Building a commuter

[levad]

I posted this earlier today in commuting, here is probably a better place.

I have the opportunity to get hold of an old J.F.Wilson road bike frame. I am told that the forks a front wheel are serviceable, the rear hub is OK but I would need to build a wheel around that (a 40 spoke rim is needed). My question to all learned folk on here is what are the ideal components for the rest of the machine. My commute is 13 miles of hilly, poorly surfaced rural roads in West Oxfordshire. At the moment I ride a Giant Cypress with suspension forks and 700Cx28 tyres.

Campag or Shimano?
Which bottom bracket?
Type and manufacturer of brakes?
Transmission?
Saddle?
Handlebars?

It may take some time to save up for the components and build but I think I could end up with a nice road machine here.

 

[RedBike]

It depends on what the frames like. Arn't J.F.Wilson bikes custom built?

Building a bike up is an expensive business.

 

[Joe24]

If you were in a bike club, you could build it up in under £100 i would think.
If you built up using new, then it will get expensive.

 

[llllllll]

Campag - Shi(t)mano will fail, usually sending you across the road minus bike. I've got a line of puncture marks up the back of my ankle where my chainring embedded itself when my Shimano freehub failed.
BB- Get the older square taper BB, it'll suit your frame better than the newer External type and is better sealed, ideal for a commuter that's likely to get used in bad weather/conditions. There's plenty of Campag square taper stuff on Ebay.
Brakes, again can't argue with Campag, but most major manufacturers brakes are pretty good. Make sure you check if you need deep drop or standard calipers before buy though.
Saddles are a personal thing, there's little point in asking what works for other people, buy something at works for you.
Handlebars are similar to saddles, in that it's all down to personal perfrence. I'd go with drop bars - more hand positions for a long commute, personally I like the bend on Richey's bars. Double check the clamp diameter of your stem before you buy, there's a hundred and one different sizes out there.

 

[spandex]

I posted this earlier today in commuting, here is probably a better place.

I have the opportunity to get hold of an old J.F.Wilson road bike frame. I am told that the forks a front wheel are serviceable, the rear hub is OK but I would need to build a wheel around that (a 40 spoke rim is needed). My question to all learned folk on here is what are the ideal components for the rest of the machine. My commute is 13 miles of hilly, poorly surfaced rural roads in West Oxfordshire. At the moment I ride a Giant Cypress with suspension forks and 700Cx28 tyres.

Campag or Shimano?
Which bottom bracket?
Type and manufacturer of brakes?
Transmission?
Saddle?
Handlebars?

It may take some time to save up for the components and build but I think I could end up with a nice road machine here.

Your lucky with just having to think about all the bits.

As Ive just made up my mind that all the frames I like are to much for me to get the Mrs Spandex to say ok to so...... the only thing I can do is make my own Frame and build it up.

 

[alecstilleyedye]

if you're using an existing rear hub, that will determine whether to use campag or shimano. my lbs, who stocks both systems, is of the opinion that each are as good as the other at equivalent levels, so don't be put off by the shimano-bashers.

 

[Fnaar]

Right, you need a screen, a box/tower, a hard disk, some RAM... oh, sorry, a commuter...