Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - Possibility of FBM making a track frame...

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shawnrock@gmail
03-16-06, 09:59 PM
So- FBM, a BMX company, might make a track frame. Their frames are all hand made in house by riders, and are super high quality. As a BMXer and someone who rides a track bike, I must say that this would be amazing. Send them an email to let them know they should go through with it, as they still aren't 100% certain about it: info@fbmbmx.com


hammye
03-16-06, 10:25 PM
Now why in the world would Steve make a track frame?

shawnrock@gmail
03-16-06, 10:29 PM
Check the shop talk section on their site.

They also have a friend who rides fixed- they had a blurb about him riding across country a while ago.


legalize_it
03-17-06, 07:08 AM
that would be cool. the logical next step after a track bike would be...

da da daaaaaa

a SS MTB!!!! that would be even cooler

Aeroplane
03-17-06, 07:13 AM
Now why in the world would Steve make a track frame?
Because everybody and their brother is making a trackish frame and it's a good way to make money.

Leif-fire-eater
03-17-06, 07:56 AM
hell yeah. my FBM Angel of Death ****ing Rocks. I would love to see what they could do with a fixed. Also think about it there BMX Frames are about 350 for a handbuilt american made frame. If they could price a track frame similarly who wouldn't want one.

hammye
03-17-06, 08:00 AM
Because everybody and their brother is making a trackish frame and it's a good way to make money.
Everybody like S&M, Standard, Kink and the likes? I don't think so. Sure it would be cool to be able to buy from someone like that but it's not going to happen. I just don't see any of these guys going that route anytime soon if ever. But if thats what gets you goin' then dream on.

cardstock
03-17-06, 08:16 AM
You know I did not think it was that far off. Many companies make 24" cruiser frames already, redline s&m and standard do. So why are 700c wheels that much harder to adjust too. Not that radical of an idea if you ask me

hammye
03-17-06, 08:23 AM
It's not, It's just that these guys tend to focus only on BMX. I'm sure they may do a few custom frames for themselves or friends, but I doubt they would ever put anything into production. Some years back IF had a prototype BMX frame out in Boston but they never went into full production with the frame because the demand wasn't there.

hammye
03-17-06, 08:24 AM
Oh and cruiser frames are part of BMX, that is why you see them out there.

mrRed
03-17-06, 08:26 AM
Flaming Battery Meter.

cardstock
03-17-06, 08:57 AM
I understand cruiser frames are part of bmx, I raced one 10 years ago. I just dont think Steve would pass up making a bit of money. Fixed is a popular thing right now, whether we like it or not, and he seems to recognize it. The frame is not that much different, and obviously there are BMX riders who ride fixed as well. If he made 100 of them, I'd bet he could charge 500 a piece (like bens does for the milwaulkee ), or more and sell all of them fast. The thing about BMX is that the market is limited to the people who want to ride a specific way. Make a fixed frame and almost anyone can ride it. So the demand is there, it is just whether or not he wants to deal with the trouble of putting it into production.

RedDeMartini
03-17-06, 09:02 AM
I like the idea, city fixies and BMX have a lot in comon except weight.
Allthough I am wary about quality and "Their frames are all hand made in house by riders" being connected. Anyone remember Outback?

shawnrock@gmail
03-17-06, 09:12 AM
The weight of freestyle frames is down to between 4.5- 5.5 lbs now, and the bikes are holding up fine. And yes, FBM are very high quality- ask anyone who rides one.

Aeroplane
03-17-06, 10:51 AM
Everybody like S&M, Standard, Kink and the likes? I don't think so. Sure it would be cool to be able to buy from someone like that but it's not going to happen. I just don't see any of these guys going that route anytime soon if ever. But if thats what gets you goin' then dream on.
Well, Redline is, and AFAIK it's already pretty successful.

As far as the rest of the BMX world, somebody has to be first. BMX and fixed-gear for street tend to appeal to overlapping demographics. I'll bet that FBM realized that when a lot of folks stop riding BMX, they're starting to get into the whold FG scene. Why not cash in on being an already recognized name for these disenfranchised BMXers?

hammye
03-17-06, 11:57 AM
Now I may be wrong here but Redline has a wide varity of bikes where as FBM and like minded companies only do BMX. Sure there is always a first for anybody, I just doubt thast it's the case here. But time will tell.

shawnrock@gmail
03-17-06, 01:48 PM
S&M makes a single speed mountain frame.

cardstock
03-17-06, 02:01 PM
Think about it. Put yourself in his shoes.

They have all the equipment, they have a supplier of materials, they have employees that know how to build frames. All they need to do is figure out the frame specifics and they instantly have a broader market. I am not saying that FBM will be the first but it would be easier for them to do it rather than companies like T-1 who get all their stuff made off site (not to say it is any less of a product because T1 rules.) It just seems that for a company that already builds bike frames it would not be too difficult for them to make a new frame 6" longer with smaller tubing.

hammye
03-17-06, 03:18 PM
S&M makes a single speed mountain frame.
I have never heard of it before, can you post a link for it?

xthugmurderx
03-17-06, 04:30 PM
actually, my friend (who almost got sponsored by fbm) gave steve a call after i told him about this and steve asked him if he thought there was a market. dave said yeah, and steve is seriously considering it. just thought i'd throw it out there. from the horses mouth.

hammye
03-17-06, 06:37 PM
Then I may be proven wrong.

popluhv
03-17-06, 07:02 PM
On a similar topic, why doesn't Surly make a BMX frame? Their marketing seems, to me, aimed at the BMX comunity.

jim-bob
03-17-06, 07:05 PM
They've got the instigator, which is sorta like a bmx bike but without those funny little wheels..

Aeroplane
03-18-06, 08:28 AM
Now I may be wrong here but Redline has a wide varity of bikes where as FBM and like minded companies only do BMX. Sure there is always a first for anybody, I just doubt thast it's the case here. But time will tell.
Redline doesn't exactly make a wide variety... I'd say folks like specialized and giant make a wide variety. More than 1/3 of Redline's product line is BMX stuff. They've got a few mountain frames, and some cross frames too, but they are most well known in the BMX arena.

Maybe FBM is trying to do what Redline did, and expand their line? I think a track frame would be a good bridge to a SS mountain frame or a road frame. Either way, another steel track frame only gives us folks more options, which is always a good thing.

Aeroplane
03-18-06, 08:31 AM
They've got the instigator, which is sorta like a bmx bike but without those funny little wheels..
My friend rides an instigator. I would NOT say that it's like a bmx bike. It is a freeride bike with all of the weight of a FS, but no rear suspension. And he drops 6 footers to flat on it. Solid.

I have an instigator fork. It is ****ing heavy. But, it is rated for use on tandems, so it is solid as hell also.

hammye
03-18-06, 08:43 AM
Redline doesn't exactly make a wide variety... I'd say folks like specialized and giant make a wide variety. More than 1/3 of Redline's product line is BMX stuff. They've got a few mountain frames, and some cross frames too, but they are most well known in the BMX arena.
Redline made the first BMX fork as we know it today, so yes they are better known for the BMX. And I would say cross, mountain, and now the ss commuter bike is a wide variety.
I have always wanted a smaller company like S&M or FBM to make a track/SS frame and would be the first to buy one just to show support for it but I really doubt it will happen anytime soon if at all. They may venture into the SS mountain frame market some day but I just don't see Chris or Steve ever doing something like a road frame. It's really just not their style. But hell, what do I know?

wunder
03-18-06, 10:17 AM
shawnrock from BMXboard!

wunder
03-18-06, 10:19 AM
Oh, and FWIW....I like the idea.

WithNail
03-18-06, 11:27 AM
doesn't redline own masi and a couple other companies? I really don't feel like doing my research... just took a percoset.