The "what bike bits have you just bought" thread

[HereBeMonsters]

WinstonWolf said:

HereBeMonsters said:

WinstonWolf said:

Usget said:

WinstonWolf said:

jamiebae said:

Rocksteadyeddie said:

HereBeMonsters said:

As my new road bike will be a while getting here, I'm contemplating one of these for commuting duties:

http://www.sportsdirect.com/dunlop-fixie-track-bik...

For £120, it looks like a decent stopgap?

It'll be awful. HTH.

One review says it has plastic cranks

Looks like an utterly terrible contraption to me, as someone else has said just get something secondhand instead.

Plastic pedals you muppet

Is it just me, or do a) all of those reviews sound like they came from the same person, and b) that that person was being paid to write them?

Not that I would suggest that such scurrilous practices take place, which of course, they do not.

I'm almost tempted to go and look at one for a ton. It flips between SS and fixie, I've got plenty of bits I could swap out, someone stop me...

That was what I was thinking. I have enough spares that I could probably build one myself if I could be arsed, but I can't. If any of this broke, I'd just swap off the bits with old 90s tat from my shed.

I do wish there was one in a shop that I could see...

Are they online only? My local one is open till 8...

My local store is too small to have bikes.

[Rocksteadyeddie]

HereBeMonsters said:

WinstonWolf said:

Usget said:

WinstonWolf said:

jamiebae said:

Rocksteadyeddie said:

HereBeMonsters said:

As my new road bike will be a while getting here, I'm contemplating one of these for commuting duties:

http://www.sportsdirect.com/dunlop-fixie-track-bik...

For £120, it looks like a decent stopgap?

It'll be awful. HTH.

One review says it has plastic cranks

Looks like an utterly terrible contraption to me, as someone else has said just get something secondhand instead.

Plastic pedals you muppet

Is it just me, or do a) all of those reviews sound like they came from the same person, and b) that that person was being paid to write them?

Not that I would suggest that such scurrilous practices take place, which of course, they do not.

I'm almost tempted to go and look at one for a ton. It flips between SS and fixie, I've got plenty of bits I could swap out, someone stop me...

That was what I was thinking. I have enough spares that I could probably build one myself if I could be arsed, but I can't. If any of this broke, I'd just swap off the bits with old 90s tat from my shed.

I do wish there was one in a shop that I could see...

You can recreate the feeling of this "bike" by taking the worst bike you can find. Run over it in your car, and then fasten a couple of breeze blocks under the saddle to replciate the substantial construction. Job jobbed.

[WinstonWolf]

HereBeMonsters said:

My local store is too small to have bikes.

I'll go and have a look after tea, mine has them outside...

I've just looked on Fleabay, half the stuff will easily need that spending to turn it into a SS, is probably nicked and you'll have to go miles to collect it

Pop a Brooks saddle and bar grips on it, some honey walled tyres, loose the stickers and it could look quite nice.

Just struggling to see where 12KG comes from.

[Rocksteadyeddie]

WinstonWolf said:

HereBeMonsters said:

My local store is too small to have bikes.

I'll go and have a look after tea, mine has them outside...

I've just looked on Fleabay, half the stuff will easily need that spending to turn it into a SS, is probably nicked and you'll have to go miles to collect it

Pop a Brooks saddle and bar grips on it, some honey walled tyres, loose the stickers and it could look quite nice.

Just struggling to see where 12KG comes from.

It's the heavyweight pig-iron used in construction.

[WinstonWolf]

Rocksteadyeddie said:

WinstonWolf said:

HereBeMonsters said:

My local store is too small to have bikes.

I'll go and have a look after tea, mine has them outside...

I've just looked on Fleabay, half the stuff will easily need that spending to turn it into a SS, is probably nicked and you'll have to go miles to collect it

Pop a Brooks saddle and bar grips on it, some honey walled tyres, loose the stickers and it could look quite nice.

Just struggling to see where 12KG comes from.

It's the heavyweight pig-iron used in construction.

That's not necessarily a bad thing (living in the fens). My ten ton pub bike takes a bit to get it rolling but once it does it it embarrasses far better bikes and it gives a lovely ride. I've still not figured out how it is as quick as it is

And no, it's quick on the way TO the pub as well

[Usget]

WinstonWolf said:

HereBeMonsters said:

My local store is too small to have bikes.

I'll go and have a look after tea, mine has them outside...

I've just looked on Fleabay, half the stuff will easily need that spending to turn it into a SS, is probably nicked and you'll have to go miles to collect it

Pop a Brooks saddle and bar grips on it, some honey walled tyres, loose the stickers and it could look quite nice.

Just struggling to see where 12KG comes from.

I've got a bridge for sale too if you guys are interested. Good special price.

[Rocksteadyeddie]

WinstonWolf said:

Rocksteadyeddie said:

WinstonWolf said:

HereBeMonsters said:

My local store is too small to have bikes.

I'll go and have a look after tea, mine has them outside...

I've just looked on Fleabay, half the stuff will easily need that spending to turn it into a SS, is probably nicked and you'll have to go miles to collect it

Pop a Brooks saddle and bar grips on it, some honey walled tyres, loose the stickers and it could look quite nice.

Just struggling to see where 12KG comes from.

It's the heavyweight pig-iron used in construction.

That's not necessarily a bad thing (living in the fens). My ten ton pub bike takes a bit to get it rolling but once it does it it embarrasses far better bikes and it gives a lovely ride. I've still not figured out how it is as quick as it is

And no, it's quick on the way TO the pub as well

Last time I saw bikes outside Sports Direct they looked about 5 years old there was that much rust on all the cheap fasteners and components.

[HereBeMonsters]

Well I do have a lovely steel frame in the shed, that's big enough to be a single speeder, but it's an old MTB frame, so it'll have to have 26" wheels and it doesn't have that slotted drop-out for the rear wheel, so will need some sort of chain tensioner.

12KG isn't THAT heavy. Most full suspension bikes are at least that.

[WinstonWolf]

Rocksteadyeddie said:

WinstonWolf said:

Rocksteadyeddie said:

WinstonWolf said:

HereBeMonsters said:

My local store is too small to have bikes.

I'll go and have a look after tea, mine has them outside...

I've just looked on Fleabay, half the stuff will easily need that spending to turn it into a SS, is probably nicked and you'll have to go miles to collect it

Pop a Brooks saddle and bar grips on it, some honey walled tyres, loose the stickers and it could look quite nice.

Just struggling to see where 12KG comes from.

It's the heavyweight pig-iron used in construction.

That's not necessarily a bad thing (living in the fens). My ten ton pub bike takes a bit to get it rolling but once it does it it embarrasses far better bikes and it gives a lovely ride. I've still not figured out how it is as quick as it is

And no, it's quick on the way TO the pub as well

Last time I saw bikes outside Sports Direct they looked about 5 years old there was that much rust on all the cheap fasteners and components.

You should see the rust on my pricy Bottechia I've replaced all the fasteners on that already.

I take the point, but you know how it is with bikes, you buy a cheapie, don't tell the missus and then slowly replace everything. I'm already on the Brooks site looking for upgrades

[walm]

I bought a second hand langster for £200 off ebay.
Probably the best value I have ever spent on any bike kit.

PLEASE DO THIS.
DO NOT BUY THAT BIKE.

The Langster had:
- 2x new Gatorskins.
- SPDs
- Charge spoon saddle.
- Aluminium frame.
- Carbon fork.
- Sugino messenger crankset.
- Brakes that worked.
- Flip-flop hub that worked.
- Solid KMC chain.

I think I did about 4,000 miles on one new chain and a couple of tyres.
Absolutely great.

While a dunlop for £120 will cost you so much more in the long term to make it roadworthy.

[WinstonWolf]

But I've set my heart on another Brooks that costs more than the bike already

[GarryDK]

HereBeMonsters said:

Well I do have a lovely steel frame in the shed, that's big enough to be a single speeder, but it's an old MTB frame, so it'll have to have 26" wheels and it doesn't have that slotted drop-out for the rear wheel, so will need some sort of chain tensioner.

12KG isn't THAT heavy. Most full suspension bikes are at least that.

will your knee hold up to a SS?

[TwistingMyMelon]

Ive got a brooks I want to sell if anyone is interested, Swift , used for about 5 months with mudguards

[louiebaby]

My 2p worth on the Belkin kit as mine arrived yesterday too.

It's cheap, and you can tell, but it will be fine for commuting. The free large t shirt is about the right price.

Coincidentally, for a few quid, literally, the superhero kit from Chinese Ebay is actually better quality. The ebay stuff has cuff grippers and what feels like better, more breathable fabric. The arm warmers are rubbish though. I reference the short sleeve and bibs stuff, no idea on the long sleeve and leggings gear.

[arcticnick]

A merino "jersey" and a pair of £15 roubaix bib tights from Planet X. Looking forward to my new 2 x 22km commute this autumn!

http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CLPXCRWT/planet-x-clu...

[mikees]

arcticnick said:

A merino "jersey" and a pair of £15 roubaix bib tights from Planet X. Looking forward to my new 2 x 22km commute this autumn!

http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CLPXCRWT/planet-x-clu...

How does the Planet X stuff size?

Mike

[Jayfish]

Herebemonsters, I have no idea who you are and I have never met you but jeez I'd happilty lend you my spare bike for a few months to save you from that pile of st you are contemplating, I'm serious, step away from the BSO...

[mikees]

arcticnick said:

A merino "jersey" and a pair of £15 roubaix bib tights from Planet X. Looking forward to my new 2 x 22km commute this autumn!

http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CLPXCRWT/planet-x-clu...

[WinstonWolf]

mikees said:

arcticnick said:

A merino "jersey" and a pair of £15 roubaix bib tights from Planet X. Looking forward to my new 2 x 22km commute this autumn!

http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CLPXCRWT/planet-x-clu...

How does the Planet X stuff size?

Mike

Small!

[WinstonWolf]

HereBeMonsters said:

Well I do have a lovely steel frame in the shed, that's big enough to be a single speeder, but it's an old MTB frame, so it'll have to have 26" wheels and it doesn't have that slotted drop-out for the rear wheel, so will need some sort of chain tensioner.

12KG isn't THAT heavy. Most full suspension bikes are at least that.

I went and had a look but they only had the MTB's in stock. I've been pondering and I really need gears thanks to a FUBAR'd knee. Can you have a fixie with gears?

Think I'm gonna do the pub bike up, it's got a chrome frame that polishes up nice, I'm sure I can turn it into something interesting