Originally Posted by spider-man
You can get a high-quality steel road bike from the late '80s (or whenever) that should have decades of life left for very cheap. That's what I would do.
The guy who converts used bikes to SS should be able to make a better bike cheaper. The key word there is "should". Educate yourself on the finer points of 1980's road bikes. Make sure he starts with a good frame. Don't buy it if it isn't half what you can buy a new one for.