Vintage looks, contemporary performance

It's getting time I built up a proper road bike. However, I find most modern bikes ugly as sin. Ideally i'd like to put something together with vintage looks, but contemporary performance. Having never owned a road bike I know next to nothing. I assumed I would start with a British frame builder, Mercian, Brian Rourke, Bob Jackson perhaps, but beyond that...
Any advice greatly received, particularly on components.

Skullys Dave Yates is one of the best scratch builds Ive seen on here for a long time.

geared or fixed

what do you plan to use it for?

Check out superprecise's Mercian.

POW! Without the mudguards and rack, etc though...

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2563/4163421379_285b47e70a_b.jpg

Get one of these. I have one, it's extraordinary.

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(Dan), concentrate on the bearings. Not quite the same as getting 'good' kit. If your hubs, chain links, bb and pedals are as good as they can be, even an average old frame will 'roll' with the best of them. There is a compromise on stiffness/flex, especially using quill stems, which you notice when climbing. And old brakes can be a bit rubbish compared to new kit. Depends how fast you want to be.

Skullys Dave Yates is one of the best scratch builds Ive seen on here for a long time.

+1

Thanks for 'plugging my shit' Wools! Here's a better pic...

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4042/4410291313_2e1a352515_b.jpg

:-)

Oh and I just this minute spyed this imposter on Flickr:

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1111/5156743005_6a427a1cee_z.jpg

Bare jokes.

how much do you want to spend?

a decent 531/631 or sl /slx frame and get a recent veloce groupset. i got a second hand veloce kit really cheap and it works great. veloce is good enough as long as its all maintained. record or chorus would be nice but I doubt you will really notice it vs the extra in price.
check out sumo's moser with modern bits on it in current projects

And I'm being told off when I make comments about about green Mercians with Brooks saddle and tape!

just found this on flickr. was it the inspiration for the mercian above or just a coincidence?

Nah, if I was inspired by anything it was the leaf green 'Professional' in Mercian's catalogue. Not that I even got the shade I was after.

Another +1 for Skully's Dave Yates and Superprecise's Mercian.

What's going on with the Mercian above? Is that some kind of quill adapter?

Eights are fine if you are not chasing someone with ten...

http://www.cyclist-friends.gr/picture.php?albumid=808&pictureid=10783

I feel like I have watched a popular, if mean spirited, YouTube that went along these lines recently.

ahead stem, oversize modern steel not old stovepipe, a new groupset not some part worn overpriced relic.
roberts/rourke/enigma.
853/columbus spirit/deda zero replica. all oversize.

if you want a heavy, bendy, quill stemmed, steel forked, luddite bike why have a new one made when you can buy an old one and respray it.

supers mercian is nicely done. proper shifters and new parts. (i would have ahead and a carbon fork but it's his bike not mine)

ahead stem, oversize modern steel not old stovepipe, a new groupset not some part worn overpriced relic.
roberts/rourke/enigma.
853/columbus spirit/deda zero replica. all oversize.

This^

you're probably going to pay a 500 - 700 gram weight penalty on the frame. But on a complete bike thats no biggie.

My current screen saver is a Serotta Coeur d'Acier..

Ahead all the way, and decent sealed bearings everywhere. And yeah keep those tubes as fat as you can and made of as best tubeset as you afford. Mr Smyth's hit the head on the nail.

It's new age fun with a vintage feel ;)

The only problem is finding a nice modern OTP steel bike/frame. All the big names seem to suscribe to the 'steel is retro' idea, and produce a single steel bike for their range with skinny tubes, 1" steerers etc.

The Brian Rouke 853 Pro team oversize looks nice. I'd be looking at something like this. Although if I had the money something more exotic like a Milani or a Pegoretti might be tempting.

Jaygees Roberts with Chorus is a class blend of both.

Get one of these. I have one, it's extraordinary.

What frame is that?

What frame is that?

Nuovo Supercorsa