Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - Did I make a mistake? Crankset questions

Background: I have a Pista that's a few years old, and the components have definitely taken a beating. I'm going to do a complete overhaul, drop a nice chunk of change, and then a year down the road get a fancy track frame. Basically, everything aside from my Chris King headset is probably going to be replaced in the next couple of months.

The first stop is going to be the drivetrain. I was going to go with Sugino 75 cranks mated to a Phil Woods bb, but saw a good deal on a FSA pro carbon track crankset and went with that instead. I know that their road cranks are pretty good, but don't know anything about the track crankset and it's hard to find info. Did I screw myself over with going to FSA for their crank/ring/bb? Last time I had experience with the company was almost 10 years ago, and it was pretty overwhelmingly negative.

Next step is a phil/Velocity-V wheelset, some carbon fiber bits (stem/seatpost/fork), and a lightweight seat. I'd welcome any advice in that regard as well.

take before and after shots to show us

take before and after shots to show uslol thanks, will do :)

http://fixedgeargallery.com/2007/july/1/NathanBorris.htm

This guy has the crankset I'm talking about. I've just emailed him to ask how he likes it.

I'm going to get the wheels from this place:
http://www.spicercycles.com/index.cgi?cat=22&cat_desc=Track&sub_cat=Wheels

$600 for a phil/velocity V set doesn't seem so bad. Is that a good price? It seems like getting the parts separately and going to a local LBS would cost me more.

http://bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=328646&highlight=nashbar+carbon+fork+review
This is the fork, which the owner put on the same bike as I will. I'm kind of worried about the rake increase, but will see how it goes. It's a pretty cheap gamble.

http://www.spicercycles.com/index.cgi?cat=22&cat_desc=Track&sub_cat=Wheels

$600 for a phil/velocity V set doesn't seem so bad. Is that a good price? It seems like getting the parts separately and going to a local LBS would cost me more.



www.thebikebiz.com has MUCH better prices. ~$450. For a hand built set, and they're very good there.

I bought mine from thebikebiz and got everything else at the LBS. I think I ended up saving about $200-$250 between lower prices for components at the LBS and lower price for the wheelset at thebikebiz.

Next step is a lightweight seat. I'd welcome any advice in that regard as well.

Tioga Spyder:

http://www.bunnyhop.it/cgi-bin/images/big/TIOGA_Spyder_Saddle.jpg

I sat on one and it felt okay. I've also seen some crazy NOS tri saddles with little more padding than a dish towel laid over a titanium shell.

Any weight-weenie **** you put on your bike will be negated by the Phil/Velocity wheelset though...

As far as a lightweight saddle... I love my Selle Italia SLR on my road bike. It is 135g and is very comfy. However, it is showing signs of wear and tear after 4 months of riding just about every day.

www.thebikebiz.com (http://www.thebikebiz.com) has MUCH better prices. ~$450. For a hand built set, and they're very good there.Thanks! They have awesome options too - for some extra money I can have my all-black wheelset :) Any advice on the spoke pattern? I was just going with the old cross 3.

Tioga Spyder:
Any weight-weenie **** you put on your bike will be negated by the Phil/Velocity wheelset though...Totally - I'm actually trying to negate the extra weight with the weight-weenie ****. I've always been hard on wheels, and pavement in SF is pretty crappy, and the weather isn't much better. I want the wheels to last.

Trinity Bicycles (http://www.trinitybicycles.com) will do a Deep V/Phil wheelset for about $500. They do a great job and have good communication.

Just ordered a wheelset from bikebiz. With a dura ace cog, and an eco chain everything came out to $600 after the brutal CA tax and shipping. I definitely saved some money - thanks.

Still can't believe I poneyed up a bunch of extra money for black spokes - my first truly vanity based cycling purchase. But it's going to look sweet.

You might also want to look into the DT Swiss RR1.2 or the Niobium30, which are both 30mm deep in profile. As far as I know they only come in machined sidewall and a narrow variety of colours, but they're competitive to the Deep-V in other aspects.

You might also want to look into the DT Swiss RR1.2 or the Niobium30, which are both 30mm deep in profile. As far as I know they only come in machined sidewall and a narrow variety of colours, but they're competitive to the Deep-V in other aspects.Thanks, but I already ordered :)

Battle of the cheap CF forks!!!!

Should I get this one:
http://www.performancebike.com/shop/profile.cfm?SKU=17144&subcategory_ID=5232

like this guy:
http://velospace.org/node/2661

Or get the Nashbar fork
http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?category=600086&subcategory=60001182&brand=&sku=18202&storetype=&estoreid=&pagename=Shop%20by%20Subcat%3A%20Road%20Forks

like our fellow forumer:
http://bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=328646&highlight=nashbar+carbon+fork+review

Honestly, they are almost identical in price, both rebranded from somewhat respectable manufacturers. I can't seem to find the weight on the Forte, but the nashbar is 585g, which is pretty hefty for a CF fork, but way lighter than my stock steel one.

Oh btw wheels at thebikebiz are 2-3weeks out right now, because their wheel builder was gone for a bit.

Performance owns nashbar, so I don't think it makes a difference. I would prefer the original fork.

Well I'm in no rush, so that's ok.

Performance owns nashbar, so I don't think it makes a difference. I would prefer the original fork.They are different forks from different manufacturers, so there is some difference. That said, I'm not sure what I'm going to do.

The original fork must go though.

The Forte is a rebranded Kinesis, not sure of the specific model. One of my friends used a Kinesis Carbon 3 on his old Raleigh conversion and it's a pretty nice piece. Check out aebike and Chuck's to give yourself some more options.

As far as a lightweight saddle... I love my Selle Italia SLR on my road bike. It is 135g and is very comfy. However, it is showing signs of wear and tear after 4 months of riding just about every day.

I have a Selle Italia SLR Carbon; it is light as hell, but after a year and a half on my road bike it looks like hell. Still comfortable though.. :)

. I've also seen some crazy NOS tri saddles with little more padding than a dish towel laid over a titanium shell.



I have recently bought the third one of these for $20 shipped - they are surprisingly comfortable for the looks. The model name is Pluma, they are by Gipiemme

FSA is a good company that stands by their product. I broke a set of carbon Team Issue road cranks, and they took them back, no questions asked.

One of the messengers I race track with rocks a set of FSA Vigorelli carbon cranks. He hasn't had one complaint about them. A lot of track racers at Alpenrose, myself included, run FSA rings.

A lot of people like to talk smack about them, but for a semi-local company, FSA gets my dollar.

I have recently bought the third one of these for $20 shipped - they are surprisingly comfortable for the looks. The model name is Pluma, they are by Gipiemme

Pluma:

http://www.chainedrevolution.com/images/bikes/misc/IMG_4692.JPG

Pluma:

http://www.chainedrevolution.com/images/bikes/misc/IMG_4692.JPG
Yup, that's the one. They exist in candy blue and candy red as well. The powdercoating on the shell is soft and easy to scratch, yet very difficult to remove by the usual means of powdercoating shop. However, once you remove it and polish the titanium shell they look really nice.

That seat is crazy. Honestly at the moment I'm considering the Forte seat - it looks pretty nice. Though I'm shocked by how much of forte stuff I'm considering. Their all-carbon fork seems pretty nice too, as well as the seatpost and stem.

I feel weird here, I've never bought house brand stuff before really, except for Nashbar Ritchey clones waaaay back, and those really sucked.

Battle of the cheap CF forks!!!!

Should I get this one:
http://www.performancebike.com/shop/profile.cfm?SKU=17144&subcategory_ID=5232

like this guy:
http://velospace.org/node/2661

Or get the Nashbar fork
http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?category=600086&subcategory=60001182&brand=&sku=18202&storetype=&estoreid=&pagename=Shop%20by%20Subcat%3A%20Road%20Forks

like our fellow forumer:
http://bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=328646&highlight=nashbar+carbon+fork+review

Honestly, they are almost identical in price, both rebranded from somewhat respectable manufacturers. I can't seem to find the weight on the Forte, but the nashbar is 585g, which is pretty hefty for a CF fork, but way lighter than my stock steel one.

I got this one, straight blade, seems cool, but only been riding it for a week.

http://www.chucksbikes.com/store/

Under Forks> Martec Carbon Fork $75