Dekerf Solitaire

[kd498]

Ok, so not strictly retro, but getting there.
I helped along the retro feel with the build.
Frame fitted the bill perfectly. Skinny enough steel tubes, horizontal dropouts, V-brake only, and a bit rarer than On One and most other affordable single speed frames. Obviously from Ebay, possibly paid too much, but finally a frame that has reduced "need" for now.

Had a few issues... but the only one that keeps on coming back is a creak. This creak can be blamed on the Race Face cranks somehow becoming loose on the Taperlock Ti bottom bracket. Tried most things that get listed on the web. Don't see any obvious cracks and the tapers look ok.
That said, once the weather clears up, a nice UN72 will silence things.

 

[tangent]

Lovely!
That colour was availible on the earliest batch from back around ?97 times / late 90s so you could well claim retroness--whatever it a top frameset.
I ride one too , but its in painted mud / chocolate brown & made from Reynolds 725.

How much was 'possibly too much'; just for future reference?

 

[ridevintagemtb]

Great bike! And great book, oddly enough, just finished it last night. Seriously

 

[kd498]

It is a '99 i think, but i have not really tried to find out.
Does appear to be a discontinued colour; Pea Green i think was on the auction, but not had to ask for a touch up yet.
I like the colour now, but at the time i would have bought it in any colour.
Too much, possibly, was £270 posted, but it was justified by some selling. My Giant MCM frame and RC31s pretty much covered it. Was a Buy It Now that started at £310 plus postage, from memory, i nearly clicked straight off. Needless to say i didn't, and before i did bid, the price dropped, but i was not near a computer that day. By the time i could buy it, the price had gone down again.
Yes this is a 725 version too.

 

[jez-4-bikes-max]

Where are all these awesome bikes coming from??

Awesome. Love it.

That Fat Shocka, that Ti-Mega on ebay, now this... crikey!

 

[ja]

DeKerf's are such lovely frames!

 

[P20]

Very nice. Was that formerly owned by Dekerfintheshed? Someone did have a very similar one for sale on STW awhile back

 

[gump]

mmmm Dekerf.
I would have paid £270 no problem. Lovely frames, and thats a great colour, different yet still nice.

 

[dekerfintheshed]

That looks like my old one, absolute beauty of a bike, sold it to a guy "oop north" for over £300.....

It used to have a singlespeed world championship sticker showing SSW2001 on the seattube IIRC as mine was raced in it (if it was mine).....

Really regret selling it, wanted gears though although at the time there was no better feeling than being able to climb some serious hills faster than all the "modern Boys" with their fancy gears etc

 

[cdngrimpeur]

Sweeeeeet.