[Closed] Cheap singlespeed frames

I have a sanderson soloist & am very happy. Have had on-ones in the past and they're popular for a reason, they ride really nicely. Had a dialled love/hate and there was no love there at all - don't know why, just never clicked.

Dialled Love/Hate..

Love mine.

Feels exactly how a bike should do IMHO..

Living adjacent to Delamere, its the bike I ride the most... 🙂

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I had the same question some months ago but found the choice of singlespeed specific frames (i.e. horizontal dropout and sliding brake mount) to be too limiting so reverted to a tensioner solution.

I've since learned (from another thread) that you can get away with vertical drop outs and no tensioner if you calculate appropriate cog sizes.

Last couple of L size [url= http://www.singularcycles.com/hummingbird.html ]Singular Hummingbirds[/url] are on special?

gingerss - Member
I had the same question some months ago but found the choice of singlespeed specific frames (i.e. horizontal dropout and sliding brake mount) to be too limiting so reverted to a tensioner solution.

I've since learned (from another thread) that you can get away with vertical drop outs and no tensioner if you calculate appropriate cog sizes.

Or, Just by a singlespeed specific frame?? 😉

I have a 19" Genesis IO frame in bronze I'm currently stripping down. Can be bought for £70 plus postage.

I got my GT Peace frame for £40 second hand. I love it!
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A lovely Sanderson Soloist. If you are ham-fisted like me you may find the EBB is a bit fidly with an external BB, but once fitted, it rides and handles beautifully.

Cheap?...tough to see past on one, usually plenty about SH too

Curtis S1? Well, £200 knocked down from £750 was cheap. Tis a beautiful thing. Everything a steel frame should be...

Hardly "worth" £750 if they couldn't sell them for that...

Or, Just by a singlespeed specific frame??

It's that going around in circles feeling when you want something but no one product quite meets all your requirements.

Here's hoping manufacturers will wake up and realise that not all singlespeeders have a beard and want a steep bike with 100mm forks.

I bought my Fisher Tass for not very much off here and tweaked it to my liking, found a magic ratio (32:18 on a 17.5" frame), ditched the tensioner, added a rigid carbon fork and switched odd bits around. I reckon the whole lot's still cost me less than £300.
[img] https://picasaweb.google.com/104512928256316364610/DropBox?authkey=Gv1sRgCMXSzfuW5t3FuQE#5708940923905891506 [/img]

Didn't say it was 'worth' £750. But for £200 it wees all over stuff costing twice as much. Owned loads of steel frames and this one is by far the best for ticking off all those cliches that nice steel frames should have like springy, compliant, light etc etc.

I'd have never paid £750 for one though. But then it is a handbuilt in a shed in the UK frame. So in that respect, even for £750 its a bargain when compared to the built in a shed in the US steel frames that are twice as much.

Darn it, I hate it when pictures don't work...
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[i]I have a 19" Genesis IO frame in bronze I'm currently stripping down. Can be bought for £70 plus postage[/i]

I've just bought one for similar money. Only had a couple of rides, but it seems like a keeper.
So nice not to have to use a tensioner, always seems such a botch.

New I can think of the Pipe dream Sirrus but at £385 it not cheap. Comes with sliding dropouts though.

All vertical dropout HT frames are single speed frames in my book. All you need is to pick the right cogs. Pretty simple as well. I have two an 2003 Orange Evo2 and a 1989 Marin Pallisades that run magic gears.

I would single speed what you have. You won't regret it!

gingerss - Member
...Here's hoping manufacturers will wake up and realise that not all singlespeeders have a beard and want a steep bike with 100mm forks.

here you are...

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here you are

After seeing that skillful French bloke on something similar I think it might just be the latest 'must have' format. I wonder if I can get one with the top tube re-enforcement already added?

Surly 1x1. Cheapish, completely bombproof and an absolute hoot to ride. Mine is the older version which has quite "traditional" geometry which might not suit some. The newer ones are a bit more compact with a dropped top tube etc.

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I have a couple of frames sat in the garage..... need to generate some space too!

Thorn Raven Enduro, Reynolds 853, EBB, Rohloff or singlespeed specific, Black, excellent condition.

Pipedream Sirius, Reynolds 853, Paragon sliding dropouts (geared or singlespeed), one year old but was only built up for a few weeks and only ridden 2 or 3 times. Lovely light grey colour.

Both 18" ish sizes £200 and £300

Owned a couple of On-Ones, 26" & 29". Loved them.
Just sold my 29er.

Soon to see what On-One x 4 money brings in terms of ride... 🙂

All vertical dropout HT frames are single speed frames in my book. All you need is to pick the right cogs.

I've since learned (from another thread) that you can get away with vertical drop outs and no tensioner if you calculate appropriate cog sizes.

Is there a calculation to be run for this? Or is it just trial-and-error?

I used to run my hack on a 16:32 magic ratio - but the chain was so tight that it made the cranks stiff to turn. The chain snapped after a few hundred miles. I run it with a DMR tentioner now.

Some good links on Sheldon Brown regarding magic ratio, including this one:

http://eehouse.org/fixin/formfmu.php

Need to see more of this - looks fantastic 8) 😯

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The thing to understand for magic gearing is that every tooth you add/take away adds/takes away 1/4" from the total chain length needed. So wrap your chain around your 32/16T cogs and bring the two ends of the chain together and see what fraction of inch excess chain you have. Then add/ takeaway teeth until you have a chain that joins.

For example my Orange Evo2 ran a 32/16T with a tensioner. Without the tensioner I had between 1/2"-3/4" too much chain so chain the front ring to 34T sorted this out and the chain joins without giving to much slack.

I could also run;
a 30/16T taking 1" out of the chain,
or 36/18T adding 1" to the chain e.t.c
you get the idea I hope.

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[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/nzrich/6660436167/ ]P1080071[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/nzrich/ ]Richard Munro[/url], on Flickr

Hummingbird fanboy here feels just right even with the weird forks!

I have this for sale! £600

[url= http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6065/6046490737_080ff40be6.jp g" target="_blank">http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6065/6046490737_080ff40be6.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/nzrich/6046490737/ ]P8153891[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/nzrich/ ]Richard Munro[/url], on Flickr

I know you said 'other than On One' but I've just built up one of the new 2012 Inbred 29er SS specific white jobbies and its fab. IMO the welding quality and finish has improved markedly over previous On Ones I have owned and is on a par if not better than my Soul. Not light by any stretch (6lbs for the 19.5 inch) but rides lovely. Fork is a Salsa Cromoto Grande' so frame and fork was £270. Other bits are all mid range stuff. All in its 24lbs. Its's my "try 29er's" bike and nothing else comes close for value.

@ bm0p700f - thanks for that! Good info! 🙂

I know you said 'other than On One' but I've just built up one of the new 2012 Inbred 29er SS specific white jobbies and its fab. IMO the welding quality and finish has improved markedly over previous On Ones

Excellent to hear. Odd though as its the same frame factory we have been using for years. Though I think there might be a new paint shop. I haven't been yet.

Here's hoping manufacturers will wake up and realise that not all singlespeeders have a beard and want a steep bike with 100mm forks.

They have woken up and make jump bikes, some are SS and for 130mm fork

I really like my Genesis I0 combined with a pair of eXotic carbon forks-lovely forgiving ride and reasonably light-I've even got to like the bronze colour. One big advantage (or disadvantage to others maybe)-it is a SS specific frame so no extra cable guides stuck on it.
It's the bike I ride as a matter of preference these days while my poor old Superlight sits neglected in the garage.
Should be able to pick one up reasonably cheap I'd have thought.

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My single speeds both use vertical dropouts. Neither has any chain slipage, both work really well, infact I don't ride my geared bike.

The disc equipped one is a 2003 Orange evo 2 and the canti equipped bike is a 1989 Marin Pallisades.