Group frame buy poll.
 

Ok, I'm not claiming that this poll is complete, but you can specify whatever you want (frame & fork, frame only; must have mounts for rocket-propelled grenade launcher etc.) in your post.

I just want a better way to gauge what people are into with the group frame buy rather than go through that whole thread counting individually.

It should go without saying that you should only respond to this if you're actually considering going in on whatever option you choose.

Also, maybe choose your option, state what you chose in the poll, and then give a 2nd or 3rd choice in your post.

Also, it goes without saying that this is contingent on someone getting this together and a builder who's willing to do this, I just want to see if we can all get on the same page with one popular option.

For the record, I chose a Ti frame, with a fork of some kind, in the $500-$800 range, and my second choice would be a steel beater.

[QUOTE=veggiemafia]Also, maybe choose your option, state what you chose in the poll, and then give a 2nd or 3rd choice in your post.
QUOTE]

I chose cheap. I have a decent entry level track bike to get me started on the banked oval. Now I just want something I can ride in the rain/sleet/snow/dark-of-night and beat up while learning track stands and assorted other goofy crap. Ironically i got the Madison for only $150 but it deserves better than to be tossed around a parking lot by the likes of me.

edit: second or third choice would be other (interpoll versus intrapoll) cheap. My next high dollar purchase will be after I prove myself on the track.

cheap steel frame and fork. probably a fun/learning beater for the wife. or a replacement beater for myself.

there are lots of sources for cheap, i vote affordable quality.

+1

Given the frames that I already have, this makes the most sense for me too.

Cheap beater frames are not worth the hassle of the organizing that this is going to take as well as the logistics of shipping. There's already a wealth of inexpensive frames available online - IRO's all float around $300 new and less than half that used.

I'm guessing that it's going to turn out to be closer to $500 per frameset.

That's what I'm saying. I mean, come on, for less than a Bareknuckle you might be able to pick up a titanium track frame.

You can get a Motobecane Messenger or one of the unpainted NYCBikes frames from eBay if you want a beater.

And I'm **** poor too, but I'll save up and eat nothing but lentils for a month.

Would it be in place to ask if the supplier, who ever it may be, would be willing to ship to everyone individually? Wouldn't this make the supplier consider the hassle of shipping? How is this worked out?

mmm... I love lentils!

and, has anyone contacted any supplier for a "throw at ya" figure?

There are plenty of choices for "beaterish" frames. My first choice is 5-800 cf frames, as I have not seen any track cf frames other than the Look frame. i doubt we could get a group buy on that one. My second choice would be a ti frame. If I wanted a cheapish alu or steel frame, others have mentioned the sources.

Also, a fork would be nice, along with one water bottle boss. I would prefer fender mounts, but I doubt that would be a group consensus.

Also, I think a 1 in headtube would be a great idea, as it would solve the threaded/threadless debate, at least a little bit.

My guess is that if the supplier is out of the country getting them to drop ship 50 frames will not be feasible. Probably the cheapest option would be having all of them shipped to one persons place of business and then repackaged in bunches on palettes by city or region and shipped as freight to someones work(or will call) and finally picked up in person by the buyers.

If people actually voted for a threaded fork on a group frame/fork buy I think my brain might dribble out of my nose.

Im thinking something along the lines of
Lugged steel
Road geometry but with track ends
clearance for slightly bigger tires (25-28ish)
we come up with a catchy name to put on it

I voted cheap...but basically I could already find a cheap frame if I really wanted one, and I don't really need a new fg/ss frame + my wife would kill me. What I really need is a new road frame, so unless someone is willing to make a really kickass frame for next to nothing I'm probably out.

Personally, I think you are better off figuring out how many people are more interested in the $500 range or higher. This may not be the majority, but it may be enough to do something interesting, assuming you all can come to a concensus.

yeah just to clarify, i'm voting for a quality frame, not a cheap one.

I voted for the $150-300 Al of steel option before reading all the posts. It is a good point that there are many options for this proce range, but I voted for it because I wanted the "blank slate" option that's not IRO et al. If we could come to some concensus regarding material, options, geometry and get them naked that would get my creative juices flowing. How cool would it be to have a gallery of all the wild builds from fg/ss forum folks who started with the exact same base?

After reading the posts, I would consider bumping up to the more expensive, but I would still want Al/steel.

probably as cool as everyone's iro/fuji/bianchi/surly/khs etc bikes on FGG

I too voted for cf but since no one is currently making a moderately priced cf track frame I don't think cheap cf is an option. A new frame would mean new molds(probably for each size) and I doubt that would be affordable.

As a second choice I would vote for a <$500 Al track frame comparable to a pista concept. Ti would be nice but from what I gather the cheaper foreign built ti frames are not going to have good tubing for a race frame(though it's probably ideal for a general purpose bike.)

1" headset would be deal breaker... There just aren't enough good forks available for it.

While I probably wouldn't be interested myself I don't think a super cheap Al frame is an absurd idea since it could probably be done for a lot less then any of the available options.

I changed my vote. Now I'm voting for a Kogswell P/R in some color other than Kustard.

OK, it's an odball, and it uses 650b wheels, but with 3 different forks, and horizontal drops it could be built in a myraid of different ways including geared, ss, or fixed. Take a look at FlippinHades bike for inspiration

Why is everyone asking for bikes that already exist
and are readily available for cheap? If you want a
road geo bike with bosses and fork ends,, then the
world is your oyster!

I voted affordable CF, and if not that, then something
AL like a Pista Concept.

i like the way you think... except i'd prefer a resurrection of the Model G

I voted <$800 ti, but as I posted on the other thread I'm definitely down with cheap steel. I would prefer forkless unless there is a disc fork option.

i still think lugged steel built by a small builder is the best option. do you really want to buy cheap cf? also, ti is gonna be risky since the ride can be dependent on so many variables. not that i've ridden ti, but i understand that the frames can be anywhere from flimsier than a noodle to stiffer than all hell. budget steel or al seems like a waste of time since there is so much available in those categories. also, dealing with a company overseas is gonna be a nightmare.

if we did go the stock route, bob jackson and mercian might be possibilities. perhaps the milwaukee from ben's cycles would work for some people. personally, i wouldn't do the milwaukee since i need their smallest frame which is completely different geometry wise than their larger frames. just throwin more options out there.

So it seems like at this point, it's going to be better to just PM somebody with the time and the know-how to set up a frame buy for those of us who want to go the quality, non-cheap-beater route and decide on something more concrete.

Sers? Anybody else? Serendipper seemed into it in the other thread.

Looks like you might get 11 people together on a sub $800 Ti frame buy, but if you really want group buying power, you'll need to go with something more people can afford. By my reading of the poll, I'd say a steel frame around $300ish is probably the best bet for mass appeal.

Steel frames for $300 are already widely available
from assorted manufacturers, in a variety of sizes
and geometries.