Commuting - Commuter frame?

I have so many spare parts at home I can easily build up a commuter bike. I usually ride my mtn bike to work but would rather have a dedicated commuter bike to put fenders/rack/lights on.

Any recommendations for just a frame, cheap but not nashbar/walmart cheap. I'd love a steel frame. What would $200 get me? I could spend a little more possibly. Oh my spare parts are from mountain bikes, not road.

Do yourself a favour and scour used bike stores for an ealry 90's hybrid bike frame, like the old Specialized Crossroads. They've got high-grade butted steel tubing, clearance for 700x35C tires, and cantilever bosses - and accomodate most of today's standard mtb parts (wheels, bb, cranksets, freewheels, deraillers, etc.) so you can buy one that's been abused a bit, and swap out parts as they die. One thing that might be hard to find though is parts / forks for a 1-inch threaded headset.

Either that or an old HT mtb frame (all the same parts, but framed for 26" wheels)

Well $200 is going to get you that inexpensive Nashbar frame, which should by no means be confused with a cheap WalMart frame. Nashbar has an aluminum touring frame with fork, and an aluminum cyclocross frame - both for $200. You'll have to buy a fork for the cyclocross frame, but it's disc ready. Another $150 or so will get you the Nashbar carbon cyclocross fork which will also take a disc. You should also check out the Nashbar returns section. You might just find a component or three for you build at a very decent savings.

I would not hesitate to build a commuter with either frame. Personally, I'd lean toward spending a bit more and doing the disc brake cyclocross variant. But the touring frame would be better for someone who needed to pack a lot of stuff to work and back. In the ride department; both these frames will ride and handle better than truly cheap, Walmart steel/alloy, but not as nice as a decent steel frame. Of course running some 35 or 38cc tires will help there.

If you have your heart set on a decent, but not fancy steel frame you'll have to get used to the idea of spending about $400 - check out Surly and Soma. Either that, or look for a deal on a used frame. I've been riding a Surly Crosscheck for about 3 years (with a carbon cyclocross fork, coincidentally) and it's been a very smooth, dependable ride. But from what I've read here, there are just as many Soma devotees.

Have fun and let us know how you make out.

DanO

Good suggestions here so far, so no need to do much else except suggest scouring Craigslist if there's one in your area. I see great candidates every week. A friend just picked up an early-mid 90s Trek 720 multitrack. Nice bike. $100. Also saw a lugged Panasonic hybrid. $100. Ripe for the picking!

You may have better luck finding a good used frame than I would (I am both tall and large), but if you don't find a good used frame I would suggest raising your budget a bit and get a Surly Long Haul Trucker frame (or maybe a Surly Crosscheck).

+1 on the Surly suggestion

Here's a link for the lowest price I have found for a Surly frame.

http://parts.spicercycles.com/page.cfm?PageID=37&action=list&searchtype=search&keywords=&Brand=405&gobutnsearch=Search&sort=pricedesc&startRow=41

If all your stuff is MTB/26" wheels, do what I did. Get a late 80's/early 90's MTB with a horizontal top tube, before they all went to the compact style geometry. My late 80's rock hopper has horizontal dropouts, and enough braze-ons that I run racks and fenders on both front and rear. Install narrow flat bars (18-20" wide) and some bar ends and you have a cheap commuter that'll go anywhere you want to go, depending on what tires you're running. I even went as far as to make mine fixed gear, and it works great.

Whatever you do, have fun!!!

Do yourself a favour and scour used bike stores for an ealry 90's hybrid bike frame, like the old Specialized Crossroads. They've got high-grade butted steel tubing, clearance for 700x35C tires, and cantilever bosses - and accomodate most of today's standard mtb parts (wheels, bb, cranksets, freewheels, deraillers, etc.) so you can buy one that's been abused a bit, and swap out parts as they die. One thing that might be hard to find though is parts / forks for a 1-inch threaded headset.

Either that or an old HT mtb frame (all the same parts, but framed for 26" wheels)

If anyone wants an early 90's Specialized Crossroads frame, just give me a week to finish building up my new bike and you can have it. After riding a road bike as a commuter, I hate that heavy tank.

I hate that heavy tank.

I sometimes agree with you on the tank bike issue. I think mine weighs about 38lbs before I put my clothes, lunch etc in it. I'm sure it's close to 50 lbs. It generally gets relegated these days to potentially bad weather cuz it's a tank & has rack, panniers, fenders and loves wet stuff. It's great for that & it rolls pretty good despite it's weight. Actually, it's great for everything except racing & long uphills. But...nice weather I'm more likely to ride the single speed or CX & carry my stuff in a messenger bag.

I can't imagine riding in bad weather with the other 2 since they aren't bad weather equipped.