Advice for a possible rebuild (or second build) frame!

Hajuu

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Hey guys,

I've been working on my first build for.. what seems like a long time now and i've basically come to the point where I feel like the bike is a really limiting factor in every aspect that has made this project difficult. All parts of the bike were from a very cheap second hand bike I picked up, in poor condition.

So now i'm thinking of removing the kit, and cleaning it all up and installing it on a new frame.

If I post some exact names of bikes hopefully someone will know if people have used the kits with these frames before :)

Or any other information.

I think the first frame I looked at was the Avanti Voltage http://totallyspoked.com.au/images/uploads/Avanti Voltage.jpg but I dont really like the bikes with the non-flatbar frames.

Thesedays however it seems like most bikes have these stupid dropbar frames, for some reason, and that the main frames I like are roadbike frames.

Which brings me to the first question of, can you install one of these on a roadbike with high gauge spokes? Will durability suffer? It seems to me nearly any roadbike would do as they all practically have the flatbar frame, big wheels, and thin frames.
 
I think the first frame I looked at was the Avanti Voltage, but I dont really like the bikes with the non-flatbar frames.
Thesedays however it seems like most bikes have these stupid dropbar frames, for some reason, and that the main frames I like are roadbike frames.

Which brings me to the first question of, can you install one of these on a roadbike with high gauge spokes? Will durability suffer? It seems to me nearly any roadbike would do as they all practically have the flatbar frame, big wheels, and thin frames.

Mike, what do you mean by 'flatbar' and 'dropbar'? Bicycles aren't my specialty.
Do you mean? :-
Flatbar = horizontal top tube
dropbar = non-horizontal top tube

After looking at that pic, I think that you do.

Is 'Malvern Star' good enough quality?
If so, a 'Malvern Star Octane' can be had, new, for $300.
It has a horizontal top tube, 18-speed gears, linear pull brakes, double-wall rims, and alloy frame. They come in 2 or 3 frame sizes, the "L", (I forget the size in cm, just went to have a look but I've removed the sticker), is perfect to fit a HT engine, even with a shift-kit. No clearance issues.
If you're interested, check out my album.

These kits are designed for road bikes, 26" or 27". They drop straight in.
You don't want skinny road bike tyres, though.

I almost fitted my kit to my old 27" racer, but bought the new MTB instead.
I got more fun out of leaving the old racer out the front and watching it being stolen through the curtains. Took 3 days, but I didn't need to make a 'Free To Good Home' sign.
Should have video'd the theft - it was funny.
 
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Yeah got it in one Aussiesteve, i'm not sure why but for my money the dropbar frames are just much more effortful to ride.

Anything is good enough quality to me, as far as im concerned practically any new bike has the longevity to last atleast a few years under normal circumstances.

A racing bike frame does seem like a **** good idea, and ones in good working order can be had for cheap ($150 second hand). The main issue obviously is cost, and thats why I was looking at the voltage, as they're on sale right now for $200 new!

What kind of tyres would you put on it, maybe those slightly wider hybrid semi-slicks which are smooth in the middle and have tread on the outside for cornering?

I'm also going to do up an inventory at the same time and make a huge order to coventrys for all new mounting bolts and nylox nuts, is there anything specific I should ask for for ones that can be tightened harder than usual?

Also is it possible to install a front suspension fork on a roadbike, or am I likely to have problems with that?
 
The biggest problem with 'dropbar' frames is that a HT engine won't fit in them.
That's why I bought the large frame version, despite being a short-***. I went shop-to-shop with a piece of string with two knots in it to measure the down-tube.

Racing bike frames are very weak and wide tyres won't fit between the rear chainstays or standard forks easily.
Not sure about front suspension, but even with it, you'll be building a bone-shaker. It won't be pleasant to ride very fast. Over 40kph will be murder for road vibration. Also, the low-profile of road tyres means potential pinch-flats. You really do need a bike that can fit decent tyres.
My next build will be full-suspension. Front suspension doesn't help a whole lot on it's own. (Not when you're 51 years old, at least.)
 
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My concern is really more for improving handling, as on my current build the back wheel is very firmly grounded.

Plus I figure one of these with a gel suspension seat on a shock absorbing post will make for a fairly comfortable ride, if you don't mind some vibrations :p. Vibrations arent a bother to me, strong part of the feel of the ride, I step off my bike shaking a little. haha.

But yeah i'll go for a similar 'hybrid' bike or full mb.

As for the drop bar thing, i've seen a lot of them with bars that aren't dramatically dropped, just on a small backwards slope.. These bikes barely had reduced area, but I find need conciderably more power to get going.
 
Only if the tyres are equally soft. Believe me, a 26" mountain bike is much smoother than a 27" road racer, due to the high profile tyres on the MTB, before even considering the suspension. A road racer 'feels' even the cracks in a concrete footpath and any decent bump/pothole will pinch the tube easily. Even with 2.00" MTB tyres, I need 40psi in the front and 50psi in the back to reduce pinch flats on my local roads. Just the same, I've had 3 in 1000km, between the two bikes.

As for the drop bar thing, i've seen a lot of them with bars that aren't dramatically dropped, just on a small backwards slope.. These bikes barely had reduced area, but I find need conciderably more power to get going.

I don't quite understand you on this - are you saying that if the top-tube isn't horizontal, it's harder to pedal?
What reduced area? Don't follow.

(I have had 3 beers - might be getting slow.)
 
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A possible candidate:

http://perth.gumtree.com.au/c-ViewAdLargeImage?AdId=192935564

Edit:
Haha, sorry, as usual I wasn't very clear.

They have a top bar that isn't quite horizontal, as you say, while the rest of the frame sits at about normal dimensions still.

The area in which your motor sits seems to on quite a few of them be only marginally reduced on many of them, but I do still find them harder to pedal, but seem cruisier at higher speeds. I'll have a motor, so I obviously don't really need/want that cruisyness necessarily.
 
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Not sure why they'd be harder to pedal, might be a slightly different seating position. As I said, I'm no bicycle expert, although I'm learning quickly. (Not much choice.)

I checked out that bike. That's one **** of a big frame. You could fit a 250 in there, by the look of it. Looks pretty old, like a road-bike/MTB hybrid. It should fit 2" tyres or wider though, by the look of it, and suspension shouldn't be hard to fit.

The down-tube is tilted foward at a fair angle, though, so the motor would have to be primarily mounted to the seat-tube, with a modified mount at the front to compensate for the angle. Not much of a problem. There are plenty available. I like the look of the SBP 'Large' Universal mount, though I didn't use it. I drilled my frame and reinforced.
 
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