Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - Your favorite track frame??

I am thinking of getting a new track frame. I don't want to spend more than 5-600 bucks, and less would be fine. What have you guys seen out there available in that price range? The Bianchi Pista Concept was one possibility, it is kind of tech looking though. I possibly want something a little more classic...

-Jason

for that price range, i like the soma rush. http://www.somafab.com/rushpix.html
the LBS has one built up with velocity aero rims, black tires and cinelli drops. it looks way cool. i really like the fork on this frame...

for a classier italian look, check out benotto. http://www.trackbikesource.com/standardtrack.html (bottom of the page)
and for a couple hundred more check out the torelli and cinelli pista frames.

since you already have a bianchi, you might like the olmo gara pista: http://www.bikecult.com/works/sales/olmopistaframe.html
i personally don't like the round forks on these bikes...

the other obvious choices are the surly and KHS frames. you might like them. i don't.

Do Benottos have the little heart cut out on the bottom bracket?

cory

i'm a really big fan of that olmo.

DeBernardi Thron
Olmo Pista Gara
Used GT GTB or Pulse (if you can find one)
The Pinarello at Schwab Cycles is about 800 - and you'd be riding a Pinarello.

HEY SHRIMPX-
Are you in Chicago? Where'd you peep the Soma?

Originally posted by 165-48:17
HEY SHRIMPX-
Are you in Chicago? Where'd you peep the Soma?

no, portland oregon, sorry... :)
though it seems that almost everyone else here is from chicago.

Portland! w00t!
I love that town. RCB, FTF, very cool shops. Plus Powell's books (yeah we have one here, but it is not Portland!). I almost moved out there...but Chicago is home.

Originally posted by 165-48:17
Portland! w00t!
I love that town. RCB, FTF, very cool shops. Plus Powell's books (yeah we have one here, but it is not Portland!). I almost moved out there...but Chicago is home.

yeah, it's pretty sweet :)
i live downtown, 2 minutes from powell's. it's a good city to be a cyclist in; drivers don't give you crap and the city management has made a good effort to make things bike-friendly.

as far as my favorite shop, it's Bike Central--the only place around here that has more single speed and track bikes on display than multi-gear road bikes :)

there are two main bike subcultures that have a weird vibe going on between them: the "true roadies" who wear spandex and proper cycling gear, and people who typically don't wear helmets and ride in street clothes, a lot of times on track bikes or singlespeeds. the roadies will refer to the other riders as "hipsters" and the "hipsters" refer to the othery guys as "logo monkeys", "glow-in-the-dark" and "twinkies." there's always a weird vibe when they run into each other on the streets... sadly. i don't know if that reflects the world at large.

nevertheless, i love portland.

what do you guys think about the Spicer fixed road frame (the $299 one)? I'm thinking of building up a new bike for pretty cheap and it looks pretty cool to me. I haven't heard anyone mention it so I don't know if that means everyone but me knows it's crap.

there's this super sweet guerciotti at a shop here (boston)that's just incredible. red paint at all the welds/lugs with white marbleized paint on the top and down tubes. ooooh man i've been lusting after that for a few years. *droooool*

Originally posted by TimArchy
what do you guys think about the Spicer fixed road frame (the $299 one)? I'm thinking of building up a new bike for pretty cheap and it looks pretty cool to me. I haven't heard anyone mention it so I don't know if that means everyone but me knows it's crap.

I have never seen Gene's track frames, but I have spoken to Gene many times, and from those conversations, I do know he is very conscientious and knowledgeable about the biz. He's is also honest and puts the customer's interests first. I've ordered from him and had a good experience there also. I think that you'll find he will stand behind his work and give you good service. FWIW.:)

I just spoke to Gene and he told me that the KHS Aero is no longer available, and that the Benottos have a REALLY long wait time right now. Grr!! I was almost set on the white Benotto as it is so sexy and classic looking. He told me he doesn't trust that he can even get one in though. He offered to do me a tig welded steel or aluminum frame but I really want something lugged just for the look.. :o

As far as Spicer frames go, a friend of mine here has been riding them for a year or so, and he really beats the crap out of his bikes. He has gone through several trying out different sizes, and I think he cracked one. Gene has always been super cool with him about replacing or building him new frames. If you really need something strong he can build a super-beefy bike too. (My friend's current frame has gaint tubes and stays, titanium dropouts, etc.)

-Jason

I bumped this to the top, but the recent posts were lost...

I'm in the same situation, same question. Anybody know a nice lugged steel frame that can be had for under $600?

Just the frame you have a few choices.. Spicercycles carries quite a few.. Soma, Surly are two others that I know of off-hand.

Colnago makes a beautiful one but it is a bit more money.

kogswell has fixie and road frames for very reasonable costs. $339 for the frame and fork. Only issue might be that they have provision for rear brake cable routing through the top tube. Good if you run a rear brake, pretty goofy looking if you don't I suppose. I've got thier fixie frame headed to me right now, I'll post some pictues when I get it put together. kogswell (http://www.kogswell.com)
And for a picture of a fixie that's been built up go here (http://www.b2g5.com/boards/board.cgi?action=read&id=1064166151&user=kogswell)

Thanks, but as JasonYates mentioned, the Benottos are a really long wait... neither the surly nor the soma is lugged... and the kogswell looks more like a road frame with track ends. Their website didn't list measurements, so just going by the pix.

I'm looking at the De Bernardi thron. Has anyone ridden one of these?

HERE (http://kogswell.com/framesetSPECsheet.pdf) is the page listing their geometry. Certainly different between their road bike and their fixie. With the 135 rear spacing it's not a track bike. Different flavors for different folks. :)

Kogswell's are not cheap at 600 plus bones either.

Hey I posted this guy's link a few days ago:

www.terrafermacycles.com


he's a custom frame builder...and the bikes looks cool to me...henry james lugged, steel, true track geometry, with a nice, simple, non-flashy look to them and custom built...he offers a variety of tubing options but the lowest priced one, columbus brain tubing is only $650 I think? and that's WITH a flat crowned straight fork included.

I'm thinking of ordering one when I finally decide to get a custom frame. I like the site a lot...he really goes into a lot of detail explaining the different tubing options and what you need for what type of frame, etc etc. also it looks like his turn around time is pretty good.

yeah, it's pretty sweet :)
i live downtown, 2 minutes from powell's. it's a good city to be a cyclist in; drivers don't give you crap and the city management has made a good effort to make things bike-friendly.

as far as my favorite shop, it's Bike Central--the only place around here that has more single speed and track bikes on display than multi-gear road bikes :)

there are two main bike subcultures that have a weird vibe going on between them: the "true roadies" who wear spandex and proper cycling gear, and people who typically don't wear helmets and ride in street clothes, a lot of times on track bikes or singlespeeds. the roadies will refer to the other riders as "hipsters" and the "hipsters" refer to the othery guys as "logo monkeys", "glow-in-the-dark" and "twinkies." there's always a weird vibe when they run into each other on the streets... sadly. i don't know if that reflects the world at large.

nevertheless, i love portland.

I have a great mythic understanding of Portland and I want to visit. If I could find a decent teaching job, I might move there, although I may have a hard time leaving this place (Chicago).

But the frame tip: I love my DeBernardi Thron. Both 165 and I have one and it definately has the "classic" lable wrapped. I'll post a pic, albeit a bit dark.

I'm not sure I'd buy a 650 buck lugged frameset, unless it was something groovy and secondhand and in great condition, like a 3Rensho or Cinelli or Colnago or something. A nice new handbuilt lugged frame and forks is typically approaching US$2000 - sometimes more.

are you refering to the debernardi or the terraferma?

Kogswell's are not cheap at 600 plus bones either.

They are not 600 for the fixie frame, only the newer non fixie frame.

I'm kind of liking the Kogswell frames..

I have a great mythic understanding of Portland and I want to visit. If I could find a decent teaching job, I might move there, although I may have a hard time leaving this place (Chicago).

In all reality, no humour, is there ever a decent paying teaching job? Seems like teachers are the under paid, under thanked, and over worked segement of working society. One step above farm labor as far as pay/importance.

They were my third choice as far as frames are concerned. However, as of yesterday they have moved up to number one. I think I am going to get rid of the langster and build one of those up.