Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - Steel Lugged Frame for $1,000

I am saving up for a nice steel lugged frame. It does NOT have to be custom-made. It has to be nice for around $1,000 or less. (The geometry can be track, road, or somewhere in between.)

I'm turning to you all because I'm interested in some options and also would like to hear your thoughts. If you had $1,000 (maximum) to spend on a frame, which would you chose?

I was going to use this frame to build a daily commuter, but now it has become special to me: http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=446593

Therefore I'm looking for a different but nice frame to build a bike that I can keep and ride daily forever.

Thank you for any help!


EDIT: You can read through the thread if you want to get caught up, but I finally found a builder in the state. He's a very cool guy to work with, a family-man, and a one-man frame builder, from start to finish. The link to his blog is posted in post #65 of this thread.

Thanks for all the nice replies. Cheers.







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I know it's not lugged and I'm sorry, but if that was my budget I would be all over a Cream City.
http://www.benscycle.net/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=612_613&products_id=1765&zenid=b2c4b673920820dc28e8d6aba85f882a

What size are you looking for ?

I am saving up for a nice steel lugged frame. It does NOT have to be custom-made. It has to be nice for around $1,000 or less. (The geometry can be track, road, or somewhere in between.)

I'm turning to you all because I'm interested in some options and also would like to hear your thoughts. If you had $1,000 (maximum) to spend on a frame, which would you chose?

I was going to use this frame to build a daily commuter, but now it has become special to me: http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=446593

Therefore I'm looking for a different but nice frame to build a bike that I can keep and ride daily forever.

Thank you for any help!

EAI Bareknuckle, or a Cream City from Bens Cycle. I would reccommend some road frames, but your posting on the ss/fg forum, so I'm giving you the dedicated single gear frames I would like to build with. A ton of color options, top-notch quality. You know, you could probably build a great ss/fg bike entirely on your budget.

cream city isnt lugged, neither is bareknuckle (kinda heavy). My friend had a cream city and liked it, but the tubing isnt super nice, nor are the welds. tubing on bareknuckles is also so-so

i think your best bet is a used/new keirin frame. they are lugged and all of them use exceptional tubing, and there are a ton of great deals right now on the web. tell me your size and ill reply with some recomendations.

i would recommend an OCEAN via njsframes.blogspot.com but i read somewhere they arent taking new orders.

new panasonic

new panasonic

plus one, but i dont like the way they look, although the lugwork is pretty sweet, i like how they stamp panasonic on the headtube lugs and on the dropout lugs, which btw is a nice touch cus you dont see alot of frames with lugged dropouts anymore.

bridgestone might be another place to look if you want an off the shelf keirin frame.

what youre crazy, the panasonics are gorgeous

if i had to pick a frame in your price range it would be between this two-tone makino (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=160264960708) selling at 750.00 1 day left or BIN @ 800

OR

this super sweet m-idea frame with absolutely ridiculous lugwork for 950.00 @ keirinculture.com (http://keirinculture.com/store//catalog/product_info.php?cPath=1&products_id=435)

what youre crazy, the panasonics are gorgeous

there not ugly by no means, there friggen sweet, but i guess if i was gonna spend a G on a new frame i would want to have more paint options. I was actually surfing their site the other day looking at the track frames, and the various color options. I mean they look good, just sort of basic for my taste. BTW, njsframes.blogspot.com sells to-order panasonic's (choose color and size) as well as a few pre-fabbed ones in different colors.

...tell me your size and ill reply with some recomendations.

i would recommend an OCEAN via njsframes.blogspot.com but i read somewhere they arent taking new orders.


Thank you. My size is about a 53 frame.

You guys are most helpful.

If I was going to spend $1000 on a lugged steel frame, then I'd want to make damned well sure that it fit me perfectly. Lots of small-volume builders do framesets for less than $1,000. I'd go that route if I were you.

Used Cinelli Super Corsa... if you can find one. Or on a deep discount, whatever you can find. That frame is ta-mazing.

In a couple of weeks Velocult.com will open up and you will be able to get any of the best classic track frames on the web. If I couldn't find a frame through veloculture then I would put a $750 deposit on a custom Richie Ditta frame, and by the time the frame is done and painted you will have saved up for the other $750 to pay it off ($1500 = deal [best deal out there]).

I already have one of the best Classic track bikes in San Diego (imho), so my next purchase is going to be a custom Ditta.

I hope that peice of **** univega is going on your wall not getting built with nice parts instead of the yet to be purcased $1000 frame.

keep your eyes open. I chanced upon my road bike frame in a local shop. A mondonico - list was $1000 and they were getting rid of it for $500 (5 years ago). funny thing is, they tried to discourage me from buying it :twitchy:

maybe you can get lucky too.

New Panasonic is good because. a. it is new and not an abused old racing bike
b. you can choose exactly how it looks paint colour options and logo colours etc.
c. it looks teh sex.

What source can I look into in order to purchase of a Panasonic frame? I googled but the first couple of pages returned mostly topics about the bike (new and vintage), but no sources for a new purchase.

Thanks for all the help!

I know deathhare is running a Panasonic ordering middle-man business.

new panasonic

+ MANY

http://cgi.ebay.com/Waterford-Track-frame-pista-track-bike-campagnolo-pista_W0QQitemZ170244429651QQihZ007QQcategoryZ159089QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

PANASONIC (http://www.pistoposeur.blogspot.com/)

you should save up another $1800 and get a vanilla :love:

Soma Speedster. Roughly $650 from any shop. It is a beautiful frame.

you should save up another $1800 and get a vanilla :love:

Yea, If you want to wait 5 years.

you guys think too narrowly: Mercian Super Vigorelli: http://www.merciancycles.com/frame_vigorelli.asp

start at around $850 for 631, lugged, made in England.

Alien: $350 for an unpainted frame.

SOMA Speedster (http://store.somafab.com/sosprospfrse.html). Lugged Tange Prestige heat-treated, double-butted steel main triangle; butted CrMo rear end, fork included, $795.

I know deathhare is running a Panasonic ordering middle-man business.


HAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAH

you guys think too narrowly: Mercian Super Vigorelli: http://www.merciancycles.com/frame_vigorelli.asp

start at around $850 for 631, lugged, made in England.

+1

i don't know if absolutely new is a priority, but if i could get my hands on a De Rosa or Merckx on eBay for that much, maybe a Team Miyata, i'd be all over it. i know you can get a Team Miyata for welllll under 1k, dunno about the others, depends on your luck i guess.

where can someone find a new bridgestone track frame? I looked (when I wanted a new frame) everywhere.

Marinoni .

Handmade in Canada, track or road or touring or ... etc. I know they still build steel, but not sure if you can still get one lugged. Mine is, but it's an older model. Awesome company.

Very cheap for whatever custom doo-dads you'd like the bike to have, and custom paint is very reasonable (if not included in the price).

SOMA Speedster (http://store.somafab.com/sosprospfrse.html). Lugged Tange Prestige heat-treated, double-butted steel main triangle; butted CrMo rear end, fork included, $795.

The Soma Speedster is very nice, but I'm looking for something that is ss/fg. Their Delancey is nice looking for only their chrome lugs, but size 52 is welded at the seat-stays/seat-tube/top-tube junction.

If I were to buy a frame for a geared bike, I'd definitely consider the Speedster! I'll wait until my legs get too old and fragile, though.

Marinoni .

Handmade in Canada, track or road or touring or ... etc. I know they still build steel, but not sure if you can still get one lugged. Mine is, but it's an older model. Awesome company.

Very cheap for whatever custom doo-dads you'd like the bike to have, and custom paint is very reasonable (if not included in the price).

I did not know Marinoni was still doing business. Their website has limited info about, and pictures on, their bike models. The price is good for the experience they've had.

But I might have found a small builder in the state. I'm in communication with him right now, but please continue to send all suggestions.

where can someone find a new bridgestone track frame? I looked (when I wanted a new frame) everywhere.

There's a guy on ebay who seems to have access to a range of new parts and frames. I'm not sure what his connection is to the bike companies, maybe just a distributor.

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/A-BRAND-NEW-ANCHOR-BRIDGESTONE-NJS-KEIRIN-FRAME_W0QQitemZ220261930621QQihZ012QQcategoryZ2904QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Soma Speedster. Roughly $650 from any shop. It is a beautiful frame.

Wouldn't the Delancey be a better choice for the single-speed/fixed build, with the horizontal 'drop-out?'

Wouldn't the Delancey be a better choice for the single-speed/fixed build, with the horizontal 'drop-out?'

Yes, the Delancey is made for ss/fg. I had considered this bike seriously, but unfortunately the frame size 52 comes with no lugs at the seat cluster.

I hope that peice of **** univega is going on your wall not getting built with nice parts instead of the yet to be purcased $1000 frame.

I'd call you a tool but in my world, tools are useful.

That Univega is an awesome bike and I am glad I finally got to see it and read about it.

Yep, Marinoni is still in business, and yep, the website sucks. If you want to explore that route, think of what you'd like, call them and ask about it. They've been amazing with what they can do for me, and for some other folks I know that have had bikes built by them.

Update:

I started communicating with a small-volume frame builder here in the states. I've seen pictures of some of the work he has done, and a rare circumstance resulted in a decent price he was willing to offer for a custom frame. That is, the tubes and lugs were purchased for a previous buyer who backed out after paying a deposit, so the parts were sitting around. And the frame builder, after seeing my thread here, contacted me.

But the thing that sold me to his work was the fact that he was a one-man, small-volume custom-frame builder and a very good, professional communicator. You see, I have always been a supporter of the smaller business over recognized brands. I've always taken my chance on the unknown rather than the guaranteed, as the reward has always been greater on both sides when all works out in the end.

But, I'll tell you, this frame builder has built some pretty cool frames, from cyclo-cross to BMX to single-speed to fixed-gear. We have communicated via at least a dozen emails so far, and he sent me an elaborate questionnaire about my measurement and riding style and what I'm looking for. He gave me some insights into geometry and what they mean and how they affect the ride. mostly stuff with which I wasn't familiar.

In any case, I don't want to go into detail but I can tell you that this is my first (and hopefully my only) custom-frame order, and I'm excited.

I just sent the deposit check out and he will begin work once it's received, turn-around time being 3 weeks or so, and will chronicle the work on his blog. Once it starts, I will share the link with those who might be interested on here.

I'll keep you guys updated.

Cheers.

Def interested in seeing this frame when you get pics.
Sounds like you made the right choice for yourself.
Who is the builder?

It's me.

Def interested in seeing this frame when you get pics.
Sounds like you made the right choice for yourself.
Who is the builder?

Thanks deathhare. The frame builder is an individual in New Mexico. Chauncey Matthews of Live Wire custom bicycles. His username on BF is "Live Wire."

The steel that will be used is a Dedacciai Com12.5 tubeset. Some research tells me that it's light but still thick enough for durability, which is what I need for a long-term daily commuter. I believe it's butted at 8, 5, 8.

I'm not a weight weenie, but knowing that it's a somewhat lighter steel yet durable is satisfying. And knowing that it's made by hand by a man who seems to care about riding is wonderful. (Of course, all good frame builders care about riding!)

In any case, I'm by no means an elitist in bike frames; I just happen to have been saving and I'm lucky to be in the position to order a custom frame that I can own for the rest of my life. :)



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Nice I found his blog, and his bikes look of good quality. His lug work is very unique.
And I love the curves on this one:
http://livewirebikes.blogspot.com/2007/10/as-close-as-it-will-ever-get-to.html

In his emails to me, Chauncey Matthews is impressively elaborate with the process of his frame building. This is in comparison with several other frame builders that I had contacted at the same time, some known and some not. I am comfortable and confident in working with Chauncey.

The design of the frame I chose to have made will be classic in configuration, with a straight-across (non-curved, non-sloping) top tube. (Although I do like the sexy bends on his other builds, especially those of the seatstays!)

I will definitely keep you posted and, when all is done, will share pictures.

powerband, i always enjoy your threads. staying tuned and can't wait to check out the blog.

Update:

As I mentioned earlier, I like the way Chauncey takes time to "chat" with me about some of the geometric basics with which I am unfamiliar, simply because I never paid attention to them in the past 25+ years that I've been riding a bicycle, since my first bike, a Redline BMX that I received on a cold Christmas morning in Northern Virginia, and with which I rode for years -- through half a dozen coats of spray paint and part-replacements. I rode it until my senior year in high school, when it was replaced with a girl whose idea of fun was to smoke cigarettes atop the concrete wall that divided her backyard and Interstate 66.

Since breaking up with her and leaving behind a life that would have been entirely different than the one I now enjoy, I went to college with a 3-speed bike that I had inherited, a rusty old rackety cruiser with an old Brooks. Since then I've had affairs with many bikes, many of which built up from frames with specs that I thought were the bomb. But never have I paid attention to geometry until now. I guess it's just a matter of evolution that I become interested in the essence of a bicycle, which is the frame.

So, as I said at the beginning of this post, I appreciate how Chauncey takes time to explain geometry to me, in simple language because I'm not the fastest kid on the block to pick things up. I hope that Chauncey doesn't mind that I share a portion of his email on here. It might be reviews to many of you, but it's good information to me.

After going back and forth about determining seat-tube angles for my custom frame, we finally settle on 73 degrees. (I want something between track and relax geometry.)

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[From Chauncey of Live Wire Bicycles, in one of many emails to me]

About seat angles: when I started making frames, I built a bunch of fixed gear frames with minor variations in geometry, just to see what they felt like. I had forks with tons of rake, low/high bottom brackets, and with head and seat angles between 71-75 degrees. I found I liked the higher BB's, they made the bike feel snappier when sprinting and you'd never strike a pedal in a turn. I liked the bikes that had the fastest steering, although the others I could adapt to in a few rides and they felt ok. I found the seat angles made the biggest difference in the overall ride (all the effective tt lengths, chainstay length, and fore/aft balances were the same). Really slack angles (71-72) feel good when you're seated and grunting up a climb, and the steep ones (74-75) are nice for spinning/sprinting and not much else. Time and time again, I've found that people of normal proportions (including me) like a 73 degree angle the best. It does provide a nice balance.... I guess I could've just copied what was out there, but I prefer to figure things out for myself.
73 degrees it is!

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Cheers and thanks for reading. More to come.

i would have sold u my nagasawa for 1000$ ;)

i would have sold u my nagasawa for 1000$ ;)

Thanks. This custom frame will not cost me nearly as much as $1,000, though.
But the nagasawa frame is very nice, especially since Mr. Nagasawa is no longer accepting frame orders.
In any case and ultimately, I wanted to support a small frame builder locally.