. ;)

This specifies the seat tube angle as 75.5, same as the 2009 model
http://www.cartype.com/pages/480/bianchi_pista__2007

The head tube angle appears to have dropped from 74 to 72.5.

The tyre clearance can be explained by the fact that the wheel is rammed into the track ends as far as possible in the top shot and not the other.

Why we are even discussing the geometry of such a horrid little machine I have no idea.. :P