Commuting - Single Speed For commuting

I am thinking about getting a single speed road bike for my 2 mile commute to work. I have a limited budget right now, but I do want a new bike. I was wondering if this would make a good bike to commute on. Is anyone familiar with these or this company ? Any infor would be great. It is a Motobecane Track/Messenger Bike

Frame Motobecane Custom Butted and Tapered 4130 Cromoly with Track Dropout, water bottle mount
Fork Motobecane Custom Drawn Triple Butted and Tapered 4130 Cromoly Aero Road
Headset FSA Roller Bearing
Crankset TruVativ Touro, 48T
Bottom Bracket Sealed Cartridge 103mm
Pedals WellGo Road w/clips and straps
Front Derailleur N/A
Rear Derailleur N/A
Shifters N/A
Cassette/Freewheel 16T Fixed Gear or Flip to 16T Freewheel (included!)
Chain KMC Z410
Hubs TrackSpec Black Anodized Aluminum, sealed precision bearings
Spokes Double Butted Stainless
Rims 32H DRX2000 Aero Track DoubleWall, black anodized
Tires Kenda K191 700x23c
Brakes FREE PAIR - Road Aluminum Calipers
Brake Levers Classic Road Aluminum
Handlebar Butted 6061 Aluminum Anatomical Bend
Stem Forged/Welded Aluminum, O degree, Removable Clamp, Black Finish
Tape/Grip Deluxe Cork
Saddle SL Turbo Style Racing, Cromoly Rail
Seat Post SL Micro Adjust Aluminum 250mm
Seat Clamp Motobecane SL Machined Aluminum
Sizes 49, 52cm, 54cm, 56cm, 58cm, 61cm
Colors TeamBlue, Metal Orange
Our low price is $395.95 Compare at $795.00+

This Month ONLY - SAVE Almost 50% OFF + Free Shipping to 48 states!
This bike comes 90% assembled.
We suggest you take it to your local bike shop for final assembly & safety checks.

Go and use the search on the single speed forum

Seems like a great bike for only 2 miles.
I have a bit more than you do so I like my 9 speed.
I like being able to fly into intersections, slam on my brakes and downshift 2-3 cogs at once, then accelerate away again. Kind of makes me feel like I'm in a F1 car.
Well that and I'm a wuss, don't like having no brakes.

No one is saying that he should have no brakes. I have brakes. I am talking about not spending an insane amount of money; make a conversion from a old 10 speed.

Not bad. You could probably convert a decent older ten-speed for less. It does take some mechanical aptitude, however. One good reason to do so, though, would be horizontal dropouts rather than track fork-ends. For on-road use, especially with a flip-flop hub, track ends needlessly complicate removal of the rear wheel.

For $400, though, that's not a bad bike. I don't know anything about the frame quality, but it seems reasonably well-equipped (except for those silly track fork ends).

Motobecane, Mercier and several other brand names are old names but the original company no longer exists. Instead someone has purchased the name and is now importing decent Tawain built bikes and selling them through non traditional channels like Ebay. The MSRP is really meaningless on these bikes and other brands sell similar bikes for considerably less than the MSRP. However due to the channels use by these brands they are able to actually sell well below what other comparable brand sell for, but you get no support from and LBS and there is considerable assembly and setup required for the bikes delivered. I have a Mercier Kilo TT which is nearly identical to the KHS Flite 100. I got the bike off Ebay delivered for $380 where as the KHS retails for $500-$550. I think the bike was a good deal but I do most of my own maintence so LBS assembly and support was not necessary.
Craig

baahhh, I converted my old mtb to a single speed and I have mechanical ineptitude. Even with adding a rigid fork the whole process only cost me 80 C$. Besides, its way more satisfying when its your creation.