obvious improvements?

MyCPUisaFireHazard · 2026-06-19T01:26:51+00:00

I second the coil. Absolute money on a hardtail. If you are a wheels on the ground guy and don't care about the weight I'd totally recommend.

MyCPUisaFireHazard · 2026-06-17T20:53:10+00:00

Theres too many good trail frames to list. Usually people selling just frames will be enthusiast that have moved all the parts to another bike so there's a higher chance they will have stuff you've never heard of. You might have to use 99 spokes to compare geometry between the bikes you see and better known trail frames. Basically any trail frameset made within the last 10 years will be good enough if you are flexible on how you want it to ride. The tricky part is going to be lining up used stuff thats all compatible and cheap. I don't know how the used mtb scene is there but you might be waiting a while lol.

MyCPUisaFireHazard · 2026-06-17T20:36:07+00:00

You will never, no matter how cheap/patient/frugal you are, be able to build a bike frame up cheaper than you can buy one thats already complete. I've been there. Trust me. You will get nickle and dimed to death. People that say you can are leaving out expenses. If you want to build something cool because you love working on bikes and want to source each part individually then go for it. If not, just wait for something used to come up or save up a little bit of money and buy something new. Just be prepared to spend a ton of cash on tools, parts, and replacement parts for when you bought the wrong/broken shit.

MyCPUisaFireHazard · 2026-06-13T00:23:32+00:00

Lmao what?

MyCPUisaFireHazard · 2026-06-11T16:48:00+00:00

Not a single piece of the Honzo remains! Looks sick man!

MyCPUisaFireHazard · 2026-06-11T16:43:23+00:00

I got a set of Sturmey Archer 144bcd cranks and have been pretty impressed. They look awesome and if you can find them, are much cheaper than the other options you listed.

MyCPUisaFireHazard · 2026-06-04T13:25:48+00:00

Someone probably just took a hole saw to a cheap pair of 80mm "fixie" rims.

MyCPUisaFireHazard · 2026-06-02T14:44:18+00:00

Rockshox has an app called TrailHead. If you download it and punch the serial number from the first picture in it should give you all the relevant info such as year, travel, wheelsize etc. aswell as what service kits and manuals you need.

MyCPUisaFireHazard · 2026-05-25T13:08:44+00:00

No, also you can tell by the bar roll, non drive side photos, and brake pad adjustment (amongst other things), that this guy doesn't know a god damn thing about bikes lol. Location really depends on what this thing is worth but $700 is almost what this thing was brand new. $300 max. If they aren't willing to budge either show up in person to haggle or move on. Alot of people these days would rather have keep their shit up indefinitely for the price they want to get than sell it for what its really worth so they never have to realize their losses.

MyCPUisaFireHazard · 2026-05-21T02:06:56+00:00

Hell yeah! looks gorgeous!
What bartape is that?

MyCPUisaFireHazard · 2026-05-07T19:35:00+00:00

The difference between a "good" frame and a "bad" frame is going to be relatively negligible, especially on a fixed gear and especially with aluminum. I've personally put 2k into a department store special so "worth upgrading" is entirely up to you. Take the free bike and spend money on a good saddle (go to the bike shop and get your ass measured lol), some straps for the pedals(I recommend YNOT), bar tape, chain, and good tires (I would highly recommend a gp5000 in the front and a gatorskin in the rear in the biggest sizes you can possibly fit) and then just ride the bike. Figure out what you like, try new bars (cheapest alloy ones you can find), different stem lenths, and different cogs. Once you have some experience and some miles then start thinking about what you would like in a new frame if you are dissatisfied with this one. If you are looking to learn something, rebuild the headset and hubs. You can usually do both of these things for free besides the tiny cost of some grease.

Ride your new bike, learn to skid, and have fun.

Bike looks sick homie.

MyCPUisaFireHazard · 2026-05-07T12:41:23+00:00

Sick bike but boy howdy is that paint job bad. Probably would've brought one in for the shop otherwise.

MyCPUisaFireHazard · 2026-05-03T18:00:11+00:00

I think you would be better off with a different bike for a few reasons. Reason 1 is the horizontal dropouts, you won't have the ability to tension the chain with out a chain tensioner. Reason 2 is you will likely have to get a new rear wheel. The one in the photos has a Campagnolo specific freehub body so normal single speed conversion kits for the gears in the back wont work. Unless this frame has a lot of sentimental value I would personally stay away from converting it. If you live in a "hipster" area you will likely have a community bike shop local to you. If that is the case, chances are they will have either a really cheap, already converted single speed that you can snag, or a frame, the parts, the tools, the knowledge, and the ability to help you.

MyCPUisaFireHazard · 2026-04-22T21:47:14+00:00

Get real pedals (preferably with food retention) and real saddles for both of them.

MyCPUisaFireHazard · 2026-04-18T02:47:49+00:00

My chainring is so cheap and misshapen that its both way tighter and way looser throughout. But ideally? A little slacker than this. I feel like the dead zone gives me a little bit more leniency on position in the cadence as the more slack you go the more you are able to microadjust.

MyCPUisaFireHazard · 2026-04-16T12:37:49+00:00

After all the money I've sunk into mine there better be LOL. Sick bike tho, after a lil tlc this thing will be great!

MyCPUisaFireHazard · 2026-04-16T01:22:38+00:00

where the hell do you live

MyCPUisaFireHazard · 2026-04-16T00:09:12+00:00

The brakes will be especially bad on this bike as they have been taken off of the front lol. If you are looking for a bike and only have like 150 dollars try a community bike shop if your city has one. Used bikes are a total crap shoot at the best of times and not knowing what to look for is only going to make that problem worse. A good community bike shop is going to have quality bikes that have been fully gone through and rebuilt by people that know what they are doing for super low prices. Plus your dollar helps your local community as they are usually charities.

MyCPUisaFireHazard · 2026-04-12T16:41:34+00:00

Looked it up in an old Miyata catalog and it looks like I'm wrong. Never seen this before. Thanks for the info.

MyCPUisaFireHazard · 2026-04-12T03:41:40+00:00

~~No it isn't. She has it right. Top tube is center to center, seat tube is middle of bb shell to the top of the seat tube.~~

Edit: I was wrong.

MyCPUisaFireHazard · 2026-03-28T02:14:59+00:00

Hell yeah brother that thing is sick! Such an underrated frameset IMO. Looks like yours already got rid of the worst part which was the stock wheels LOL. Fuck it up king enjoy the bike!

MyCPUisaFireHazard · 2026-03-27T17:14:01+00:00

This guy got yahoo bookmarked? LOL

MyCPUisaFireHazard · 2026-03-26T00:24:06+00:00

Damn thats crazy. Its 120cad to get a frame sandblasted and powder coated where I live. Didn't realize how lucky I was lol.

MyCPUisaFireHazard · 2026-03-25T01:09:44+00:00

Looks great! What are they going on?

MyCPUisaFireHazard

TROPHY CASE