I'm a broke student and mechanic and I can't find a <$250 track frame
 

Hey all,

I recently started working as a mechanic at a small bike shop in Brooklyn, and I love the job - only problem is, I don't have a bike! Mine was stolen in September. But that's okay, because since then I've learned tons about bikes and about what I want, and I don't want to ride that crappy mountain bike anymore anyway.

I'm on a tight budget so I'd like to build a fixed-gear bike right after the holiday, when I'll have a little more cash on hand. I also want to spent some quality time on a fixed-gear bike, and see how I like the experience - I rode a really nice fixie setup on a sexy De Bernardi frame and I liked it, a lot.

But I can't find a good frame for a good price. I really like the Fetish Attack frame (link), but that's $499 (I also don't love the integrated headset) (but I do love the black). Being that I don't have that much money and that I really just need a bike (and want to build one), does anyone have any recommendations on a good (hopefully light and strong) frame I can get for about $250? I'm open to all sorts of ideas.

I have been looking on eBay and craigslist, but maybe I'm just missing all the good deals.

I also was thinking of getting a Specalized Langster (the Chicago) at wholesale and selling the wheels, then using the rest as a starting point.

Thanks in advance - I appreciate the input.

Alheim

Wow - I just found the 'A discussion of budget fixed-specific frames/complete bikes' thread in the Singlespeed & Fixed Gear forum. What a help.

The langster is cool. Have you seen the seattle edition or the New York in Yellow. I definately think you should wholesale the wheels. They look cool but they are heavy.

Moved to SS\FG at OP's Request

Is there any "Re-Cyclers" in Bronx?

ebay, craigslist....the stuff is there, it just takes a little work, little patience, too.

No luck getting a decent discount through the shop you work for?

Can't you get prodeals on bikes?

You can't get something at shop cost?

You can 1)wait for the Kilo TT frame/fork, 2) scour ebay + craigslist

I just sold my KHS Flite 100 frame with a Tange track fork, headset, and stem for $225.00.

Watch craigslist. Watch ebay.

It's called an IRO Mark V.

the leader 735tr is sweet but it's 250 before shipping and fees and is just the frame, with no fork.

so with that in mind, read the stickied threads.

get whatever you can pro-deal from the shop, seriously.

I just found Freeze Thaw while I was farting around on these innerwebz last night. Never been there, and I don't need another bike, but I might go check 'em out anyway. They're in PA, apparently, so I dunno if that helps you...
http://www.freezethaw.com
Maybe there's a similar outfit up there in NYC...?

+aliens. Also, I'm sure that after you work there for a bit, you could build a bike pretty much for free from crap around the shop that is just collecting dust.

You can get your Fetish Attack on ebay for $199 + shipping, e.g. http://cgi.ebay.com/07-Fetish-Cycles...QQcmdZViewItem

mark v = 250 with free shipping

I was thinking about selling my mercier kilo tt frameset. Its black, got it a few months brand new ago but never got around to building it up. Still have original box/packaging.

IRO would be good or maybe one of those Leader frames on ebay, they look ok if you get a nice fork. Can't beat the tight geometry on the kilo's though!

abso-freaking-lutely! Ive built up some pretty ridiculous bikes through employee discounts, crap laying around shops too long, and dumb deals on local forums. If you are looking for a good frame for under $250 (prodeal/employee cost) then you can check the Soma Rush.

Pake= $200.

I found an old abandoned Schwinn frame tonight!! Free!

I went for a run at about 11 tonight, and while I was out I found an old Schwinn frame locked to a pole - missing everything (even the pedals) except for the bent front tire and handbars/stem. I live in the Bronx, so this sort of thing isn't that unusual. I went back to my place, got a gigantic pair of bolt cutters and borrowed my friend's bike, and headed back to the bike (182nd and Webster Ave., if anyone cares, haha). On my way there some undercover cops asked me what I was doing with those huge bolt cutters, and I explained, and they said 'uhh, you can't do that.. but we didn't see you tonight if anyone asks' and left me alone. So I continued back and cut the bike off the pole.

The frame looks pretty straight, and the bottom bracket doesn't look stripped. The paint is in terrible condition but now I've got a old steel frame with a story behind it, and since I'm broke, this is kinda perfect for me right now. It isn't a track frame (it has vertical dropouts), but I can improvise (Sheldon Brown suggests various fixes).

Also, thanks for all the great advice, guys. I'm definitely going to take advantage of all the pro/shop discounts that I can get, which I may have done with the frame, too. But now I have at least $200 more to spend on the other components, which I could swap onto a better, lighter frame one day. I like the IRO frames, the Pake, and the Soma Rush a lot.

My only question now is I'm not sure if a 700c wheel will fit on the bike well. I have a 700c wheel here and I put it up to the crappy, old bent wheel that was on the bike and it seems to be a bit bigger (the old tire is too worn to read the size). What size do you guys think it is?

Thoughts, comments, etc. apprecaited.

I will post a pic of the frame if you are interested!

The old wheel was probably 27". 700c should fit ok, but brake reach may be a problem. I had to get a super long reach tektro r556 brake for my conversion.

Wait, but, the 700c rim looked larger. Wouldn't that mean I would need a 'shorter' reach brake?

700c is definitely smaller than 27". No bones about it. Look at the tires and make sure you know what size both rims are.

What size is it?