sub-$400 mountain bike frame? Is a custom possible?

[Me]

Hi, kinda an odd request I know but I was wondering if I can tap into the knowledge of the
newsgroup...

I live in the UK and am in the market for a new mountain bike frame for general XC riding.

I've been toying with the idea of trying to take advantage of a good £ to $ exchange rate and buy a
frame in america and have it sent over here.

I have a budget of circa $350-$400 (+shipping and import taxes on this end) and was wondering if
anyone could recommend a custom frame.

I use to live in the US about 10 years ago and if they were still around I'd buy a Fat City, or
Grove, or a Breezer or something along those lines.

All the custom makers I see reviewed in our UK mags are at least $800+ for frames.

I'm open to riding steel, Al or whatever. For what its worth, my last frame that I sold recently
was a 8 year old 17.5" c-c Ti without disc mounts so the new one must have disc mounts at the
bare minimum.

Ideally, if a builder (doesn't need to be connected to a big company or anything but if colorado
cyclist or supergo have their own brand I'd consider that as well) sells direct to the customer that
would be a bonus as I could arrange to have them pack it to survive the trip over the pond.

cheers for any recomendations as I'm sure there's something avail for that price but I just can't
seem to find it...

 

[Alex Rodriguez]

In article <[email protected]>, [email protected] says...
>Hi, kinda an odd request I know but I was wondering if I can tap into the knowledge of the
>newsgroup... I live in the UK and am in the market for a new mountain bike frame for general XC
>riding. I've been toying with the idea of trying to take advantage of a good £ to $ exchange rate
>and buy a frame in america and have it sent over here. I have a budget of circa $350-$400
>(+shipping and import taxes on this end) and was wondering if anyone could recommend a custom
>frame. I use to live in the US about 10 years ago and if they were still around I'd buy a Fat City,
>or Grove, or a Breezer or something along those lines. All the custom makers I see reviewed in our
>UK mags are at least $800+ for frames. I'm open to riding steel, Al or whatever. For what its
>worth, my last frame that I sold recently was a 8 year old 17.5" c-c Ti without disc mounts so the
>new one must have disc mounts at the bare minimum. Ideally, if a builder (doesn't need to be
>connected to a big company or anything but if colorado cyclist or supergo have their own brand I'd
>consider that as well) sells direct to the customer that would be a bonus as I could arrange to
>have them pack it to survive the trip over the pond. cheers for any recomendations as I'm sure
>there's something avail for that price but I just can't seem to find it...

I think Tom Teesdale has advertised custom MTB frames on this newsgroup that fall on the upper end
of your range. You should get in touch with him and see what he can do for you.
-------------
Alex

 

[Dvt]

Me wrote:

> Hi, kinda an odd request I know but I was wondering if I can tap into the knowledge of the
> newsgroup...
>
> I live in the UK and am in the market for a new mountain bike frame for general XC riding.
>
> I've been toying with the idea of trying to take advantage of a good £ to $ exchange rate and buy
> a frame in america and have it sent over here.
>
> I have a budget of circa $350-$400 (+shipping and import taxes on this end) and was wondering if
> anyone could recommend a custom frame.

Custom? I don't know about that.

Under $400? Nashbar: http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?category=130&subcategory=1176&brand=&sku=60-
63&storetype=&estoreid=

Surly ($450 for frame & rigid fork): http://www.sheldonbrown.com/harris/surly-karate-monkey.html

I can't recall any others at the moment. I know I found some in the past, but my memory.... what
was I saying?

--
Dave dvt at psu dot edu

 

[Kinky Cowboy]

On Thu, 26 Feb 2004 09:10:18 -0000, "Me" <[email protected]> wrote:

>Hi, kinda an odd request I know but I was wondering if I can tap into the knowledge of the
>newsgroup...
>
>I live in the UK and am in the market for a new mountain bike frame for general XC riding.
>
>I've been toying with the idea of trying to take advantage of a good £ to $ exchange rate and buy a
>frame in america and have it sent over here.
>
>I have a budget of circa $350-$400 (+shipping and import taxes on this end) and was wondering if
>anyone could recommend a custom frame.
>
>I use to live in the US about 10 years ago and if they were still around I'd buy a Fat City, or
>Grove, or a Breezer or something along those lines.
>
>All the custom makers I see reviewed in our UK mags are at least $800+ for frames.
>
>I'm open to riding steel, Al or whatever. For what its worth, my last frame that I sold recently
>was a 8 year old 17.5" c-c Ti without disc mounts so the new one must have disc mounts at the
>bare minimum.
>
>Ideally, if a builder (doesn't need to be connected to a big company or anything but if colorado
>cyclist or supergo have their own brand I'd consider that as well) sells direct to the customer
>that would be a bonus as I could arrange to have them pack it to survive the trip over the pond.
>
>cheers for any recomendations as I'm sure there's something avail for that price but I just can't
>seem to find it...
>

By my calculation, a $400 frame in the US is going to make a £325 shaped hole in your credit card
once you've added shipping, import duty and VAT. As you say, that pretty well rules out a UK custom
build, but it leaves you with a wide choice of aluminium and steel bikes. Try these for size, you
probably won't do better by shopping abroad;

Kinesis Maxlight Kinesium XC Pro Disc
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/viewproduct.asp?category=Frames&ModelID=3780

GT Zaskar Pro http://www.wiggle.co.uk/v2_product_detail.asp?ProdID=5360011177

Orange Gringo Aluminium or P7 steel http://www.bikedock.com/posit/shop/productinfo.php?partno=GRIN&-
srcwind=%2Fposit%2Fshop%2Findex.php%3Fcategory%3D29%26group%3D26

http://www.bikedock.com/posit/shop/productinfo.php?partno=P7FRAME&srcwind=%2Fposit%2Fshop%2Findex.p-
hp%3Fcategory%3D29%26group%3D26

SINTESI SLICKROCK DEDACCIAI 7003 http://www.bikedock.com/posit/shop/productinfo.php?partno=99000000-
79215&srcwind=%2Fposit%2Fshop%2Findex.php%3Fcategory%3D29%26group%3D26

Rock Lobster choice of Easton Aluminium or Reynolds 853
http://www.merlincycles.co.uk/acatalog/Rock_Lobster_Frames.html

All around the £300 to £325 mark, and some of them include discounts on any other parts you buy at
the same time

Kinky Cowboy*

*Batteries not included May contain traces of nuts Your milage may vary

 

[A Muzi]

> Me wrote:
-snip-
>> I live in the UK and am in the market for a new mountain bike frame for general XC riding.
-snip-
>> and was wondering if anyone could recommend a custom frame.

dvt wrote:
> Custom? I don't know about that. Under $400? Nashbar: http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?category-
> =130&subcategory=1176&brand=&sku=6063&storetype=&estoreid= Surly ($450 for frame & rigid fork):
> http://www.sheldonbrown.com/harris/surly-karate-monkey.html

Yes, dropping "custom" really helps: http://www.yellowjersey.org/soma.html $379

--
Andrew Muzi www.yellowjersey.org Open every day since 1 April, 1971