Light(ish)weight Pompetamine

Hi

Please forgive my newbieness - first post here and this will be my first single speed.

I'd like to build a light, fast, all-weather road machine. I'd like it to be sturdy and robust, capable of dealing with the cocktail of pot-holes, shit, mud and floods the local lanes throw at me. I'd like it to handle a bit of snow from time to time, possibly even the odd light trail if I can't be bothered to dust my mountain bike off. Fundamentally though I'd really like it to be a good fun road machine for all weathers and all road conditions, one which allows me to enjoy the ride rather than fretting about the next massive pot-hole/mud-slick/flood, the way I seem to with my road bikes.

Therefore I'd really like a light frame, but one that's strongish, can take slightly wider wheels than my road rims and accompanying sturdier tires, possibly even disc brakes (nice bonus but not essential), probably canti-levers.

I'm thinking the range of conditions I'd like it to deal with probably rules out your dedicated track frames, but I don't really want to go to the bigger, freestyle or mountain-bike style frames, because they're heavier and stronger than I really want/need them to be.

So I'm wondering if there's anything in between, and struck on the idea of a cyclo-cross frame. I know disc brakes are becoming more common in CX, and wondered if there's a frame out there with horizontal dropouts. If not, does anything else spring to the minds of those in the know? Something light, strong and capable of accommodating something a bit more robust than your typical road kit?

I do have budget limitations - ideally no more than absolute max £500-600 (preferably less!) for the frame, to allow an overall build cost of £800 ish. If I could get to a weight of sub 8kg, then that would be an added bonus.

Would be hugely grateful for any advice, comments, suggestions etc.

Jules

It sounds like you want am On-One Pompetamine;

http://www.on-one.co.uk/i/q/FROOPOMPET/on_one_pompetamine_cro_mo_urban_frame

i can get hold of some NOS guerciotti (by alan) frames, cx frame but these are old models so discs aren't an option

pm me if you're interested

Fuck the budget off and get one of those Mash CX frames.

Your bonus of sub 8kg is going to be difficult, especially if you leave yourself with £2-300 for all of the parts.
It does sound like an alloy single speed CX frame would do you but there are not many of those about and seem to be complete bikes rather than framesets but take a look in the SSCX thread for ideas.

http://www.genesisbikes.co.uk/bikes/cross/day-one/day-one-disc

This comes to mind.

sturdy and robust...slightly wider wheels...sturdier tires...disc brakes...overall build cost of £800...sub 8kg

Do you want sprinkles on top too?

why not buy an old quality steel touring frame and build that up? or if you're thinking new, a surly cross check?

Even disregarding the lack of disc mounts, is a Surly really worth twice the price of an On-One?

A Pompetamine or a Kaffenback would be a good starting point given the budget. Of course, a Look CX85 is what's needed to get near 8kg, but that's about £2500 for the frameset. No horizontal dropouts on those, but since fixed hasn't been mentioned I assume a tensioner will look after that.

It sounds like you want am On-One Pompetamine;

http://www.on-one.co.uk/i/q/FROOPOMPET/on_one_pompetamine_cro_mo_urban_frame

Or a Cotic RoadRat.

Is it worth the extra ££ over the Pomp? Personal preference I reckon. Try them out if you can - I believe Brixton Cycles have Road Rat builds.

The Pompetamine is probably the best choice but, as others have said, sub 8kg with your budget is going to take a lot of luck in the classifieds/ebay etc or some serious January sale bargains.

Light + Strong = Expensive

Thanks all - great advice, and a number of frames I wasn't aware of. I need to research more.

Pompe frame looks good, cheap, but heavy at 2kg+ without forks. I'd prefer to spend more for less weight - I know, light=expensive, and can foresee some serious budget creep if I'm not careful, but I'd rather stretch the cost than have regrets on spec.

Do you want sprinkles on top too?

... and a cherry if that's possible. I take your point though, if cost and weight both move out a tad I'll live with it, but I wanted a starting point.

Not sure how light the Genesis bikes are - I'm guessing not terribly. Couple of friends ride the Flyer as their main road bike, but they're fitter than me. Will look into the Cotic, Surly, Kaffenback etc. options.

Out of interest, is there a common view on chain tensioners and vertical droputs? It seems a little clumsy and I'd prefer not to go that route, but if it gave access to lighter frames, I'm wondering how viable/practical it is? I see this as a last resort.

Any other suggestions massively appreciated ....

Thanks again.

Jules

Sorry Mattias - missed your post on first read. Will let you know if I'm interested. Do you know the rough frame weight, and what the tubing is? Do they have horizontal dropouts? I'm around a 55cm on a road frame.

Jules

8kg is a tricky target; I'd rather have an 8.5kg bike of which 1.5kg wheels than an 8kg bike of which 2kg wheels. Should be doable within budget given a bit of skill at eBaying and wheelbuilding.

Thanks Emyr. I think 8.5kg may be more doable, but still feel I'd like to start with a frame weight (inc. forks) of not too much over 2kg. That seems to be the first challenge - I'm not even thinking aboout wheels yet ...

Jules

Pomp, as said or:

http://www.tritoncycles.co.uk/m4b274s212p8007/ALL_CITY_Nature_Boy_Frameset

Or a nicer frame, but still in budget; the Zona version. http://www.tritoncycles.co.uk/m4b274s212p9323/ALL_CITY_Nature_Boy_Zona_LTD_Frameset

Out of interest, is there a common view on chain tensioners and vertical droputs? It seems a little clumsy and I'd prefer not to go that route, but if it gave access to lighter frames, I'm wondering how viable/practical it is? I see this as a last resort.

It's just a bit fugly and rules out riding fixed.

There are other options with vertical dropout frames; some kind of eccentric bottom bracket or chain half links / magic ratios etc.

If I were you I'd look out for the single speed specialized Tri-Cross in the second hand market - it's an ali frame with track ends. Frame and fork should be under 2kg. No disc bosses but discs and track ends aren't really best friends so no real loss there.

What size frame? Setting arbitrary weight limits for a budget first singlespeed build seems like a waste of time and/or money.

To deal with your budget constraints I'd start looking to ebay for used 'cross bikes and disc commuter hybrid stuff.

http://www.competitivecyclist.com/frame/2012-civilian-bicycle-co--le-roi-le-veut--10923.html

Chromoly, carbon fork, disc brakes, dropouts/O.L.D. that accept gears/igh/track hubs, shifter cable guides, water bottle bosses. The only downside is the shitty components.

$800 but I don't know how much would it cost to send to the UK.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Genesis-Day-One-Alfine-8spd-58cm-/261139432463?pt=UK_Bikes_GL&hash=item3ccd1f840f

http://www.genesisbikes.co.uk/bikes/cross/day-one/day-one-disc £700 new, no idea what they weigh

The only downside is the shitty components.

That and the fact that they are porky.

There was quite a lot of interest in these in the CX thread which faded when it turned out the frameset was pretty much the same weight as a Pomp.

What size frame? Setting arbitrary weight limits for a budget first singlespeed build seems like a waste of time and/or money.

To deal with your budget constraints I'd start looking to ebay for used 'cross bikes and disc commuter hybrid stuff.

I think it's fair enough to have a target weight in mind. If I have no regard for weight, I could end up building a bike that's 12kg+ which would not be what I'd set out to achieve. Having a budget is just a fact of life. I wish I could say "cost no issue", but that wouldn't be true.

Therefore, I'm just trying to find the sweet-spot where price and weight seem to dovetail, and am happy to compromise both (within reason) to get a decent build.

Jules

It's just a bit fugly and rules out riding fixed.

There are other options with vertical dropout frames; some kind of eccentric bottom bracket or chain half links / magic ratios etc.

If I were you I'd look out for the single speed specialized Tri-Cross in the second hand market - it's an ali frame with track ends. Frame and fork should be under 2kg. No disc bosses but discs and track ends aren't really best friends so no real loss there.

Many thanks Howard.

Do you mean this:

http://www.specialized.com/gb/gb/bikes/road/tricross/tricrosselitedisccompact

Looks perfect, but no horizontal dropouts, unless I'm missing something.

Thanks again.

Jules

Howard means they used to make an SS Tricross, but the model is no longer made.

edit: can't find one on eBay at the moment, but I've seen one in the flesh.