Cell/Reid cheapie vs fixing old MTB
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Cell/Reid cheapie vs fixing old MTB
Postby BrisVegas » Fri May 10, 2013 9:42 am
Considering two options. Buy a Cell/Reid $200-300 single speed bike. OR Make some mods to my beatup old Trek 8000 MTB.
A couple of workmates have gone the cheap SS route and I'll admit their bikes look pretty cool and would do the job. One of these guys is a serious cyclist and triathlete, but happily uses his CELLfixie for taking his kids to school and riding 5km to work, ie. much the same as me. I see there's a $100 option thru CELL to get a Sturmey Archer 2 speed kickback wheel, which might be worth a look? My kids have Nexus internal 3 speed hubs on their bikes, but they seem a bit crap to me. I've never tried the kickback style though....
I loved my MTB and it was an expensive bike when I bought it new around 2000. It's got a very light frame, decent Bontrager eyeletted wheels, seat, bullhorn bars etc.. But, the SID forks are blown, the FD is broken and the crankset was swapped for a cheap and nasty setup a while back to keep it functional. I looked at putting a widget on it and some surly rigid forks, but it occurred to me that I could strip all the gears off it and just use it as a big BMX basically. The frame could use a respray and the LX/XT components are 13 years old, so probably needs a new chain and bottom bracket at a minimum. I see you can buy spacer conversion kits for the freehub pretty cheap, but it'd still be around $200 to fix up the MTB I reckon. If I made it a single speed with tensioner, I could just remove the extra two chainrings and wouldn't need a widgit?
What are people's thoughts? Go the cheap new bike or try and resurrect the old MTB ?
Appreciate the feedback!
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Re: Cell/Reid cheapie vs fixing old MTB
Postby HLC » Fri May 10, 2013 10:32 am
You would be best buying that.
As you say, your MTB is tired, you will end up spending more fixing that up (and probably maintaining it) than you will on the cell. Unless you also suffer from upgraditis.
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Re: Cell/Reid cheapie vs fixing old MTB
Postby BrisVegas » Fri May 10, 2013 10:37 am
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Re: Cell/Reid cheapie vs fixing old MTB
Postby Slvr32gtr » Fri May 10, 2013 11:06 am
I put together an old repco frame with some cheap single speed wheels and parts to use as my commute bike. Its great! It handles the 5km commute each way in North Brizzie easily and goes in all weather with no issues. It also saves me riding the race bike or the MTB which eats away the offroad tyres quickly.
Ive set it up with MTB clipless pedals so that i can use shoes that i can walk in as well. Its definitely worth having a cheap clunker for commuting in my opinion. The money i save on MTB tyres, its paid for itself!
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Re: Cell/Reid cheapie vs fixing old MTB
Postby BrisVegas » Fri May 10, 2013 1:14 pm
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Re: Cell/Reid cheapie vs fixing old MTB
Postby slidetaker » Fri May 10, 2013 1:41 pm
It is simply because I know I can get better values in return for my dollar, don't mind the work and enjoy something a bit different from the norm at the end...
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Re: Cell/Reid cheapie vs fixing old MTB
Postby PeteV » Fri May 10, 2013 2:34 pm
My fixie is a 54 and my roadie is a 56 so sounds about right to me.BrisVegas wrote:just popped down to the bike locker and checked out a mate's 53cm cell messenger fixie. not bad. not bad at all! Surprisingly the 53cm wasn't miles too small for me. My road bike is 58-59cm, but I reckon I could get away with a 56cm in these things. Does that seem normal?
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Re: Cell/Reid cheapie vs fixing old MTB
Postby BrisVegas » Fri May 10, 2013 2:58 pm
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Re: Cell/Reid cheapie vs fixing old MTB
Postby takai » Fri May 10, 2013 3:17 pm
The double advantage is that it will be much nicer than a Cell or a Reid, and given that its already a bit battered it wont stand out when locked to a pole.
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Re: Cell/Reid cheapie vs fixing old MTB
Postby BrisVegas » Fri May 10, 2013 3:22 pm
I've got some 26" slicks already and I figure I can just take off two of the front chainrings along with the buggered front derailieur. Its the buggered Rock Shock SID forks that I need to replace. Cheapest new option I've seen is a Surly rigid fork from the UK for about $100. The bike shop told me the SIDs were not worth repairing, as it's big $$.takai wrote:I would fix up the MTB too, costs about $19 for a single speed conversion kit, plus about $10 for a new cheap chain. Add about $15 ea for cheap 26" slicks and youll have yourself a pretty decent commuter.
The double advantage is that it will be much nicer than a Cell or a Reid, and given that its already a bit battered it wont stand out when locked to a pole.
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Re: Cell/Reid cheapie vs fixing old MTB
Postby BrisVegas » Fri May 10, 2013 3:40 pm
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/TWBIKESHOP-N ... 1383wt_756" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
but I suspect a steel fork might be a safer option...
http://www.this link is broken.au/surly-instigator-rigid-fork/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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Re: Cell/Reid cheapie vs fixing old MTB
Postby takai » Fri May 10, 2013 5:28 pm
If you were in Melbourne I have an old fork you could have for $20 or so.
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Re: Cell/Reid cheapie vs fixing old MTB
Postby ldrcycles » Fri May 10, 2013 6:28 pm
That said I like frigging with bikes, so fixing up the mtb appeals too. Not least because IME 26" tyres pretty much DON'T puncture, unlike 700C, unless they're 28mm or bigger. I have a pair of those Mosso forks, rough as guts off road but on road they'd be fine, I wouldn't have any concerns about durability either as they look to be a pretty solid construction.
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Re: Cell/Reid cheapie vs fixing old MTB
Postby BrisVegas » Fri May 10, 2013 7:42 pm
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Re: Cell/Reid cheapie vs fixing old MTB
Postby Mulger bill » Fri May 10, 2013 7:53 pm
London Boy 29/12/2011
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Re: Cell/Reid cheapie vs fixing old MTB
Postby boyracer » Fri May 10, 2013 8:07 pm
Why not 1x 7 or 1 x 8? super cheap chain/cogs with good service life for those big hills you wrote about?
2 speeds are way too heavy to justify fitment. Apparently Sram do an alloy bodied one though i havent seen it.
FWIW heres a link to my elcheapo 1 x 8 speed 2004 MTB commuter/CX.
I also have an old steel MTB w/ SS coaster for pub/milkruns/kindy that has been ridden at least a couple of times a week for 13 years now on almost no maintenance/outlay.
viewtopic.php?f=70&t=62038
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Re: Cell/Reid cheapie vs fixing old MTB
Postby BrisVegas » Fri May 10, 2013 8:12 pm
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Re: Cell/Reid cheapie vs fixing old MTB
Postby BrisVegas » Fri May 10, 2013 8:21 pm
Does the geometry change much with the mosso fork? It looks a fair bit shorter than the current 100mm setup.boyracer wrote:I'm for the fix. Although a major headache is the vertical dropouts. Sure run a tensioner, even use the old rear mech as one for cheeps....but not the same as true single speed for bulletproofing.IMO.
Why not 1x 7 or 1 x 8? super cheap chain/cogs with good service life for those big hills you wrote about?
2 speeds are way too heavy to justify fitment. Apparently Sram do an alloy bodied one though i havent seen it.
FWIW heres a link to my elcheapo 1 x 8 speed 2004 MTB commuter/CX.
viewtopic.php?f=70&t=62038
I love the look of your bike though. Do you have any issues with chain retension? Is the derailieur enough to hold it on tight?
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Re: Cell/Reid cheapie vs fixing old MTB
Postby boyracer » Fri May 10, 2013 8:37 pm
Chain guide could be 'made' from an old non functioning FD. I had a couple of derailments due to jumping curbs/medians/smallgaps/small children... now have a PAUL unit...my one splurge of cash!
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Re: Cell/Reid cheapie vs fixing old MTB
Postby celeste boy » Sun May 12, 2013 4:25 pm
They do look good.
CB
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Re: Cell/Reid cheapie vs fixing old MTB
Postby BrisVegas » Mon May 13, 2013 11:25 am
I had a play around with my mtb on Saturday and removed the buggered FD and two of the three chainrings. I rode it around for a while on the 42 ring and it worked ok, even on the biggest gear at the back. I think 32 might be a better compromise though to give me some short gears for mucking around and climbing hills. I'll need to shorten the chain if I stick with that. I'd love a "widgit" for peace of mnd, but don't have a lot of cash just now. It looks cool with just a single front ring and no derailieur. I can certainly see the attraction in single speed conversions for these things. Without all the extra stuff hanging off the back it would look pretty slick!
I'm leaning more towards sticking with the mtb for now. Some new rigid forks and brake pads and it should be a bit more satisfying to ride.
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Re: Cell/Reid cheapie vs fixing old MTB
Postby takai » Mon May 13, 2013 2:32 pm
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Re: Cell/Reid cheapie vs fixing old MTB
Postby BrisVegas » Mon May 13, 2013 3:37 pm
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Re: Cell/Reid cheapie vs fixing old MTB
Postby takai » Mon May 13, 2013 4:52 pm
http://www.cyclingdeal.com.au/buy/full- ... ck/WM-1214" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
UBrake only, no discs though.
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