Need Input on First Steel Road Bike Build
 

Yes... I know I don't need another bike :)

I just want to build a steel road bike from the ground up for the fun/experience of it.

I'm trying to figure out the best way to do it. I have a lot of spare parts in the garage. Pretty much everything but a frame, fork and shifters/DR's. I'm looking to find a relatively inexpensive frame to start with and then source things as needed as I go.

Then end product will likely go on CraigsList to recoup some of the cost of the build and to clear out my garage of spare parts. I'm not looking to make money on it, just thinking of it as a hobby expense.

I kicked around the idea of doing one of the Breezer's due to the cost, if Bike Wagon has any left. Also, thinking about Black Mountain Cycles orange road frame, but I'd be more tempted to keep that one.

Any other ideas? I figured running Craigslist for a groupset is probably easier to find than a good steel modern frameset.

Any ideas?

Go crazy. Get yourself a Mason.

Breezer frames are going cheap. ;)

They are all out of the medium on BikeWagon though.

If your doing this as a hobby then the Venturi Frame may not be much fun as it just fits together perfectly with the 5800 groupset.

There is really no challenge there for someone with your skill set. I was expecting to spend a week of actual time doing the build and it took all of 8 hours for me (a complete newbie to building a bike).

Surly have some good frame sets for under $500.

Says who..?

BREEZER! BREEZER! BREEZER! A 56 or M/L ought to be popular for resale. But on second though I will ask why someone should buy your Breezer with Frankenbike parts when they can get the frame so cheap themselves and put nice stuff on it. I mean who wants such a fine, new frame with all your used ca-ca on it. Maybe just build yourself something and keep it.

I've got a Soma Smoothie sitting around for just this purpose. Bought it a couple years ago on ebay in one of those "didn't think I'd win" auctions. Was too cheap to pass up. Anyway, that's a good and pretty frame to consider.

just for a different color, I like the Kona ***** Tonk
Edit: Too funny.. I was bleeped for using the Honk Y word

I'd find a cheap one on ebay.

Jamis Ventura Frame Set Reynolds 520 Tubing with Headset Seatpost 55cm | eBay

http://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/Y5gAAO...lF/s-l1600.jpg

How about this, although you probably don't want disc brakes.

Traitor Wander Frameset & Fork 2015 | evo outlet

During the cycling season, which would be pretty much Now in TX, putting in the miles and keeping up with routine maintenance has been the norm rather than taking on a project for "fun/experience" that the "end product will likely go on Craigslist". Suit yourself.

If you are hankering for some useful wrench time a complete overhaul of a machine that has actually served a high mileage purpose, traditionally done in the winter unless it is the winter/wet bike, will assure a well tuned properly lubricated machine with fresh reliable consumables for the riding season. The intimate knowledge of a favorite machine by taking it down to a bare frame and re-building yourself may be a "fun/experience" as well and useful, or not.

This assumes that a machine will stay in service for more than one season, if not several decades:
Yeah, that's Just Crazy Talk. :eek:

-Bandera

peugeot px10 and some vintage groupset

Is that the typical price of a Ventura frame?
 

Is that the typical going price? I liked the Ventura geometry a lot for an endurance setup.

Also, the quest now is only in steel. Wonder what year the steel Ventura is?

Thanks for all the ideas thus far.

Yeah, I'd rather stay with caliper brakes and something that will fix a SRAM GXP bottom bracket as I have those laying around.

Here you go:

Cycle Force 60 cm Cro-mo Road Frame-CF-930011060 - The Home Depot

Who knew Home Depot sold steel road bike frames? ;)

Holy crap!

Product Weight (lb.) 8 lb

Dang! :)

It's an '01.

Yep. Those are "gaspipe" frames out of China. I've seen a few reviews online and the most common complaint is that the frames are poorly aligned. Still if you wanted a base to practice building a bike on, it's cheap!

Go Giordana! I bet once you build it up and ride it you won't sell it. No such thing as too many bikes anyway!

Giordana

Contact Gita directly and see about a Cromor frame and fork. I was able to get my frame and fork from them much cheaper than the site above.

So at this point, I'm kicking around these frames:

Soma ES Frameset for $616.98:
http://www.somafab.com/wp-content/up...blue2_1100.jpg


Black Mountain Cycles for $595:
https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sDXucyBrj...0/DSC00618.JPG


Soma uses Tange Prestige heat-treated butted CrMo steel front triangle; butted CrMo rear end with no internal frame protection

BMC uses custom drawn and butted chrome-moly steel tubing, the frames are heat-treated and also treated with a surface finish that protects the frame from internal rust.

Any thoughts either way? Or better options?

Too vintage. ;)

You'll be competing with some very nice complete bikes on CL for those amounts.

Soma Smoothie?

I am fairly certain that is the oddest thing I will see today. And in murdered out black no less.