I know there are a heap of heads out there looking for cheap track frames or complete bikes, and it’s an absolute motherfucker to find anything these days. This is doubly true if you want something that’s got true, steep, fun track geometry and won’t fold in half if you lean it against a pole. I stumbled over the FGG today for the first time in a long while and dragged a sweet find out of their reviews. It ain’t super budget, but it looks like an absolute winner.
The site in question is that of Alien Bikes. Based in Norway but shipping out of the US, Alien Bikes specialise in good quality track gear at decent prices. The thing that got me excited is the look of their track frames. They’re made of double butted steel with very nice looking lug work and rock solid track dropouts. The geometry is the way it should be on a track bike, steep and tight. Wheel clearances are minimal and you can tell these things will handle fast and furious. The forks aren’t drilled for brakes, but can be if you want, and they’ll even do it for you. To keep prices down, you even have the option of buying the frame paint-free and rocking a DIY job on it. Hot damn, it’s all good!
The price on these things isn’t dumpster-diving level but for what you get and compared to current pricing, it’s bloody awesome. You can get the frame and fork unpainted and shipped worldwide for US$469, which translates roughly to AU$725. That may seem like a hefty chunk of change, but when you compare it to something like a Surly Steamroller that’s going for close to AU$1000 then it’s not bad at all. Sure, you need to get it painted, but you’re getting an awesome looking, traditional style lugged steel frame with a wicked geometry. Rare as hen’s teeth these days! Grab a couple of cans of spray paint for $30 and you’ve got yourself a custom colour scheme.
They also do some pretty well priced hubs and cranks, as well as a super cheap 103mm bottom bracket (I swear the cheapest I could find was up around $70 a couple of years back).
So if you’ve got a few spare dollars and want something super solid to build a bike around, I’d definitely be checking out the Alien bikes. Read the review of FGG mainly for the photos, cause the guy who wrote it seems a little senile and doesn’t really review the frame at all. It’s got some great shots of the lugs though.
Click on the image below to check out the Alien Bikes gallery.
Link: Alien Bikes Website
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