Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - BD single speed/fixie v. vintage frame build

I am very interested into getting into singlespeed/fixed gear biking and I was looking around for a bike to start out on. I will mostly be using it for messing around and commuting roughly 3 miles a day. I was looking at some BD bikes (Dawes SST, Windsor Clockwork), but I also found an old Peugeot frame on Craig's List for 75 that has a fork, chainrings, crank, pedals, seatpost, front break, handlebars, and chain. The owner had it converted to a fixie. I would have to add wheels hubs and cogs to it at least, but it really would end up being in the neighborhood of a BD bike anyway. Any suggestions about which might be the better of the two? I love the old school frame thing, but have never had much bike building experience so that is my main concern.

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Random unknown Peugeot with unknown parts vs. Knowing what you are getting...

A quick warning about the Peugeot: Older french bikes have all sorts of crazy sizings and threadings. Getting a replacement bottom bracket, seatpost (24mm particularly), etc could be hard and/or expensive.

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:thumb::thumb::thumb::thumb::thumb:

IMHO if you have to buy wheels, tires and cog you may as well get the BD bike. I like the clockwork for the drop bars. I have pruchased a Motobecane Fantom Uno (for me) and a Kilo TT for a friend. both are great bikes for the price. assembly was a snap.

I think I am leaning sst because of the bull horn bars. There are a lot of hills in my area.

I've converted an $30 ebay frame, and I can highly recommend it. You might learn a bit (or a lot!) and at the end you've got something that's unique and set up more or less how you want it.

having said that, if you're not to keen on getting the spanners out, a pre-built one might be better.

I think a Bikes direct frame is going to be better then the frame your going to find. And like Bianchigirll said, that its really not as cheap.

I think I am leaning sst because of the bull horn bars. There are a lot of hills in my area.
Drops with brake hoods are almost the same hand position. I liked the horns on my SST, but hated the brake levers. I swapped on some road bars and Tektro road levers. Both worked fine.

The SST is a fine commuter in general, but the fender clearance is not great and there are not rack braze-ons. I still really like it.

Conversions can be a good choice if you want road geometry, generous tire clearance, and fender/rack mounts. But you need to know what you're looking for in a conversion candidate, and an old Peugeot is quite likely not it. In most cases, you'll come out ahead price-wise (and effort-wise) picking up a new bike complete.