Cellar

Alright, I'm looking to build a commuter/town bike. I'll be running about 20 miles a day for work, and then maybe some more for errands. It'll be an all seasons bike, looking to make it a single speed.

What I've got my eye on is an older Schwinn Continental. Probably buy it for the frame and then build it up from there. It's off of craigslist and I can get the whole bike for $80, maybe even less. How much might it cost to rebuild the bike with decent components for commuting?

Any thoughts are appreciated.

csj0952

I think there's component packages out there somewhere. Check universalcycles.com for pricing on most components. You might goto some of the pictures threads of various fixed gear bikes, find one you like the components of, then get the inventory list of it and price it out. It's a pain in the butt...

mander

$80 is too much for an old straight gauge frame with stamped dropouts. You could get a nice old beat up double butted frame for that much or a little more if you look around. Or just find a bike like that Continental at a yard sale for 10, or on the curb for free that someone has thrown out. The first of these two options is the one I would pursue, but if funds are limited you should not waste them on shelling out 80 for a frame like that.

The brake calipers, levers and cables on that bike will be crap for all weather commuting. Old crappy ten speeds simply do not have good brakes; I've put modern levers and calipers on a few and the difference is night and day. If the rims are steel they will not stop well in the wet, meaning you will most likely want to buy new wheels. The tires will flat easily. The seat will be uncomfortable.

Your best bet for reliable and cheap components is your local bike co-op if you have one. You can get all kinds of nifty old parts for next to nothing if you know how to dig through the bins effectively.

You will lose financially if you pay msrp for new components, although for a new builder who does not yet know the ways of accumulating parts for little or nothing it's hard to do otherwise. $25 for bb, $80 for cranks, $50 for seat , $200 for wheels, $60 for tires, $25 for levers, $50 for brakeset, etc adds up really fast and quickly eclipses the cost of a new bike from a botb outlet like bikesdirect (3-400ish). If you aren't careful it can slide right past the cost of a nicer lbs bike (5-700 plus).

As a first time bike builder you are getting yourself into what will most likely be a huge waste of time and money, but at the same time if you see this project through you will have learned a lot and had some fun. my first bike build was a ridiculous $1200 quagmire that I still ride. Good luck!