Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - pedal and chain q's

chatting with the mechanic at the LBS where i bought my langster while he was truing a wheel, and he mentioned a couple things i thought i'd run past all of you.

First, the Langster comes with a master link in the chain, which he thought was pretty dangerous on a fixie. I'm a newbie to all this, and thought i'd ask you all about whether a master link is advisable, or if it should be taken out.

Second, he said that i could only expect to ride my egg beaters for about 5 or 6 months before they'd fall apart... not because they're bad pedals, but just because of the stresses of riding fixie on them. I remember asking on the forums about pedals, and quite a few people recommended them, but should i be worried that the clip on the pedal is gonna slide off attached to my shoe and the spindle is gonna embed itself in my shin one day?

Second, he said that i could only expect to ride my egg beaters for about 5 or 6 months before they'd fall apart... not because they're bad pedals, but just because of the stresses of riding fixie on them. I remember asking on the forums about pedals, and quite a few people recommended them, but should i be worried that the clip on the pedal is gonna slide off attached to my shoe and the spindle is gonna embed itself in my shin one day?
I ride with my Crank Bros candy pedals (which are egg beaters inside a platform) and haven't had a problem. I'm pretty rough on them too. I think he (or a customer) may have had one bad experience and is generalizing...

I ride with my Crank Bros candy pedals (which are egg beaters inside a platform) and haven't had a problem. I'm pretty rough on them too. I think he (or a customer) may have had one bad experience and is generalizing...

he said that candy's would be fine, it was just egg beaters that all his "buddies who work downtown" (ie messengers, obviously) had broken theirs... who knows

Masterlink will be fine. Although I generally don't use them and just use a chain tool, I've got one on the fixed gear now - no problems. Pedals should be fine too. I suspect the mech. doesn't have real world experience with fixed gear bikes and is going on hearsay.

Masterlink will be fine. Although I generally don't use them and just use a chain tool, I've got one on the fixed gear now - no problems. Pedals should be fine too. I suspect the mech. doesn't have real world experience with fixed gear bikes and is going on hearsay.
Yeah, I hate to talk smack about anybody :rolleyes: but I think riderx is probably right.

too much BS going on at that LBS

too much BS going on at that LBS

its funny, there are two bike shops on my street. One crappy corporate one, where i bought my langster, and the other mom and pop, very fixed-friendly place that doesn't carry specialized. My bike, and my self, only enter the corp LBS for the free maintenance i get... All parts, tools, etc are purchased at the other place, Baer wheels, if you're familiar with Columbus. The guys there are awesome, always friendly, and they've got plenty of fixie gear in stock.

That was a cool shop, Baer Wheels, and then cup-o-joe down the block. I think my friend bought her Langster at the same shop that you did, they said that they were pretty popular, The Langster that is.

The only thing that I found really odd was the church music playing at Baer, I got the impression that someone was pretty religious.