Frames for Single & Geared? Options, options, options...
 

I'm in the market for a new bike frame, and I'm looking for frames that can be easily used geared, or single speed. So far I've found the Salsa Casserole, Pake C'Mute, and Surly Cross Check. Are there are others that fit the bill, and are preferably under or around $400?

Thanks

Have you thought about converting an older bike into a SS/FG? That's you're most economical option. I bought a complete 1970s Centurion that I converted to fix geared and it's great. Most old roadbikes with horizontal dropouts can be converted quite easily.

Check out Sheldon Brown's article on Fixed Gear Conversions if you haven't already: http://sheldonbrown.com/fixed-conversion.html

If you're wanting a new frame/fork you might check out the Eighthinch Scrambler frameset. I've seen them for $150 and so far I've been happy with all of my Eighthinch products.

That's what I have now, and I actually really love it. It has everything I want; clearance for knobby winter tires and fenders, eyelets for racks, and of course the option to go geared... but the frame is just too big. I've been searching for a another old road bike to convert, but I've had no luck. Everyone here seems to have realized there's a market for their 20 year old road bike, so finding a decent, and reasonably priced bike has been hard. I'm pretty much at the point where I'd rather just drop the money on a brand new frame.

Garage sales, flea markets, dumpsters, alleys, bulk garbage collection piles; give those more then just the usual glance and you might find gold such as a campy accessorized or columbus tubed bike :D

http://www.bikeisland.com has got a bunch of framesets that may be what you're looking for. All reasonably priced. Have a friend w/a Salsa Casarole fx w/48x15 gearing and 35mm tires. It's a beautiful machine. I didn't ask, but I think they're around 1K w/comps. Keep beating the bushes for a frame that fits. Thriftstores, yardsales, auctions, flea markets, etc. Another friend found an old Ross frame in someone's shed. He asked for it and the guy said, "Take it." He gave it to me to turn into a fx. I'm waiting for some stuff to sell to get the wheelset, saddle, etc. Was at the point you are now a couple of months ago 'til my friend dropped the Ross on me. I was seriously considering the Jury chrome frameset at bikeisland.

Just buy 2 bikes. Get a cheap fixie from http://bikesdirect.com, then save your money to buy a decent road bike.

It's a royal pain in terms of both time and money to convert a fixed gear bike back to a road bike. Yes, it can be done, but it's easier to have 2 working bikes than 1 bike and a bunch of random parts, especially since buying a decent parts group and wheelset separately can cost almost as much as a pre-built road bike.

salsa casseroll...great frame.

youre not watching the game?

that game was brutal, man. getting on the internet and looking at fixies was all i could do to keep from throwing my TV through a window.

The 'horns should never have been in that game...shoulda been the Horned Frogs.

i was rooting for you. now that you mention the team in purple and carbon fiber, the last few days have not been kind to texas football.