For example, if you buy direct and assemble yourself:

http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/mountain_bikes.htm

Yeah, those are mass market Taiwanese bikes, but with a little TLC there are some gems in the mix.

Quote from: maximusotterSpend $50 and that geared bike will be fine. The weak spot isnt the Deore mech, just replace them with LX as needed. Weak spot is the hubs. If you get it, repack them immediately with the best bearings you can find, and check them after wet rides, as the 475s are traditional hubs with only a dustcap. Nothing wrong with the Hayes discs if youre not downhilling. I wouldnt recommend the Deore mechanicals I have on my city bike for true off-roading, but the Hayes should be perfectly fine for cross country travel.

TBh, its specced like dogsh*t for a 900 squid bike. Not that the components are bad, just that most of the dough is in the frame and fork. If you shop around over here, you could get a HT specced with LX and Avid mechanicals for half that.

so youd go for the second one?

the only reason i am contemplating the SS is that its lighter and it can be abused to sh*te before i have to start tending to the drive train... (especially as manchester trails are notoriously gloopy and anti-drivetrain friendly...)

The One-on-One seems muchly better if you want gears. SS is still delightfully fuss-free though. Depends on what floats your boat, really. Whats the spec on the Orange SSs hubs/rims? If its as bad as their geared offering, at such a price point, Id be hesitant to give a thumbs up.

I understand wanting to get the best frame possible, but its all rather pointless if your hubs need replacing after a couple mucky winter rides.

Quote from: maximusotterTWhats the spec on the Orange SSs hubs/rims? If its as bad as their geared offering, at such a price point, Id be hesitant to give a thumbs up.
.

QuoteWHEELS:
HUBS: Hope Pro 2, singlespeed
RIMS: WTB Speed Disc 24
TYRES: Continental Gravity 2.3

which are amazingly good hubs...

I approve.

The basic Deore hubs have a reputation. I have them on my Brodie, btw, as it is an example of a very very nice frame paired with basic components. Fine for beer runs and town hucking, but not for anything punishing. Repacked mine first thing.

Come off it.  If you want Yorkshire Steel, you cant beat an On-One.

A bike company devoted to Single Speed nonsense.

They are tinkering with the website at the moment so I cant show you.  But they are better than the orange bikes.



---Edit-----
http://www.on-one.co.uk/index.php?module=pagemaster&PAGE_user_op=view_page&PAGE_id=115&MMN_position=131:131

Quote from: soopahflyCome off it.  If you want Yorkshire Steel, you cant beat an On-One.

A bike company devoted to Single Speed nonsense.

They are tinkering with the website at the moment so I cant show you.  But they are better than the orange bikes.



---Edit-----
http://www.on-one.co.uk/index.php?module=pagemaster&PAGE_user_op=view_page&PAGE_id=115&MMN_position=131:131

yep, ive looked long and hard on that site but i cant even tell what they have in stock, in my size, apart from the 456....

they have everything, its the factory shop.

Quote from: soopahflythey have everything, its the factory shop.

what i am saying is, i cant make head nor tail of their stock levels... my mate got an inbred - same kit as the 456 they advertise at the moment, but i cant see it anywhere...

I dont think they do the inbred anymore.  They just had a massive clearout, things like the Inbred, with Full XT and Discs for Ã,£600

QuoteIn stock now!

Were doing complete bikes - based around the 29er and Sliding Dropout Inbred.

Spec is:-
29er or 26in Sliding Dropout frame.
Rigid Superlight fork (appropriate size)
Mary bar (26in) or Fleegle Bar (29in) and Inbred Stem
FSA XL II Headset
New on-one disc SS screw on hub and matching disc front.
Avid V brakes and levers.
on-one post and saddle.
WTB tyres
Reetard rims
Truvativ Stylo GXP crankset (black, 175mm)
Gearing is 32:18 on the 29er and 32:16 on the SS.
No pedals.

Price is Ã,£499. We can ship to the US for Ã,£50.
How much of a bargain is that?
Lets do some sums.
Frame - Ã,£275
Fork - Ã,£85
Bar - Ã,£35
Stem - Ã,£35
Headset - Ã,£30
Wheelset - Ã,£100
Tyres - Ã,£25
Crank - Ã,£100
V brakes and levers - Ã,£30
Chain - Ã,£5
Freewheel - Ã,£10
Saddle - Ã,£25
Seatpost - Ã,£35
Seatclamp - Ã,£5

well... that lot comes to Ã,£795 according to my sums...
Whats that in dollars?
For US customers, Ã,£549 (price plus shipping) is $970 or thereabouts.
There are no 18in bikes in the USA right now, so we can only ship from the UK.
Can I have drop bars and a green saddle?
The short answer is that you can have anything you want.

The long answer is that all bikes as built "as is" and we cant swap or change anything, but can add in other items at a discounted price.

Such as Fleegle bars, other forks etc etc..

We also cant (currently) fit any of this product to the bikes, but will put it in the box, with the complete bike, for you to fit. Right now we dont have the manpower to offer custom building on these complete bike.

All this is coming across as us being quite negative and unhelpful, which doesnt delight me. All I can say is that the bikes are a very very low price for the spec fitted. And this low price means that we cant bend over backwards and jump through as many hoops as wed like - but even if you do need to buy an additional bar, or another freewheel, Im confident youre still getting a better deal than any other SS bike out there - either as a complete bike, or built up from individual parts.

So thats, Ã,£500 for the bike, Add a Manitou Splice Comp like the orange,
Manitou 2005 Splice Comp - Ã,£109.99 - Chain Reaction Cycles

and thats a damn nice bike, It is slightly lower specced than the orange, but the frame is miles better.  Its a big bike company you can ring up and chat to just like a local bike shop.

The guy who owns On-One and Planet-X used to live down the road from me, and he would deliver bits to me personally.


Bikes
http://www.on-one.co.uk/index.php?module=pagemaster&PAGE_user_op=view_page&PAGE_id=83&MMN_position=96:96

Extras
http://www.on-one.co.uk/index.php?module=pagemaster&PAGE_user_op=view_page&PAGE_id=111&MMN_position=210:210

Are the One on Ones Taiwanese made? Gotta be for the price, and thats a good thing. I find it funny when folks over here think that theyre getting a better frame if some hippie in Wisconsin brazes it up vs. a well established Asian factory. Only thing better is usually the paint, but you have to pay 4x for the frame because of the labor costs. Nix that opinion if you truly want something custom of course.

Ill take the 29er please, with some light 37mm cx tires for rapido crosskuntry-action!

On another note: the One*ones handlebars simply ROCK. This stupid convention of virtually straight bars is a mtb engineering f*ckup thats hung in for two decades now. We had a bit of sense ten years ago with "arc bars" but they never caught on much. A few specialty companies have been making bars with sane sweepback here in the US but theyre a bit expensive.

I want some of these.

Quote from: soopahflySo thats, Ã,£500 for the bike, Add a Manitou Splice Comp like the orange,
Manitou 2005 Splice Comp - Ã,£109.99 - Chain Reaction Cycles

and thats a damn nice bike, It is slightly lower specced than the orange, but the frame is miles better.  Its a big bike company you can ring up and chat to just like a local bike shop.

The guy who owns On-One and Planet-X used to live down the road from me, and he would deliver bits to me personally.


Bikes
http://www.on-one.co.uk/index.php?module=pagemaster&PAGE_user_op=view_page&PAGE_id=83&MMN_position=96:96

Extras
http://www.on-one.co.uk/index.php?module=pagemaster&PAGE_user_op=view_page&PAGE_id=111&MMN_position=210:210

ive already got a set of Pace RC36s, id stick on it...