British frame for winter road bike?

[culminator]

Having bought a lovely Moda Stretto in the summer, I want to preserve her lovliness and get a winter bike for the crud coated british roads. I want to buy British, new or used, so any suggestions for a good reasonably priced frame/bike?
Cheers
Mike

[DrMekon]

You don't specify a budget, so I'd suggest a Dave Yates Prima training frame with track ends, built up fixed with mudguards.

[culminator]

Budget would be up to say £350? I've never really got the whole fixie thing. I can see the appeal of its simplicity but in the real world, how much of a struggle are they uphill? What is it about them that people love?

[roadman]

Ribble?? British company, not sure where the frames are made though ??

[Pothole]

roadman said:

Ribble?? British company, not sure where the frames are made though ??

Carbons are made in Taiwan, not sure about others.

[thiscocks]

something like a raleigh randonneur frame

[anonymous-user]

I thought you bought two Moda Strettos, one for summer and one for winter?...

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

oh well, if you want a British company but dont mind if its made in the far east, i'd look at the Cotic X, the Ribble audax or the Dolan Preffisio.

If it has to be British made, try the following but you will be looking at the best part of a grand for a frame and forks that you may not wish to then build up as a "winter bike"!... if you find a secondhand frame, its worth doing a lot of research and even checking with the frame builder that its one of theirs and not a generic frame with their decals. As the retro fad goes on, there are a lot of replicas are around... anyway, some to look for;

Brian Rouke
Dave Yates
Robin Mather
Argos
Bob Jackson
Condor
Burls
Mercian
Quiros

by all accounts, fixed gear bikes are quite easy to get up hills, the momentum forces the wheel round so you actually climb at a better rhythm. they are simple and require minimal effort to maintain, they also help with technique but my experiences are limited to the velodrome and not the real world...

Edited by anonymous-user on Tuesday 20th November 13:27

[craggers]

Paul Milnes ? ... someone told me that it is decent frame.

Plenty on eBay from Paul Milnes direct.

[Roman]

Steve Goff if you want a reasonably priced high quality steel frame hand made in the UK:
http://www.steve-goff-frames.co.uk/frames.shtml

I doubt many aluminium frames will actually be made in the UK.

[culminator]

Thanks all, i'll start the research!

Pablo, yes i still have the other Stretto frame but it's too nice to get crudded up, hence I'll be selling it on to fund the winter bike.

[Rouleur]

This http://www.kinesisbikes.co.uk/products/racelight/t... plus these http://www.kinesisbikes.co.uk/products/forks/road/...

[DrMekon]

Roman said:

Steve Goff if you want a reasonably priced high quality steel frame hand made in the UK:
http://www.steve-goff-frames.co.uk/frames.shtml

I doubt many aluminium frames will actually be made in the UK.

Have you got one? Very, very reasonably priced and I've heard good things.

[anonymous-user]

fair enough, sell the spare stretto/frame and buy a Dolan Prefissio then, the Sram Apex build is about £800 and is ready to roll all through the year, in the winter with guards and the summer with racks as a nice tourer!...

[Roman]

DrMekon said:

Roman said:

Steve Goff if you want a reasonably priced high quality steel frame hand made in the UK:
http://www.steve-goff-frames.co.uk/frames.shtml

I doubt many aluminium frames will actually be made in the UK.

Have you got one? Very, very reasonably priced and I've heard good things.

I don't but had a go on a one a couple of years ago - couldn't fault the ride, the workmanship was lovely and as you say £290 for 525/531 and £500 for 853 are great prices.

Here's one from the LFGSS forums
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3287/4077726940_ffe...

Not sure if he also builds in 931 or 953.

[Jimbo.]

It's "British" by label only, but the Genesis Equilibrium:

http://www.genesisbikes.co.uk/bikes/frames/equilib...

...is laarrrrrvely. Of course, I would say that as I have one as my one and only road bike. No rack mounts (fixed with a Salsa lip-lock seat clamp), but it does have guard mounts, clearance for 28mm tyres and nice geometry

[culminator]

Thanks for all the recommendations one and all. After extensive research I narrowed it down to a Dolan or a Kinesis. In ana act of remarkably good timing, a Kinesis TK2 with decent kit came up for sale in my size.
Can't wait to pick it up on Monday :-)

[offendi]

swerni said:

culminator said:

Budget would be up to say £350? I've never really got the whole fixie thing. I can see the appeal of its simplicity but in the real world, how much of a struggle are they uphill? What is it about them that people love?

That's the fun of them.
Finding a nice hill and challenging yourself to get to the top, without the ability to drop it down a few gears.

the real fun is coming down a good hill and trying not to blow your knees up . If you're a keen rider with the muscles to supoprt your joints its a challange but if your a new/returning rider its a recipe for disastor

Fixies may also lead to buying rapha posing outfits which is not a good thing

but having said that i love my SSer mtb