Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - Fixed Gear bikes..

I've been scouring for a fixed gear, doing my research etc. So far none of my LBS carry fixed gear bikes. One shop guy looked at me like I was crazy when I said they look like fun.

So I have a few options, find a old bike and convert it.. or buy a new one. The two new ones that are fairly inexpensive are the Bianchi Pista and the Fuji Track. Anyone have any experience with these? and what is your opinion?

From the spec's it looks like the Bianchi has better components..
I have a set of brakes and levers so putting a front brake on is not a problem.

I haven't riden either, but from the geometry, I suspect that the Fuji would be the better choice for a road fix. It's gemetry is more like a fast road bike and the Bianchi is a steep track geometry.

Dave

there's one more option if you want a new affordable fixed gear, the KHS Flite 100.

What is your opinion on the KHS Flite 100? Seems to be in the same price range..Is the geometry more like a road bike?

yeah. all three are basically pretty similar. neither the KHS, Fuji, or Bianchi really are true track geometries, so they'll all have good road manners. i think the Fuji is probably the most road-friendly of the lot, and i believe the lightest. the KHS never really did anything for me while i was looking for a bike to buy.

i suppose if i had to rank them it'd be Bianchi, Fuji, KHS. i only put the bianchi first because i have a bit of an affinity for them. really it's tied with the fuji.

I like the paint job on the Fuji the best, but the Bianchi seems to come with a better wheelset. Geometr is not radicaly different between the Fuji and Bianchi... hmmm tough decision

I have ridden the Pista and liked it. With the Pista and probably the others you will need to change the gearing (It is very tall for street) and add a brake. I know the Pista fork is drilled for the brake.
You will enjoy the process of sourcing up the used stuff to build one from scratch tho. It is silly, but I really have a lot of pride in the old bike I ressurected and I feel it every time I happen to turn and see it hanging up at work or take it out for a spin.

There is another option, that being getting a Surly frame and building a fixed around the "Steamroller" it's a great frame, and made for fixed gear.

Myself, I like getting old stuff and working with it. All my fixies have been old, found on a trash pile, bikes. They are old clunky steel, but when you take the weight off of them, deraillures, brakes, freewheels, you get a very cool bike. Steel is such a nice ride. I do have an old Cannondale Al frame, it's fun, but boy does it vibrate.

If you are looking at fixing and old bike look for ones with horizontal rear drops, rather than the vertical kind. With the horizontal you can utalize a flip/flop hub and run a taller gear on one side, or run a freewheel on one side, in case you want to laze back home. I prefer running like a 16 on one side and a 20 on the other, that way I can go smaller if I gett too tired for the big gear, or encounter wind or weather.

I own a 2003 pista and I think that it is a great bike. I bought it with the intent of using it on the rollers over the winter but when the weather turned warm I had no problem taking it on the group rides around town. It is a really fun bike and it is a solid package from the factory - very well spec'd. I have not changed the gearing and Southwest Missouri is fairly hilly so you will probably be ok for most riding. I actually like the geometry a lot, just as much as my regular road bike.

-Ryan

I bougt a 2002 Fuji steel track bike new.I put brakes on it.I think at that time it was the least expensive new track bike on the market.It does handle a little more like a road bike.In fact in hard cornering it handles better than my Litespeed.
(sigh)..It handles extremely well, It is easy to handle and steady when leaned over to the limit.Beter than any of my other bikes.I bought it thinking I would use it as a townie for short trips,but I use a lot more than that.There are plenty of other good new track bikes out there too.

Does anyone have any opinion or knowledge about the Olmo Gara Pista (http://www.bikecult.com/works/sales/olmopistaframe.html)? I'm seriously considering one, they're soooooo pretty and frame/fork is around $500-$600 USD.

I've also been looking into the Gunnar Street Dog but that is another $400 for the frame/fork combo. Anyone have any information on either? I have heard nothing but excellent things about ths GSD but I've never heard a thing about the OGP.

Then again, if I'm going to get a Gunnar I might as well go with a Vanilla Bicycle (http://www.vanillabicycles.com). They are sooooo pretty. But on the other hand, Gunnar is part of Waterford and Waterford is known for their amazing bicycles...

Anyway, thanks in advance!

Originally posted by dumpstervegan
Does anyone have any opinion or knowledge about the Olmo Gara Pista

My buddy, Ginz, owns one.....ask him here:
http://www.tc-homes.com/bike/forum/fg-bikes/ginzberg.htm

Thanks a bunch George!

What about the http://www.bikecult.com/works/sales/cinelliotf.html For a few hundred more and if you really want to go upscale, you could hunt down a Colnago Master Pista or Dream Pista. I think they're around $1300.00 The Dream is almost too pretty to ride.

I'm sort of intrigued by Vanilla Bicycles. I'd never heard of them before but they look really good. What are some other custom frame builders' sites who build track bikes?

cory

fairly recently, i purchased a fuji track bike, and i'm very happy with my new steed. I'd considered the bianchi, but there was a wait on new pistas in my size at the time, and i felt impatient. plus, i preferred the geometry of the fuji, and i like the fact that it's drilled front and back for brakes, which allows for more options for the bike down the line. (if i ever want to use, say, a freewheel or an internally geared hub in the future. not likely, but options are good.)

i didnt get a chance to look at the khs, as there arent any local dealers.

from a practical standpoint, i've yet to add a rear brake to my fuji, and i NEVER use the freewheel on the flipflop hub. so, i havent really taken advantage of the rear-brake option.

if ya wanna buy a more expensive frameset, and then build a bike around it, you'll spend more money. still, that gunnar street dog looks nice, with the 853 and massive clearance for fenders/fat tires, etc. this is no track bike; it's a very practical ss/fg commuter/all-purpose bike, and it looks to be a nice one. still, if you're gonna build the bike yourself (and buying frames from gunnar, surly, vanilla, etc will require you or your shop to do so), you might as well save some cash and get a very cool old frame with horizontal drops. imo, this is the better way to go. if you need a fixie asap, buy one of the cheaper complete bikes from bianchi, fuji, or khs. (i needed a bike asap, as mine had just been stolen, and i neednt transportation right away. no time to build up an old frame.)

anyway, just my $.02: i love my fuji track, and it's held up very well, wheelset and all. (imo, the wheelset is very nice, and i'm heavy, with no problems!) i dont see anything wrong with the bianchi or the khs, except that riding a bianchi pista 'round here is likely to get you heckled by the cyclo-snobs(but not by me.)

hth,
-rob

I like the Bianchi best out of those 3, it rides fast and feels tight. The Fuji has some cheap, flexy parts on it and personally I hate the paint job. The KHS has a heavy, chunky feel to it. The Sugino cranks don't make up for the crappy headset and wheels.

I see a lot of bikeworks-built Olmos around, they're nice. You could also get a Benotto or DeBernardi for the same $. If you get a chance to drop by bikeworks (www.bikecult.com) check out the Nagasawa track bike... beautiful...

I got the Bianchi DISSS... Awesome bike, very light and fun!

what's with the bianchi diss? i hear about it a lot...

I just rode the Van Dessel. I think it was called the Country Road Bob. Weird name but a cool bike.

For $699 you get a nice light bike, flip flop hub and a carbon fork. This was the first unconverted fixie I've ever riden but it was a blast.

Van Dessel's can be ordered directly from their web site.

One of these days...


http://www.gios.it/cgi/pista.php?lang=eng&page=frame

:beer:

Grunk:

Independent Fabrication Bikes (Somerville, MA) doesn't make any track frames, but they are willing to put horizontal dropouts on any of their other frames free of charge.

www.ifbikes.com

Nice frames, in my opinion.

Brian

Regarding other custom framebuilders who do track frames: Strawberry Bicycles http://www.strawberrybicycle.com . Oddly enough, this guy is in Portland, OR, too, just like Vanilla Bicycles. If someone would start up Chocolate, they could join together and be Neapolitan. He's been building frames for like 30 years or something.

Originally posted by Lexington
Regarding other custom framebuilders who do track frames: Strawberry Bicycles http://www.strawberrybicycle.com . Oddly enough, this guy is in Portland, OR, too, just like Vanilla Bicycles. If someone would start up Chocolate, they could join together and be Neapolitan. He's been building frames for like 30 years or something.

I was checking out this guy's web site. I like his work a lot. It looks like he puts a little extra in to his frames. Doesn't seem to show prices though. I wonder how affordable a custom track frame from him is?

-Jason

What I love about us bike geeks is this: This thread started with someone asking about a cheap, $500 fixie. We're now all seriously thinking about whether he can afford a Cinelli Olympic Track bike or a Vanilla! Gotta love it!

I say feh!

Get yourself a Seven with Track fork ends for $3000 and call it a day. It will be a better bike then the Fuji!

Pfffffftt!
Shoo expensive bikes, stay in dreams! City streets are no place for you to be ridden on a daily basis!
Cost effective = Steamroller. These friggin things were made for the street. C'mon people...
Dream bikes always rule, but when buying a frame, I keep in mind what I will be doing with it. For me, this is 25-35miles/day on Chicago streets. Buying a high-dollar frame would be nice, but keep in mind: track bikes were made for Velodromes, not potholes.

i ride a 2003 pista everyday on real city streets, and i love it. i've ridden this and a khs 100, and i was far far more impressed with the bianchi. the khs is noticeably heavier, and as someone mentioned, a lot more flexi. i'm a heavier rider, so the lightness of the bianchi didn't keep me away from it, and i love the fact that i can make the back end step out at will on the streets (it's the peter pan complex shining through). my friend that owns the khs bought it because he's a scrawny kid and was afraid that the bianchi was just too light. i should also mention that he bent a wheel within 2 weeks by hitting a manhole cover. so far i've been lucky, and although some potholes made my wheels make nasty nasty noises, nothings bent out of shape yet. i didn't even consider the fuji, just because i know a lot of people who ride fuji's and break stuff all the time. i also had a converted nishiki, that i love to ride, but the various pops and clicks get annoying after a while (i guess there's a reason that the oldskoolers call them 'firecrackers')

I think vanilla bikes are so lovely, and the people seem pretty nice from the times I've emailed them. :love:

but I'm broke, all the time, so I'll be waiting a few years to get out of school before I drop that on a frame.

I emailed Strawberry and he said there would be like a year wait for a track frame.

Enderwaves: I have a Pista as well (2002). I think it is funny that your friend thought they were too light; Isn't that the point? I used to find the Bianchi light, but now that I am used to it I have to go to the Wal Mart and pick up some cheap bikes to remind myself once in a while. I weighed it the other day and it was almost 19 pounds (59cm). The Fuji Track Pro and Cannondale CAAD5 are both 14 pounds.. *drool* Too bad they are both ugly..

-Jason

My flavor, VANILLA> Dumpster and I briefly spoke of them at the CCC Supercat...I am totally fixated (ha ha, get it?!?!?). But my pockets are too shallow for one of those, so I'll try and pro-deal a Steamroller for my next fixed...nice bike for the price. Plus you can pick and choose your components. It's like making your own burger (or veggieburger - gotta remember our Veggie/Vegan representatives!) versus going to a fast food joint. GOT IT? GOOD!

i used to like the KHS flite, when it was orange and had a sloping top tube. i liked the previous version even better (with the curved seat tube). i've never ridden one, but i always used to fantisize about the orange ones, because i liked the pursuit look. then i bought my pursuit bike, with a 650c front wheel. it is yellow. and now, the new KHS flites are yellow. they don't have a sloping top tube, but i'm afraid someone is going to see me riding around and think i'm riding a KHS with a tiny front wheel, when, in fact, i'm riding a custom pursuit frame.

the cool thing about KHSes is that the front end geometry is such that you CAN run a 650c front wheel and get away with it. i've seen a few around boston (most notably, my friend who has a raw aluminum aero track, and this other girl who used to have a flite100, but then got the red aluminum aero track). the aero track feels REALLY good with the smaller front wheel, the headtube angle is a little straightupanddown for my liking, but its VERY responsive.

oh yeah, my dream bike: colnago lugged track frame, older, painted this very specific almost brown orange color, with dura ace high flange track hubs for show and phils (both laced to silver open pros) for actually riding around. gold, old-school campy track/bmx cranks, mavic bullhorns, MKS pedals and a black chris king headset. or just FULL old school-ish dura ace track, with the SUPER rare DA track-specific headset. too bad it'll never happen, as i've only seen ONE colnago track frame in that color ever, and i've done a lot of looking...also older colnagos are kinda rare to find on the open market, because people like to hang onto them...can't imagine why...

i would give up my pink lotus track bike (which is the bees knees), my trials bike, AND my BMX for that one.

I recently purchased a FUJI track bike from

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/harris/fujitrack03.html

I opted for the fixed/free edition, w/42-16 gearing. I was going to build a fixie, but only had a frame to start with and had to buy everything else. Decided to go this route instead. Never rode a fixie before, so this deal wasn't too bad (at least that's what I thought-FWIW). Since I got this bike my OCLV and Serotta CSi have sat idle in the cellar. It's way more fun than I ever expected.

BikerRyan,

I'm real interested in the new pista and am glad to hear of your satisfaction with it. what gearing did it come with and would you assume the 2004 will carry the same?

i'm afraid someone is going to see me riding around and think i'm riding a KHS with a tiny front wheel, when, in fact, i'm riding a custom pursuit frame.

awwwwwwwwwwww.

yeah i know...feel sorry for me.

:)