Ken Pisichko Wrote:
bfd wrote:

What's "lowest cost?" If you really want the cheapest price, look
into
to shipping getting a frame built in Taiwan. Even with the price of
shipping, the cost of building a frame can't be beat.

Then again, China has framebuilders too. So you may want to look
into
having one build there.
No wait, Vietnam. I hear Vietnam has the lowest labor rate - less
than
$3/day. I bet there are framebuilders in Vietnam who can do it
cheaper@!

Other countries you may want to check out are Phillipines, Cambodia,
Uzbekistan, Iraq - that may be a good choice!, Iran (just don't tell
them you're danish) or countries in Africa!

Any idea what a pipe fitter would charge to build a frame? The OP
would
not need S&S connectors for such a frame built of steel high pressure
pipe
- just a pipe wrench :-) Obviously a huge saving in not needing the
connectors, AND USA unionized labour would be a patriotic benefit. Then
of
course if surplus oil field pipe was used there would be a positive
"green
effect" on the environment due to re-cycling.

OTOH, I paid a fair bit of change for my frame built in Alberta with
S&S
connectors. The frame is really nice with powder coated paint and 48
spoke
26" wheels for bicycle touring in outback Australia for starters.
There
was no point in thinking cheap for travel out there - just to
minimize/reduce the chances of getting stuck with Murphy out in the
middle
of no-where Australia out of cell-phone service range.

Ken

If you are going to build it out of pipe, forget about the threaded
unions and just use Victaulic joiners.


--
Dan Burkhart