Frames in the GTA?
 

Yes I know, I probably shouldn't have bought a CT bike (CCM Avenue), but I tend to bike them all winter, this one being the first I did not, so the gearing was not totaled and I tend to just buy a new bike this time of year cause of the winter damage, hence cheap bikes. So decided to ride it the last couple of weeks of good weather, and had my bike break down 2 days ago, first the tube went, and that seemed fine, changed the tube and went along my "merry" way, till yesterday and the tire completely pops off the wheel with the inner tube still pressured. On both sides so that the tire was being held somewhat just not in the rims of the wheel. :(

Anyways, looking at possibly getting a bike that will survive a winter or 2 of biking, and was thinking of buying a frame set and building my own possibly, but it seems that frames on their own are more expensive then a complete bike.

Not looking for anything fancy, no suspension etc, only thing I'd like is the ability to add disc breaks possibly. Any recommendations?

Jim

It is often the moving parts (bearings, derailleurs, cables, chains, suspension components) that are ruined by winter riding. THese parts should be considered 'consumables' and you will have to replace them over time - but over much less time if you ride in the winter.

Tires, tubes, handlebar grips, brake pads are also consumables, although these are less affected by winter riding.

What I am getting at is - there is no bike that is impervious to the harshness of winter riding, and if you have an almost functioning bike, replacing or overhauling a few of the items listed above will bring the bike back to like-new function.

As for building a specific winter bike, like I said, there are parts that will always need to be replaced after a winter of riding, regardless of how carefully they are chosen. You old strategy of buying a new cheap bike for each winter is a mre resonable one, although I tend to prefer used 10-speeds converted to flat-bar hybrids... this usually costs less than $100 to get a great winter bike.

Buying a frame and building it up is a great way to spend 2X or 3X more than the cost of a bike of comparable quality, unless you have almost a complete bike's worth of compatible parts sitting in a box. If you can find a frame and all the parts used you will pay possibly a little less than what the bike would cost new, but you can buy a complete used bike for much cheaper. And no matter how you buy or build a bike, new or used, you will have to rebuild it after a winter of regular riding.

If you are in the market for a new frame, the prices start around $100 - $200 plus shipping from the mail order shops that sell them. THen you need a bottom bracket, a crank, chain, headset, handlebars, wheels (rims, hubs, and spokes), tires, pedals, cassette, brakes.... it all adds up very quickly to pass the cost of a basic bike shop bike (starting at around $300 or so), that will survive a winter of riding about the same.

In short, building from frame-up is generally not advisable. Go to a bike shop, or Kijiji and see what sort of bargains you can find.

Thank you for the reply, ended up getting A Norco Indie, and will use that as my frame base to upgrade to a Alfine hub set up before the winter comes (along with a rear disk break on said hub). Made sense to me looking at the numbers, as I cannot afford a completely new Alfine build at the moment, and really needed a bike. And this frame gives me the ability to do this over time.

Jim

That should be great. My main ride is an old CCM 10 speed with an Alfine 8 and it has been fantastic through a couple of winters of occaisional riding.