A new Leader 722ts Build help?

Hi everyone

So I'm gearing up for a new fixed gear build. (my first ever build from scratch) Just picked up a Leader 722ts frame (thanks to marxist_fixie for the heads up on well priced new one!) Now I'm starting to think of what to put on it.

I'm in need of some advice as my knowledge is lacking in certain areas. I have used & exhausted the search function and i know roughly what my budget is so i won't ask general stupid and vague questions. (what the parts i know i want i got the info for from visiting the mega parts list on here) Budget is no more than £360 hopefully.... 400 as an exceptional circumstance (if something unmissable comes up etc)

What's best bits to actually spend bulk of money on apart from frame & fork? Was thinking of spending well on BB & headset & rear wheel set up. and put second hand bought or bits n bobs i already have for everything else.

Frame I've spent 160 on the frame. This has a 1 1/8" head tube.

Forks. i have a bit of a pickle here, i really want a nice quill stem (i like the elegant, clean look) & i know that to use a quill stem, you need threaded forks and a threaded headset. I assume this is doable? what do you guys think? I think i might go for Leader's own bog standard s803 track forks. what do you think? anything else cheaper/ better for the price you'd recommend? (had to be threaded and 1 1/8")

BB what do i go with here? Literally too much choice and i am struck by choice paralysis.
i was thinking of going all out on a good BB i don't have to upgrade for as long as possible.

Headset..obviously threaded on account of the quill stem ambition....again choice paralysis is it advisable to spend well on it like the BB or can i get away with med or decent budget stuff?

Wheelsl: for the front im gona use a shimano rs twenty something i have lying around. For the REAR i was thinking of having one build at VSprint wheels. i hear they're good, http://www.v-sprintwheels.com/pages/track-wheels.html

my thinking: weinmann DP18 30mm rims with a Novated hub at £90 or should i go for the same rims with a Miche hub at the same price, they're doing an offer for the ones with a miche hub. (Do the miche have sealed bearings like the Novatec? which should i go for? )

OR go for this wheelset? http://www.parkersofbolton.co.uk/p-1689-700c-flip-flop-single-speed-fixie-fixed-wheelset-black.aspx good price, but would you recommend Quando hubs?

Any other hints or tips please feel free to post here or PM. thanks beforehand and apologies for the noobness

The Leader 722ts seems to have pretty fat tubes, even though it's slimmer than the other frames of that brand, so I'm thinking a quill might look out of place on such a frame. I'd stick with ahead.
This also allows you to go for a Leader s803 track fork, probably the one intended for it.

The ahead stem then allows you to fit a standard Shimano 105/Ultegra headset, good value and strong, but there are loads of cheaper options out there.

I fit Miche Primato bottom brackets. Not the most durable, I'll grant you, but I get about 18 months to two years out of one, whip it out and pop a fresh one in. For £11 it makes sense, and it's better than paying a fortune for a Royce or Phil Wood only for it to be destroyed by the British weather.

That Vsprint wheel sounds ok - you'll probably get a couple of years of good use before the bearings go, but all you need to do is replace the sealed bearing units and they're as good as new.

Forks. i have a bit of a pickle here, i really want a nice quill stem (i like the elegant, clean look) & i know that to use a quill stem, you need threaded forks and a threaded headset. I assume this is doable?

Good luck finding either a threaded 1⅛" headset or a 1⅛" quill stem. They are obsolete for a reason - AHead is superior.

You can get an unbadged leader frame from china for the half the price on ebay.

my thinking: weinmann DP18 30mm rims with a Novated hub at £90 or should i go for the same rims with a Miche hub at the same price, they're doing an offer for the ones with a miche hub. (Do the miche have sealed bearings like the Novatec? which should i go for? )

Miche and Novatec both use common sealed cartridge bearings, so there's little to choose on that front. Some people have found that Miche locknuts are made of cheese, and in general I favour the Taiwanese specialists for value - Novatec probably make more hubs than anybody else in the world, and they only make hubs so they live or die by them.

Also on the subject of Miche, I wouldn't touch their BB with a ten foot pole, which incidentally is what you need on the end of your wrench to get it tight enough to stay in place. Obviously BB choice will be determined by cranks, but if you need JIS square taper on a budget, get a Shimano UN-54

^you're obviously a feeble, feeble man. My Miche BB stays in place like a boss, and they all have done for the last seven years until they die.

You can get an unbadged leader frame from china for the half the price on ebay.

link?

Also if its any help this is how I built mine up

^ best Leader build ever

Quill Stem is a no go

I would avoid a Miche BB too, had a couple faulty ones in the past.

^ best Leader build ever

That's very kind of you to say so, thank you.

^ FWIW I agree.

Also if its any help this is how I built mine up

My god spotter that is one sexy sexy beautiful ride you have there, been looking at a lot of builds but i gotta say that'ss one of the nicest ones, clean understated and badass.

Gives me an extra excited boost for my build, since i'm going for that kind of look, except i've a black frame which is cool, but depending on funds, i'm tempted to strip it to raw and lacquer it or give it a matt black finish.... decisions decision.

Hey thanks for the advice guys, really appreciated!

I think you're all right on the stem/ headset department, i'll abandon the folly of a quill stem, sounds like a massive headache anyway, i'll just find something that looks right.

Miche and Novatec both use common sealed cartridge bearings, so there's little to choose on that front. Some people have found that Miche locknuts are made of cheese, and in general I favour the Taiwanese specialists for value - Novatec probably make more hubs than anybody else in the world, and they only make hubs so they live or die by them.

Hey thanks man on the hub tip, i think i will opt for the Novatec, though should i go for V-sprint's Rear with weinmann rims & the novatec hub for £90. OR is it wise to go for these? http://www.parkersofbolton.co.uk/p-1689-700c-flip-flop-single-speed-fixie-fixed-wheelset-black.aspx a wheelset discounted to 94 quid, BUT they have Quando hubs. How much better are the Novatecs than Quando hubs?

BB/ Crackset wise, well i think i will wait and look a bit more, i'm a bit put off the Miche, cos as well as the guys dissing them here i had two mates bitch about their miche BBs just yesterday.

BB wise i was thinking of spending in the region of 50 maybe. something good that i don't have to worry about for a while.

Apart from frame and fork, where would you blow most of your budget? What's the one or two bits of the bike you'd recommend i don't cut corners with? Cos' i'm still thinking perhaps the BB & rear wheel and poss crankset?

Cheers. :)

i've only seen one pair of the v-sprint wheels and they belonged to spotter on his old build, looked and felt nice and span quite well, varno builds good wheels for someone on a budget.
i wouldn't spend 50 quid on a bb mate, get one that is cheap-ish and that is compatible with your cranks. you really do have the option to blow your money on whichever parts you choose to, i normally go for expensive products that i know will last me like a good headset or some nice wheels, things like stems, seatposts and cranks can be updated once you've got a bit of cash. just again on the wheels, the novatecs and the quando hubs are actually pretty much exactly the same hubs just rebranded.

How much better are the Novatecs than Quando hubs?

V-Sprint Novatecs are worth the extra.

BB wise i was thinking of spending in the region of 50 maybe. something good that i don't have to worry about for a while.

Assuming square taper, what do you think you'd be getting for £35 more than a UN54?

Again, crank choice drives BB choice, and just £80 gets you a chainset complete with BB
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=31621

the novatecs and the quando hubs are actually pretty much exactly the same hubs just rebranded.

All the cheap Quandos I've seen in 30+ years (including those parkersofbolton ones) have been cup and cone, not cartridge bearing. Shimano make a strong case for cup and cone on race wheels, but for servicability cartridge is best.

The fact that Novatec and Quando are different is obvious to anybody who bothers to look
http://www.parkersofbolton.co.uk/images/PRODUCT/large/1689_5_.jpg
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Jddli1zUd8Y/TZHnqUP0OcI/AAAAAAAABWk/W_dHZZ2Fwbo/s1600/novatec+front+hub.jpg

Quando is the hub brand of Kun Teng Industry Co, aka KT, whereas Novatec is a brand of Joy Industrial Co.

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fair enough, as usual, you've shown you know your stuff. i've never used either so haven't really bothered to do any proper research.
@lazysuperhero- have you thought about getting parts second hand from here? a better, and possibly cheaper, final product is possible by going second hand.

My god spotter that is one sexy sexy beautiful ride you have there, been looking at a lot of builds but i gotta say that'ss one of the nicest ones, clean understated and badass.

Gives me an extra excited boost for my build, since i'm going for that kind of look, except i've a black frame which is cool, but depending on funds, i'm tempted to strip it to raw and lacquer it or give it a matt black finish.... decisions decision.

Glad you like it, cheers for the nice words. Personally keep yours black and spend the money on getting nicer bits. You can always save up a to get it stripped in the future.

i've only seen one pair of the v-sprint wheels and they belonged to spotter on his old build, looked and felt nice and span quite well, varno builds good wheels for someone on a budget.
i wouldn't spend 50 quid on a bb mate, get one that is cheap-ish and that is compatible with your cranks. you really do have the option to blow your money on whichever parts you choose to, i normally go for expensive products that i know will last me like a good headset or some nice wheels, things like stems, seatposts and cranks can be updated once you've got a bit of cash. just again on the wheels, the novatecs and the quando hubs are actually pretty much exactly the same hubs just rebranded.

As joe said i had some of varno's wheels (still do they're my spair set), I have to say that you'll be hard pressed to find better value for money. I found mine to be bullet proof, they got smashed about for a year and ridden in the shittiest of weather for almost 2 years and they're still great. The hubs spin as well as they did when they were new and I only had to have them slightly trued once after I'd ridden them for a while and they'd settled in, other than that they've strong and tough.

have you thought about getting parts second hand from here? a better, and possibly cheaper, final product is possible by going second hand.

Try and buy as much second hand as possible, plenty of bargains on here you can save quite a bit.

you still can shim a 1inch fork, to get a nice quill stem on it.
head tube wise, I would look for myself and fit it even if just for reference, rather than listen to opinions on internet:)
but in the end of the day, its your bike mate.

^you're obviously a feeble, feeble man. My Miche BB stays in place like a boss, and they all have done for the last seven years until they die.

that's because they always seize in place and need to be cut out.

listen to Tester, get a Shimano UN54 BB. Also avoid quando hubs, they are easily stripped and not sealed. Get Novatech/system x/ambrosio etc, they're all the same.

For cheapness I would get cranks like this
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Sturmey-track-fixed-gear-wheel-crank-chain-set-46t-48t-/200699445472?pt=UK_sportsleisure_cycling_bikeparts_SR&var=&hash=item746ced13fe#ht_2559wt_1189
or try and find something nice second hand.

spotter that build is awesome! imo though needs some drops!

For cheapness I would get cranks like this
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Sturmey-track-fixed-gear-wheel-crank-chain-set-46t-48t-/200699445472?pt=UK_sportsleisure_cycling_bikeparts_SR&var=&hash=item746ced13fe#ht_2559wt_1189

£50 for those cranks + a UN54, or £80 for a SRAM S300 complete? If you need to save £30, that's not where I'd go looking for the saving.

£80 will also nearly buy you a second hand pair of Sram Omniums, it depends what you can find. All the savings add up.