New Bike Frame

On Tue, 07 Jul 2015 07:51:16 -0500, AMuzi wrote:

On 7/6/2015 6:49 PM, John B. wrote:
On Mon, 6 Jul 2015 11:16:48 -0700 (PDT), jbeattie
wrote:

On Monday, July 6, 2015 at 9:01:23 AM UTC-7, AMuzi wrote:
On 7/6/2015 3:28 AM, John B. wrote:

I've been sort of meditating on a new Bangkok Bike. The one I have
presently I bought second hand, perhaps ten years ago, and it had
Shimano 600 components on it which likely gives some indication of its
age.

I've been considering frame materials and I think I want an aluminum
frame with carbon forks. I certainly don't want a carbon frame and
while steel is good it does have an affinitive for rust that isn't
particularly useful in a tropical climate (and yes I do know about
"Frame Saver"). As for carbon forks, I'm being told by several bike
shops that they very rarely (one shop said "never" ) see broken carbon
forks that have not been in a crash.

The present bike has a 52 cm seat tube and a 53 cm top tube. I would
prefer a slightly shorter top tube, I think, as I'm using a 7.5 cm
stem although I am quite happy with the present measurements. The
present wheel base is 100 cm which is fine (all measurements are C to
C).

So far so good. But I want the ability to mount full fenders. It rains
here, and most years it rains a lot. In fact at times during most
rainy seasons you will see portions of the city streets that are
temporally flooded as the drain system can't always keep up with the
downpour. So fenders are mandatory.

So there we have it, an aluminum road bike frame and carbon fork with
fender clearance. The seat and top tube could be a bit shorter but not
much and about a 100 cm wheel base makes for a stable bike but (toe
clearance aside) isn't critical. There will probably be some toe
overlap with this small a bike but that isn't a problem.

Bottom Bracket - preferable English standard threads, head tube -
either 1 or 1-1`/8" but preferable not one of those with the larger
bottom bearing (hard to get pasts), brakes - either side pull or
cantilever although I think I'd prefer side pulls. Eyelets for fenders
of course but none necessary for front or rear carriers. 700c wheels
of course.

I'm looking for frame and fork only as I plan to remove all the new
and expensive :-) Shimano parts from the old frame and re-cycling
them.

Anyone have any ideas where such a thing can be acquired? Or which one
is best?
--
cheers,

John B.


Perhaps a test ride of a modern cyclo cross bike? Disc
brakes are taking over the genre rapidly but still aluminum
models with cantilevers and carbon fork.

If you like the handling (higher BB, etc) you'll get
reasonable mudguard clearance all around for road tires
(probably not mudguards with 30mm cross tires).

Definitely ride one first before buying a cross frameset.

Spend the money. Keep the economy strong! http://konaworld.com/esatto_ti_frame.cfm

There are tons of good aluminum bikes (many with discs) that accommodate fenders and larger tires (e.g. Allez, Synapse). I don't know about bare frames, though.

-- Jay Beattie.

As for titanium frames, I worked on airplanes that used titanium and I
never though it was a good choice for anything like a bicycle frame -
although there are undoubtedly more modern alloys that might be.

"Over here" bicycles are largely sold as complete packages. It is
difficult, for example, to get spokes, rims or hubs as separate items.
I was asking the local Shimano Agent, here in Bangkok, for some road
bike spokes and he told me that "we don't import those any more....
there is no demand." Complete wheels - in sets - but no spokes :-)

The Trek agent... probably the largest dealer in Thailand.. here has 3
frames - 1 time trial/Iron man, one Madone and one other carbon frame
in the show room. I asked about other frames and they just shrugged
their shoulders.... nobody wants to buy one of those.

The market here is very much oriented toward the single speed bike
with the basket on the front, the multi-speed sports bike and MTB
bikes in the same two classes and as a general statement, bike shops
here stock what sells.

Frustrating :-)
--
cheers,

John B.

Delivery from USA to Australia, Singapore, ROK and Japan is
affordable enough on a frameset based on our recent sales.

I get a delivery estimate of $300 insured to Thailand which
is higher than to other Asian locations.
Ouch. Depending on your local market that may be reasonable
but it's a lot more than to Singapore.

Three hundred dollars and than there will be import duties which seem
to vary a great deal whether the post office collects them (usually
about 10%) or whether one of the freight forwarding companies clear
the cargo. Duty is charged on the total landed cost so the
transportation is included for customs fees.

Call it US$ 330 makes it about TB 11,000. A Trek lower end carbon
frame is about 15,000 baht, say US$ 440 ( but you get the frame :-)

HOWEVER, the estimate to Thailand might include the estimated duty, as
Singapore certainly has much lower duties, or perhaps none depending
on the item.
--
cheers,

John B.

On 7/7/2015 9:44 PM, John B. wrote:
On Tue, 07 Jul 2015 07:51:16 -0500, AMuzi wrote:

On 7/6/2015 6:49 PM, John B. wrote:
On Mon, 6 Jul 2015 11:16:48 -0700 (PDT), jbeattie
wrote:

On Monday, July 6, 2015 at 9:01:23 AM UTC-7, AMuzi wrote:
On 7/6/2015 3:28 AM, John B. wrote:

I've been sort of meditating on a new Bangkok Bike. The one I have
presently I bought second hand, perhaps ten years ago, and it had
Shimano 600 components on it which likely gives some indication of its
age.

I've been considering frame materials and I think I want an aluminum
frame with carbon forks. I certainly don't want a carbon frame and
while steel is good it does have an affinitive for rust that isn't
particularly useful in a tropical climate (and yes I do know about
"Frame Saver"). As for carbon forks, I'm being told by several bike
shops that they very rarely (one shop said "never" ) see broken carbon
forks that have not been in a crash.

The present bike has a 52 cm seat tube and a 53 cm top tube. I would
prefer a slightly shorter top tube, I think, as I'm using a 7.5 cm
stem although I am quite happy with the present measurements. The
present wheel base is 100 cm which is fine (all measurements are C to
C).

So far so good. But I want the ability to mount full fenders. It rains
here, and most years it rains a lot. In fact at times during most
rainy seasons you will see portions of the city streets that are
temporally flooded as the drain system can't always keep up with the
downpour. So fenders are mandatory.

So there we have it, an aluminum road bike frame and carbon fork with
fender clearance. The seat and top tube could be a bit shorter but not
much and about a 100 cm wheel base makes for a stable bike but (toe
clearance aside) isn't critical. There will probably be some toe
overlap with this small a bike but that isn't a problem.

Bottom Bracket - preferable English standard threads, head tube -
either 1 or 1-1`/8" but preferable not one of those with the larger
bottom bearing (hard to get pasts), brakes - either side pull or
cantilever although I think I'd prefer side pulls. Eyelets for fenders
of course but none necessary for front or rear carriers. 700c wheels
of course.

I'm looking for frame and fork only as I plan to remove all the new
and expensive :-) Shimano parts from the old frame and re-cycling
them.

Anyone have any ideas where such a thing can be acquired? Or which one
is best?
--
cheers,

John B.


Perhaps a test ride of a modern cyclo cross bike? Disc
brakes are taking over the genre rapidly but still aluminum
models with cantilevers and carbon fork.

If you like the handling (higher BB, etc) you'll get
reasonable mudguard clearance all around for road tires
(probably not mudguards with 30mm cross tires).

Definitely ride one first before buying a cross frameset.

Spend the money. Keep the economy strong! http://konaworld.com/esatto_ti_frame.cfm

There are tons of good aluminum bikes (many with discs) that accommodate fenders and larger tires (e.g. Allez, Synapse). I don't know about bare frames, though.

-- Jay Beattie.

As for titanium frames, I worked on airplanes that used titanium and I
never though it was a good choice for anything like a bicycle frame -
although there are undoubtedly more modern alloys that might be.

"Over here" bicycles are largely sold as complete packages. It is
difficult, for example, to get spokes, rims or hubs as separate items.
I was asking the local Shimano Agent, here in Bangkok, for some road
bike spokes and he told me that "we don't import those any more....
there is no demand." Complete wheels - in sets - but no spokes :-)

The Trek agent... probably the largest dealer in Thailand.. here has 3
frames - 1 time trial/Iron man, one Madone and one other carbon frame
in the show room. I asked about other frames and they just shrugged
their shoulders.... nobody wants to buy one of those.

The market here is very much oriented toward the single speed bike
with the basket on the front, the multi-speed sports bike and MTB
bikes in the same two classes and as a general statement, bike shops
here stock what sells.

Frustrating :-)
--
cheers,

John B.

Delivery from USA to Australia, Singapore, ROK and Japan is
affordable enough on a frameset based on our recent sales.

I get a delivery estimate of $300 insured to Thailand which
is higher than to other Asian locations.
Ouch. Depending on your local market that may be reasonable
but it's a lot more than to Singapore.

Three hundred dollars and than there will be import duties which seem
to vary a great deal whether the post office collects them (usually
about 10%) or whether one of the freight forwarding companies clear
the cargo. Duty is charged on the total landed cost so the
transportation is included for customs fees.

Call it US$ 330 makes it about TB 11,000. A Trek lower end carbon
frame is about 15,000 baht, say US$ 440 ( but you get the frame :-)

HOWEVER, the estimate to Thailand might include the estimated duty, as
Singapore certainly has much lower duties, or perhaps none depending
on the item.
--
cheers,

John B.


That was door-to-door insured but duty varies so much now
that no one can predict how much or if you'll pay the tax.

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

On Tuesday, July 7, 2015 at 7:44:08 PM UTC-7, John B. wrote:
On Tue, 07 Jul 2015 07:51:16 -0500, AMuzi wrote:

On 7/6/2015 6:49 PM, John B. wrote:
On Mon, 6 Jul 2015 11:16:48 -0700 (PDT), jbeattie
wrote:

On Monday, July 6, 2015 at 9:01:23 AM UTC-7, AMuzi wrote:
On 7/6/2015 3:28 AM, John B. wrote:

I've been sort of meditating on a new Bangkok Bike. The one I have
presently I bought second hand, perhaps ten years ago, and it had
Shimano 600 components on it which likely gives some indication of its
age.

I've been considering frame materials and I think I want an aluminum
frame with carbon forks. I certainly don't want a carbon frame and
while steel is good it does have an affinitive for rust that isn't
particularly useful in a tropical climate (and yes I do know about
"Frame Saver"). As for carbon forks, I'm being told by several bike
shops that they very rarely (one shop said "never" ) see broken carbon
forks that have not been in a crash.

The present bike has a 52 cm seat tube and a 53 cm top tube. I would
prefer a slightly shorter top tube, I think, as I'm using a 7.5 cm
stem although I am quite happy with the present measurements. The
present wheel base is 100 cm which is fine (all measurements are C to
C).

So far so good. But I want the ability to mount full fenders. It rains
here, and most years it rains a lot. In fact at times during most
rainy seasons you will see portions of the city streets that are
temporally flooded as the drain system can't always keep up with the
downpour. So fenders are mandatory.

So there we have it, an aluminum road bike frame and carbon fork with
fender clearance. The seat and top tube could be a bit shorter but not
much and about a 100 cm wheel base makes for a stable bike but (toe
clearance aside) isn't critical. There will probably be some toe
overlap with this small a bike but that isn't a problem.

Bottom Bracket - preferable English standard threads, head tube -
either 1 or 1-1`/8" but preferable not one of those with the larger
bottom bearing (hard to get pasts), brakes - either side pull or
cantilever although I think I'd prefer side pulls. Eyelets for fenders
of course but none necessary for front or rear carriers. 700c wheels
of course.

I'm looking for frame and fork only as I plan to remove all the new
and expensive :-) Shimano parts from the old frame and re-cycling
them.

Anyone have any ideas where such a thing can be acquired? Or which one
is best?
--
cheers,

John B.


Perhaps a test ride of a modern cyclo cross bike? Disc
brakes are taking over the genre rapidly but still aluminum
models with cantilevers and carbon fork.

If you like the handling (higher BB, etc) you'll get
reasonable mudguard clearance all around for road tires
(probably not mudguards with 30mm cross tires).

Definitely ride one first before buying a cross frameset.

Spend the money. Keep the economy strong! http://konaworld.com/esatto_ti_frame.cfm

There are tons of good aluminum bikes (many with discs) that accommodate fenders and larger tires (e.g. Allez, Synapse). I don't know about bare frames, though.

-- Jay Beattie.

As for titanium frames, I worked on airplanes that used titanium and I
never though it was a good choice for anything like a bicycle frame -
although there are undoubtedly more modern alloys that might be.

"Over here" bicycles are largely sold as complete packages. It is
difficult, for example, to get spokes, rims or hubs as separate items.
I was asking the local Shimano Agent, here in Bangkok, for some road
bike spokes and he told me that "we don't import those any more....
there is no demand." Complete wheels - in sets - but no spokes :-)

The Trek agent... probably the largest dealer in Thailand.. here has 3
frames - 1 time trial/Iron man, one Madone and one other carbon frame
in the show room. I asked about other frames and they just shrugged
their shoulders.... nobody wants to buy one of those.

The market here is very much oriented toward the single speed bike
with the basket on the front, the multi-speed sports bike and MTB
bikes in the same two classes and as a general statement, bike shops
here stock what sells.

Frustrating :-)
--
cheers,

John B.

Delivery from USA to Australia, Singapore, ROK and Japan is
affordable enough on a frameset based on our recent sales.

I get a delivery estimate of $300 insured to Thailand which
is higher than to other Asian locations.
Ouch. Depending on your local market that may be reasonable
but it's a lot more than to Singapore.

Three hundred dollars and than there will be import duties which seem
to vary a great deal whether the post office collects them (usually
about 10%) or whether one of the freight forwarding companies clear
the cargo. Duty is charged on the total landed cost so the
transportation is included for customs fees.

Call it US$ 330 makes it about TB 11,000. A Trek lower end carbon
frame is about 15,000 baht, say US$ 440 ( but you get the frame :-)

HOWEVER, the estimate to Thailand might include the estimated duty, as
Singapore certainly has much lower duties, or perhaps none depending
on the item.
--
cheers,

John B.

Maybe its time to visit another country and fly one home in a box. I hear China is nice this time of year. Go to one of those knock-off malls and get a fake Gucci bike.

-- Jay Beattie.