Calling all Single Speed/Fixed Fans - Name THE bike!

[Inner Peace]

Okay, here's the scoop. One gear is where it is at right now!

They are peaceful, efficient, easy to maintain and carry a massive 'cool' factor, no doubt about it!

I have a converted road bike, but its just not quite the tradition of single speed/fixed gear bikes (i.e. chain tensioner on vert dropouts are L.A.M.E) and its falling apart a bit...

Here is what I want from all the people that rock just one gear (or wanna rock it)

- Name THE single speed bike to get

Two conditions tho. It must have

a) at least one set of braze-ons for at least one water bottle cage

b) front and rear brakes (or provision for brakes) WITH CABLE GUIDES ON THE FRAME

c) preferably sold as a complete bike as I wanna save cash by not having to fork out a full buildup by just buying a frame first

Help me out, by suggesting a good quality bike that satisfies the above conditions.

Having a look at Masi, Colnago, Pinarello, Surly, Giant, plus some of the lesser known brand names at the moment but can't find THE bike, plus many brands do not satisfy condition (a) and (b) which sucks major ballz.

To add to your thoughts, it would be nice if the bike is competitive enough to satisfy entering the lowest grade of crit racing I can find. Whatever gear ratio the bike comes with is easily changable so thats no probs...

Suggestions?
- pls name THE bike
- name the gear ratio
- name the frame material
- name the frame geometry if you can (classic/traditional clearly is the preference)

Cheers everyone!

 

[mercycle]

Single speed or fixer? Or a flippable rear wheel? Asking just because you mention crit racing.
Cost range? Asking because some of the ones you mention aren't exactly budget friendly.

frame material: steel
gear ratio: as long as the rear is a 16, who cares what the front is?

Long time ago I had a Panasonic entry level fixer. Steel frame, traditional track geometry, which for a 53cm cc seat tube was close to Italian road frame in the same size, at least in seat tube angle. Head tube angle was a little steeper, but not much. Great bike, one of the ones you wish you never sold.

Look at used fixers, you can probably find a good bargain.

 

[Hairy Wheels]

Please, Cyclingnews, shut down this thread, it's offensive.

 

[flyor64]

Please, Cyclingnews, shut down this thread, it's offensive.

Settle down there you overachiever...

Different strokes for different folks.

Bike's a bike...and this is Bikes & Gear > General section.

Single speed or fixer? Or a flippable rear wheel? Asking just because you mention crit racing.
Cost range? Asking because some of the ones you mention aren't exactly budget friendly.
frame material: steel
gear ratio: as long as the rear is a 16, who cares what the front is?

Long time ago I had a Panasonic entry level fixer. Steel frame, traditional track geometry, which for a 53cm cc seat tube was close to Italian road frame in the same size, at least in seat tube angle. Head tube angle was a little steeper, but not much. Great bike, one of the ones you wish you never sold.
Look at used fixers, you can probably find a good bargain.

+1 on steel and used. You can find 'em cheap (next to free if you're willing to put in some sweat equity) and fix 'em up. Plus they add to the coolness (or lameness depending on ones perspective) of the bike.

 

[Anonymous]

This is so important

Like, I've never been cool in my entire life and now I can partake in the massive cool factor by dropping 19 speeds? Prayers answered. Its too much, maybe even awesome. But what if I'm too old to rock the bike? What if all I can do is ride it? Can I still get a messanger bad and join in the posing?
IMWTK

 

[flyor64]

Like, I've never been cool in my entire life and now I can partake in the massive cool factor by dropping 19 speeds? Prayers answered. Its too much, maybe even awesome. But what if I'm too old to rock the bike? What if all I can do is ride it? Can I still get a messanger bad and join in the posing?
IMWTK

Factually untrue I say! You brew beer for ***'s sake!!!

 

[Wallace]

Okay, here's the scoop. One gear is where it is at right now!

They are peaceful, efficient, easy to maintain and carry a massive 'cool' factor, no doubt about it!

I have a converted road bike, but its just not quite the tradition of single speed/fixed gear bikes (i.e. chain tensioner on vert dropouts are L.A.M.E) and its falling apart a bit...

Here is what I want from all the people that rock just one gear (or wanna rock it)

- Name THE single speed bike to get

Two conditions tho. It must have

a) at least one set of braze-ons for at least one water bottle cage

b) front and rear brakes (or provision for brakes) WITH CABLE GUIDES ON THE FRAME

c) preferably sold as a complete bike as I wanna save cash by not having to fork out a full buildup by just buying a frame first

Help me out, by suggesting a good quality bike that satisfies the above conditions.

Having a look at Masi, Colnago, Pinarello, Surly, Giant, plus some of the lesser known brand names at the moment but can't find THE bike, plus many brands do not satisfy condition (a) and (b) which sucks major ballz.

To add to your thoughts, it would be nice if the bike is competitive enough to satisfy entering the lowest grade of crit racing I can find. Whatever gear ratio the bike comes with is easily changable so thats no probs...

Suggestions?
- pls name THE bike
- name the gear ratio
- name the frame material
- name the frame geometry if you can (classic/traditional clearly is the preference)

Cheers everyone!

Know what's even cooler than one gear? One wheel! And if you can rock your unicycle while juggling, and with a big red ball on your nose, then dude, you are so chill, you're practically hypothermic.

 

[ravens]

Know what's even cooler than one gear? One wheel! And if you can rock your unicycle while juggling, and with a big red ball on your nose, then dude, you are so chill, you're practically hypothermic.

What frame material for the uni? what material for the ball? the nose?

 

[soOpOSMthanks!]

Oh my lord. Do you also, along with inner peace, feel a sense of inner zen as you weave in and out of cars, 'connected' to your pedals and the road? With the zen-like prediction of the future since you have to plan out your 'line' and zen-fully whip out some sick skidz?

 

[LugHugger]

too many out of control hipster idiots riding around cutting lights and pavements for my liking but....i do covet one of these

http://www.condorcycles.com/bikel/classicop_large.html

 

[krebs303]

I'm partial to the Jamis Sputnik or Kona Paddy/Band/Grand Wagon.
I find Jamis usually a good value.

 

[Inner Peace]

Concentrate please!

To add,

Mercycle, flip/flop wheel would be ideal but since I would like to have a bit of fun by entering a crit or two, naturally, the freewheel singlespeed is what I'm looking for. any suggestions?

Hairy Ballz, relax bro and run with the times. if you get offended easily, just try replacing your tampon dude...

Flyor64, Kreps and Lug Hugger, thanks for actually taking the thread seriously

Soops-a-something, do I sense a hint of sarcasm there? I was trying to make the thread topic a little eye-catching, unfortunately I attracted an individual that thinks he actually needs gears to climb a mountain. your loss . oh and I feel very connected to my pedals. I have these cleat-like things which are like so totally wicked that you actually propel the bike forward ON THE UPSTROKE - amazing huh?

So guys,

I was really hoping for some ACTUAL suggestions here. I was told the CN forums are a good place to discuss 'bikes and gear' so perhaps you could prove that too me?

ps - i'm surprised none of you picked up that I wrote "two conditions", when in fact I stated three. Jokes on you then

So please, help me out with some suggestions of a good solid single speed. Forget the price for now, I can figure that out later, just post some suggestions please.

much appreciated, IP

 

[LugHugger]

well, apart from my earlier lustful suggestion i would suggest the following places to look/drool, especially if you are discounting price for the time being:

Enigma http://www.enigmabikes.com
Mercian Cycles http://www.merciancycles.co.uk
Independent Fabrications http://www.ifbikes.com
Ira Ryan http://www.iraryanccyles.com
Vanilla Bicycles http://www.vanillabicycles.com
Hampsten Cycles http://www.hampsten.com

Note - none of these are at the lower recycled end of the spectrum. If you are considering crit racing, then I would call Enigma if you are in the UK and talk to Mark about their Edge or IF in the USA - their Steel Crown Jewel is a thing of beauty.

 

[soOpOSMthanks!]

Oh I'm quite familiar with running "A" gear up mountains. I use to ride (still do from time to time) fixed gear and was part of/into the whole community. Like you said they are fantastic bikes but then the douchery kicked in with:

"Okay, here's the scoop. One gear is where it is at right now!...carry a massive 'cool' factor, no doubt about it!"

You sound like another "SwEet FixXie BrO, ZeN-lIkE eXpErIeNcE" tool that more than likely will be out when it's no longer "in" right now and carries a massive 'cool' factor.

Maybe I'm wrong? I hope so.

But back to 'my loss' of thinking that I need more than one gear to climb? I like to think of it as a loss of 'lack of efficiency' 20x2 > 1x1

But I'm only half an ***...so here's some insight for you.

Have you looked into a Mercier Kilo TT? (http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/mercier/kilott.htm)

It has a track geometry, drilled (and included) for F/R brakes, and is complete.
This was my first ever track bike and while the initial components aren't the greatest, they hold up well enough that you wont have to worry about anything blowing up by the time you can get better ones. Sure it has no braze-ons...but you can get seatpost bottle cages.

You may also be interested in building up an IRO Angus (http://www.irocycle.com) or a Pake (http://www.pakebikes.com/picture2.html) Those two can be built with decent components (read: generic) for a fairly decent price. Yes they include forks

They are all solid, all around good performers. Nothing too special, but nothing too cheap either and they won't break bank much.

But honestly, why not just get an NJS l337 fixxie whip? Your 'cool' factor is gonna sky rocket and *****es will be all over you.

 

[Condorman]

too many out of control hipster idiots riding around cutting lights and pavements for my liking but....i do covet one of these

http://www.condorcycles.com/bikel/classicop_large.html

Most definitely - but where I live it would need 39X23!!

 

[elapid]

I have two fixed/free wheel bikes and am in the process of converting my GFs road bike to a fixed/free wheel.

I have a steel Raleigh Rush Hour which I run fixed and absolutely love it. It is my commuting and play around bike. No bottle cages though.

I have a Salsa el Mariachi '29er MTB. Just pure fun on the trails (and a bit of hard work). I am still not confident enough to ride this fixed on the trails, so free wheel at the moment.

My winter project is for my GF. Sandblasted and powder coated already. I have ordered the White Industries flip-flop hub and Velocity rims (front machined for front brake, rear non-machined because I don't want a rear brake), and we'll soon work on bars.

So, to answer your questions...
- Material is personal preference, but I prefer steel for my SS
- You can convert any road bike to a SS so you will still have brakes and bottle cages. I regularly check out eBay and Craig's List for cheap frames. The only thing I would recommend is a White Industries eccentric flip-flop hub. The eccentric hub allows you to adjust chain tension easily with vertical dropouts. Everything else is up to you in regards to setup and the world is your oyster, whether you want el cheapo or the ultimate in bling. Check out http://www.fixedgeargallery.com for daily inspirations.
- For track/fixed frames (ie, horizontal dropout) there are lots of options from racing track bikes to fun fixed frames. Dedicated manufacturers include Dolan, Pake, Origin 8, Eighth Inch, Steelwool, Soma, Sillgey, Icarus, Clemente, and Norway Viking, just to name a few. Most well known bike manufacturers also have SS models, like Bianchi (Pista), Raleigh (Rush Hour and newer versions), Specialized (Langster), etc.

Regardless, enjoy venturing into the world of fixed/SS. It is hard to describe, but there is a certain freedom to riding these bikes. Like being a kid again!

 

[Inner Peace]

Lughugger and Elapid - thanks for the suggestions!

Soopsy - I was actually trying to sound like a massive hippie fixie douche, just to grab everyones attention and not have this be yet another boring thread, didn't realise people would take it so literally. Thanks for your suggestions tho, its appreciated.

 

[Archibald]

am partial to the Bianchi Pista as far as brand bikes go, but am happy commuting on the conversion I have of an unknown road frame - only has a union jack sticker on it...
Have spent some time getting it sorted at Brick Lane Bikes, who really only deal with SS and fixies. If you're in the UK they're worth a look...
http://bricklanebikes.co.uk/

 

[Anonymous]

Wow

Factually untrue I say! You brew beer for ***'s sake!!!

You're way too kind. I do make beer, its true, but its still a factory job even if its my own factory... But enough about me

Your kind words got me thinking about minimalist cycling and I realized that I have been cool, in the way back days. Then I thought, "Why stop at gears? We don't need no stinking gears, or chains. Let's go all... the... way."

Waddaya think about the streamers? Too much?

 

[twowheeledlocust]

My suggestion (which is based on my current road bike) is a IF Steel Crown Jewel SS. Every IF frame is a custom build, which will allow you to spec the frame with drop outs, braze-ons, etc. as you see fit. They're on the pricey side but you definitely get what you pay for.

My gear choice is 42x17, which I've found to be quite suitable. White Industries hubs have been mentioned elsewhere in this thread and I agree they're one of the best options out there.

Forget about the hipster backlash and focus on what your needs are. I've found that my SS road bike is quite suitable for commuting, training for off-road racing, randonneuring, and the occasional race. The versitility of single speeds is often forgotten when people fixate on fixed gear/SS culture (pardon the pun), so my best advice for you is to decide what you need in a bike and forget about the other nonsense.

 

[usedtobefast]

You're way too kind. I do make beer, its true, but its still a factory job even if its my own factory... But enough about me

Your kind words got me thinking about minimalist cycling and I realized that I have been cool, in the way back days. Then I thought, "Why stop at gears? We don't need no stinking gears, or chains. Let's go all... the... way."

Waddaya think about the streamers? Too much?

gotta keep the streamers. direct drive. didn't someone market that?
my Stingray was single speed. purple. baddass.

 

[Wailing Floating Head]

Yeah right, single speeds are for losers. I personally like to ride my mountain bike down the sidewalk with earbuds in and my shirt off.

Oh but seriously? The only singlespeed I think I'd own is a cheap used one. Though, I really do like some of the bianchi ones, I don't think I could see myself spending the money though.

 

[Willy_Voet]

Living in South Florida, I spend 90% of my time on a single speed bike.

I've looked over a lot of models and found the Felts to be the best buy. Got mine for just over $500 (decent deal when new models came in). Comes with a wrench/bottle opener. They've got their priorities straight.

Carbon fork, reasonable weight (unlike some other 25+ lbers). I run a 53x16, but again, it's dead flat here. When I lived in a much hillier city, 50x17 was good all around. Switched to 172.5's (came with 170's)

Oh, yeah: internal routing. Has mounts for fenders, bottles.

 

[53 x 11]

The only true Zen bike is.......no bike at all.

But on the subject of demented hipsters. Why would anyone want to look like a Messenger? I spent 6 years doing that crap and I can tell you I never want to ride with a loaded messenger bag again.

 

[unsheath]

Sounds like you're after a OTP (off the peg) model, which most manufacturers make now.

Giant Bowery
Charge Plug
Cannondale Capo
Specialised Langster
Vanilla Cycles
IRO Angus
Bianchi Pista
Surly Steamroller
Salsa

list goes on.

I suggest having a look around at some dedicated Fixed/SS forums and dig through some of the threads. http://www.londonfgss.com is probably the best one and do have a dedicated OTP list, although it is UK centric.

Only thing I like to add is the use of the White Industries ENO which was mentioned earlier. Its a great hub but I wouldn't recommend using it fixed if you intend to be harsh on your gear. Those shallow vert dropouts suck for fixed. Be careful also that its comes in 126, 130 and 135 spacing so make sure you measure your frame first. Lastly it has an unusual chainline of 47.5mm so make sure you've got an appropriate bb/crank combo to suit. IMO its far too much trouble. Just get something ridable straight out of the shop.