Originally Posted by late
Hi,
I'd go with steel rather than a cheapo aluminum frame. Alu doesn't have to have a harsh ride, but a lot of cheap ones do.
I'm looking around at the touring frames I find. Plus I'm going to check with the LBS to test-ride some different frames. Nashbar has a pretty good rep, though.
Thanks, but the Pacer isn't quite up to what I'm wanting to do. Those chainstays are a good 4.5cm shorter than a touring frame, and the wheelbase is some 10cm shorter. I want a smooth + fast ride. My experience with wheeled vehicles is that a longer wheelbase gives a smoother ride. The fast part will come with a lighter bike.
But I am starting to wonder where you see this project going. You are looking at a steel riser bar? Let's start at the beginning here.
What sort of budget? Do you plan on other activities like touring?
Are you going to cannibalise your current ride for parts?
My plans are to build a bike that is perfect for me and my commute. Plus, I plan on pulling a trailer at times for both groceries and eventually doing some bicycle camping and touring.
My budget? Well, I'm going to buy a bit here, buy a bit there, spread it out over several months; I expect this bike to cost me $1,000-1,500. If I were to buy it in a store or online, I suspect it would run me over $2k easily And yes, I'm going to cannibalize some minor parts from my current ride.