Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - Jamis Sputnik - why not?

Went to the LBS on Sat and looked at the Jamis Sputnik for the 3rd time in as many months. It's on clearance price now so I'm thinking that it might be time to consummate my lust for that machine. I took it for a spin and really loved how it felt. It was my first fixie ride and I just went around the block, but I have to admit that I'm hooked - the experience was what I hoped it would be and I'm definitely keen on taking the plunge on a nice bike that I'm excited about.

I've done my research and it seems that this is a pretty highly-regarded bike for the price, and that the clearance price is a pretty good deal. Issues I've seen mentioned are that the rims are kinda soft & low-spec (despite having good hubs), and that they often need truing and tensioning as they're shipped. Also something about chains too short as shipped, but I don't quite get what that means or how it can happen.

So, anyhow, I've drooled over the bike, like the styling a lot, like the relatively light weight (under 20 lbs, feels lighter than that - I guess I'm so used to my heavy hybrid) a whole hell of a lot, and really enjoyed the ride.

Given all this plus an out-the-door price of under $950 CDN, is there any reason not to buy this bike? Looking around, I haven't really found anyone saying stuff about the Sputnik that they really disliked, so I'm inclined to go for it (tax refund is due tomorrow so I wanna get a cool bike and a nice haircut. :) ).

unless you're a manatee or want a bike that is gonna make you a sundae, i'd say buy it.

for the record, i'm a total shill for this bike. that said, CDN$950 ~= US$750 and strikes me as fair, but not a steal. nonetheless, you should buy it.

as you've gathered, OEM parts are passable at best. my suggestion: part it out as time & funds allow...keep what you like, sell/upgrade everything you don't (yes, wheels first). for me, this was literally everything but the frame!

admittedly, my standards are quite high...but the frame is certainly worthy of much better. you will not be putting the proverbial lipstick on a pig.

buy it

Issues I've seen mentioned are that the rims are kinda soft & low-spec (despite having good hubs), and that they often need truing and tensioning as they're shipped.

The problem has less to do with the rims and more to do with machine built wheels with spokes that are not properly tensioned or stress-relieved. Make sure the LBS corrects the spoke tension and those wheels should last a long time. Ride it a hundred miles or so, then recheck tension....if they did it right the tension should still be high. Unfortunately a lot of LBSs are incompetent when it comes to wheels. Nonetheless, finding a competent wheelbuilder to adjust your wheels (properly) should make them problem-free for years.

the only thing i dislike about the sputnik is the price. it's on the pricey side but i suppose that's due to the nice frameset.

Thanks to all for the comments and advice.

I woke up this morning with my tax refund in my bank account - might be time to make this happen!

the only thing i dislike about the sputnik is the price. it's on the pricey side but i suppose that's due to the nice frameset.

+1. I understand the frame is very well-made, and with the carbon fork, lighter than all the standard chromoly frames out there (steamroller, kilo tt, etc).

for the record, i'm a total shill for this bike. that said, CDN$950 ~= US$750 and strikes me as fair, but not a steal.
It's not as simple as a straight currency conversion, because the out-the-door price includes taxes which vary from region to region.

Anyhow, when I went back to buy it they knocked it down further, so my final price including swapping to bullhorn bars, taping them, and fitting a front brake plus assembly & all taxes is $905CDN. They didn't have SPD pedals in stock so I'll be picking up a set from the local Mountain Equipment Co-op.


nonetheless, you should buy it.
DONE! :) I'm pretty stoked. I'll post pics when I get it home.

that sounds like a pretty great deal, considering how much more expensive bikes are in Canada this year.

I think the sputnik is probably the best off-the-shelf fixed gear/ss. My old LBS stocked a lot of Jamis stuff and it's all great.

I'd get it!!

I've had one since Nov last year and like it. However, for true fixed gear, the bottom bracket may be a little low, and I can toe-strike in slow corners with my cheap plastic clips on mks track pedals. Love the carbon fork for the soft ride.

I've had one since Nov last year and like it. However, for true fixed gear, the bottom bracket may be a little low, and I can toe-strike in slow corners with my cheap plastic clips on mks track pedals. Love the carbon fork for the soft ride.
That's good to know - hopefully I'll get a bit more clearance with the SPD's.

canadian tax and taxes on tax is a killer.

Jamis makes great bikes. I have a Xenith road and couldn't be happier.

canadian tax and taxes on tax is a killer.
Tax ended up being 5%. I don't know if it was a promotion from the shop, or if bikes are exempt from the provincial sales tax (which would be another 7%) - but I was only charged the federal sales tax.

Of course, we don't see the import duties and tarrifs.

That's good to know - hopefully I'll get a bit more clearance with the SPD's.

another data point...i've had not a single instance of pedal strike in ~5k miles. i'm using shimano spd-sl road pedals on 170mm cranks.

http://middlepath.gotdns.com/bikes/jamis.jpg

I love my sputnik...

My biggest issue when I got it was the crap saddle which shredded my ass...

The FSA bottom bracket has held up surprisingly well over the last year and a bit...

On both wheels, the fifth spoke ahead of the valve stem has broken...I'm told this is most likely due to a thin spot in the rim causing uneven spoke tension...It looks kind of neat to have one silver replacement spoke on each wheel in the exact same spot...The wheels on the Sputnik are definitely it's weakest point...The shop I bought mine from had to spend a lot of time tension balancing them...

The BB is a bit low and I've had a couple of scary pedal scrapes but *knocking on wood* no crashes due to pedal strike yet...

The Ritchey Comp post, stem and bars are a step up from the usual stuff...The stainless hardware and durable finish is appreciated...I don't think you would be necessarily be getting a better post, stem and bar than the Ritchey Comp stuff if you spent more money...

The frame is well made with decent welds, nice track ends with built in adjusters and a brazed on seatpost collar...The matte black paintjob has held up reasonably well (though there was a short curly hair in the paint under the downtube)...

another data point...i've had not a single instance of pedal strike in ~5k miles. i'm using shimano spd-sl road pedals on 170mm cranks.

Similar story here but using 175mm cranks and Time ATAC pedals. With toe clips installed I do get some slight toe overlap but it doesn't happen clipless.

another data point...i've had not a single instance of pedal strike in ~5k miles. i'm using shimano spd-sl road pedals on 170mm cranks.


That might be the difference - I've got 172.5 on mine.

Tax ended up being 5%. I don't know if it was a promotion from the shop, or if bikes are exempt from the provincial sales tax (which would be another 7%) - but I was only charged the federal sales tax.

Of course, we don't see the import duties and tarrifs.

Was it bought at curbside in Toronto? I have heard them say they don't charge one of the taxes on bikes under 1k (not sure if every store does this or just theirs). I saw a sputnik at bikes on wheels a couple of months back for like $650.

Was it bought at curbside in Toronto? I have heard them say they don't charge one of the taxes on bikes under 1k (not sure if every store does this or just theirs). I saw a sputnik at bikes on wheels a couple of months back for like $650.

I think it applies to all stores in Ontario.

wish i had known about the jamis b4 i bought my KHS.

sweet bike bro.

I think it applies to all stores in Ontario.
That sounds right.

I got it from "Bikes On Wheels" in Kensington Market in Toronto. Horrible name, but seems like a good shop and they kind of specialize in fixies. 90% of why I bought there is because I like Kensington, I'm down there most weekends with my wife getting groceries or whatever, and the staff was always nice to me when I went in to look around without buying anything. Then the Sputnik went on clearance and it was on! :)

It's supposed to warm up a bit later this week, I'm looking forward to picking it up and taking it for a spin.

BTW - those SPD-SL pedals seem wicked and they look perfect on the bike. I think for now the convenience of being able to share the same pair of shoes for my touring bike and the new fixie (plus the convenience of the recessed cleat on my MTB-style shoes) will outweigh the desire to switch to something sexier.

I have to admit, this really nice new bike is starting to make me a lot more style-consious. I hate like hell to put lights, a bell, a computer, or bottle cage on it. I almost want to ditch my backpack for a messenger bag and leave my Bellistic on the peg in favor of my black-with-flames skullcap toque. ;)

nothing wrong w/lights/bell/cages/computer...just means you actually ride it!

With the temps above freezing I went to pick it up yesterday. I hit up Mountain Equipment Co-op first and scored some Shimano PD-A520 pedals:


http://www.roadbikereview.com/Channels/RoadBikeReview/images/products/product_368166.jpg

This is a conventional SPD so it works with my existing Lake MTB shoes but it's got a nice sleek road look. I had some concerns about the fact that they only take the cleat on one side, but I got used to it very quickly and so far I'm very happy with them.

I had some errands to run so my introductory ride ended up being ~15k of back-and-forth through the city with a backpack getting steadily heavier. The short story is that I love this bike. I have never bought myself a really nice bicycle that I had a lot of lust for before. And the experience of riding fixed so far is everything it's cracked up to be - it's so smooth and silent, so simple, direct, and elemental. The experience of riding this bike in traffic was the same mix of excitement and nerves that I had when I got my first motorcycle.

I actually had dreams of riding the bike as I was drifting off last night, and I woke up an hour earlier than I normally would and my first thoughts were of the bike. Jesus - a 38 year old man with a new bicycle but my emotions are more like a 12 year old girl with a new pony. :)

I've got some work to finish up this morning, then I hope to go out for a ride of ~50k or so. I've got a couple of trips planned for the spring and summer (one 180k day in the spring, and ~140k twice in 3 days in the summer) - my Cypress R hybrid set up for touring is the logical choice for those rides, but I can't stop thinking about how much I'd like to take the new bike. Time will tell.

Pics to follow.

Thanks to all for the advice and encouragement. :thumb:

patiently awaiting pictures.

With the temps above freezing I went to pick it up yesterday. I hit up Mountain Equipment Co-op first and scored some Shimano PD-A520 pedals:


http://www.roadbikereview.com/Channels/RoadBikeReview/images/products/product_368166.jpg



Those are great pedals.I started out with SPDs, moved to eggbeaters and then finally returned to SPDs, installing PD-A520's on my road bike. I use real road pedals on other bikes, but SPDs are great for commuting or just basic riding.

With the temps above freezing I went to pick it up yesterday. I hit up Mountain Equipment Co-op first and scored some Shimano PD-A520 pedals:


http://www.roadbikereview.com/Channels/RoadBikeReview/images/products/product_368166.jpg

I actually had dreams of riding the bike as I was drifting off last night, and I woke up an hour earlier than I normally would and my first thoughts were of the bike. Jesus - a 38 year old man with a new bicycle but my emotions are more like a 12 year old girl with a new pony. :)

I've got some work to finish up this morning, then I hope to go out for a ride of ~50k or so. I've got a couple of trips planned for the spring and summer (one 180k day in the spring, and ~140k twice in 3 days in the summer) - my Cypress R hybrid set up for touring is the logical choice for those rides, but I can't stop thinking about how much I'd like to take the new bike. Time will tell.

Pics to follow.

Thanks to all for the advice and encouragement. :thumb:

Nice...i was 38 when I got my Sputnik too...My first ride on it was 150k (i bought it in Toronto in the Beaches and rode it home to Kitchener on the back roads)...You can definitely do long rides on the Sputnik and you'll appreciate the carbon fork's muted feel in the later stages of your ride...

How much is MEC charging for the Shimano 520's?...I'm using Look road pedals with the cheap black and white Exustar road shoes that MEC sells with mixed results and I'm thinking about doing a switch to something easier to walk in...

Nice...i was 38 when I got my Sputnik too...My first ride on it was 150k (i bought it in Toronto in the Beaches and rode it home to Kitchener on the back roads)...You can definitely do long rides on the Sputnik and you'll appreciate the carbon fork's muted feel in the later stages of your ride...
I read your review & ride report as part of my research before pulling the trigger on this purchase. One of my trips planned for this year is a Toronto-KW round-trip with my brother-in-law. He started cycling last year after I did that trip for the first time so now he wants to train for it and have a crack at it himself. Of course, if I do it on the Sputnik this year, I won't be doing the climb up Appleby to Rattlesnake like I did last year on my Cypress!!! :) I can't imagine doing that climb without the assistance of a super granny gear.


How much is MEC charging for the Shimano 520's?...I'm using Look road pedals with the cheap black and white Exustar road shoes that MEC sells with mixed results and I'm thinking about doing a switch to something easier to walk in...
Ooops - I left the receipt in the MEC box which I left at the shop when I picked up the bike. I think they were around $50.

patiently awaiting pictures.
Your patience has been rewarded. Of course, the pics include me too so it's kinda one of those win/lose dealies.

No sexy close-ups of the componentry because the components aren't sexy. It's stock + cheapie Easton bullhorns, Cane Creek brake lever & perch (on the right side), TEKTRO R530 dual-pivot brake, and the aforementioned Shimano PD-A520 pedals.




http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3384/3333572450_5ee7859f08_b.jpg
(http://www.flickr.com/photos/9604948@N04/3333572450/)
Proud owner - so proud and distracted that the bike is facing the wrong way.


http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3563/3333572854_a869b568b9_b.jpg
(http://www.flickr.com/photos/9604948@N04/3333572854/)
I love you SO MUCH!

awwww....so cute!

Hokay, I had my first genuine riding impressions today - I was out for about 55k and it was really hard for a few reasons:

1) First time out doing anything like a real ride in about 7-8 months and more than a bit out of shape.

2) The fixie factor - it is different and it is difficult, but enjoyable. You learn new things about the cadence you can hit and sustain on a long downhill, and you learn just how long you can stand up and crank on a long uphill. My normal position is that riding a bicycle isn't a leg exercise as much as it's a cardio exercise. On a fixie, it's a leg exercise!

3) The ergos on this bike are soooooo much more aggressive than the hybrid set up for touring that I was riding the last couple of years, and the road bike with straight bars for commuting that I had before that. My wrists, neck, and sit bones were f'n killing me.

So, very difficult for an out of shape guy who's new to this kind of riding, but very fun and rewarding. I love the feeling of riding this bike, it just whips around and every sensation is so immediate and direct. It's hard to describe but I'm very happy with my choice so far.

glad to hear you're having fun with your sputnik. i'm sure a few months down the road, you're going to look back and realize how much of a better biker you've become as a result of riding fixed gear.

awesome! don't put so much pressure on your butt - kinda stand on the pedals, that should help the sit bones. that or the fit or saddle may be a little mismatched for you.

the bike looks so awesome.

awesome! don't put so much pressure on your butt - kinda stand on the pedals, that should help the sit bones. that or the fit or saddle may be a little mismatched for you.
I have read about keeping pressure off the butt a few times on Sheldon Brown's website... Do people really do that? It's not like I'm just sitting with all my weight on the seat all the time, but if you're spending 4, 6, 8 hours on the bike, can you really be supporting your bodyweight with your legs? If I unweight the seat for a bit of relief, I feel my legs pumping up and burning out in minutes.

I guess it's a fitness thing, like every other part of riding a bike.


the bike looks so awesome.
Yes, I'm very pleased with it. It's probably the prettiest thing I've ever bought - I don't even have any desire to customize it (for now, at least).

in my opinion, your legs should be used to turn the pedals, not support your weight. your weight is mostly on the saddle, partially on the bars...the split is what you are comfortable with.

proper bike fit has a lot to do with comfort as well. if your shop didn't fit you, there are numerous basic guides on the web (http://www.cyclemetrics.com/pages/Docs/6-BikeFitting/LemondSystem/fit_formulas.htm, http://www.coloradocyclist.com/BikeFit/index.cfm). be aware, this is a religion...lots of fervent support for a wide variety of 'formulas'. here is my personal take on it...

i think the lemond .883/KOPS guideline is a simple and perfectly acceptable place to start, especially if it's your first ever attempt at improving your fit. many find that a small (1/2"?) move back behind KOPS allows a little more power. i definitely like it for the seated grinds that are so common when fixed.

also, put a level on the saddle...it will only touch at the nose and the base and should be perfectly level, and while on the bike your, uh, 'taint' should be in the cradle (where the level isn't touching). the pressure there should be even (no hotspots) and stable (no need to slide forward/back). if you find yourself wanting to slide, don't move the saddle (if you've used KOPS to set the fore/aft), move the bars (by changing the stem).

now you're close...bar height left. how strong is your core? how big is your belly? a loose guideline here is to ride on the tops and try to stay in that position while completely unweighting your hands. if you can't do it for more than a second or two, you're probably tipped too far forward and should raise the bars a bit (or maybe do some situps). you want to be as low as possible while still being able to comfortably unweight your hands.

in my experience, many, many folks (even experienced riders) tend to have their saddles too high and their bars too close.

anyway, my $0.02. hope it helps you get comfortable.

PS: if you've not ridden in 7-8 months, there's no getting around the break-in phase for your ***!

I've had good luck with the KOPS system as well...It eliminated a few aches and pains which I had always thought were a normal part of riding...At first, it felt like the bars were really far away, but once I got used to it, it was great...

You might also want to consider ditching the san marco ponza saddle...I don't care what body type you have or how level you get that thing, there will be far less painful options for you...For me, the perfect saddle as far as comfort goes is the San Marco Regal (though the pricetag on the regal is a bit painful...especially with our struggling Canadian Peso)...I've had good luck with some of the Terry saddles that MEC sells as well (i can even hook you up with a gently used-never crashed ti-railed Terry Liberator unisex for almost no pesos at all) but once my ass gets on a Regal, it's like it has found its perfect match...

As for riding from Toronto to Kitchener and attempting the climbs along the way, I've found that I've had more issues going down the descents than climbing the climbs...The Sputnik is light enough that if you just stand on the pedals in a climb and focus on the road in front of you whilst going to your special meditative place, you'll get to the top of the hill before you know it...Unless your legs give out...Fortunately, it looks like you've altered the stock 48x15 gearing of the 2007 Sputnik for something a little more long distance leg friendly...

Enjoy your bike!

Just a little update... In the years I've had this bike, I've made the following changes:

1) Black Velocity Deep V's front (machined) & rear (unmachined), both are laced to stock hubs, still black spokes. In both cases I made the change as a result of accidents (being hit by a car killed the back rim, hammering into a sewer grate and going over the bars killed the front rim).

2) 42x17 gearing, both cogs black. It was 48x19 when I got it and I hated the big ugly cog, rode 48x16 for a while, got out of shape and had some knee probs so I swapped to 44x17.

3) Shiny chrome chain.

4) Easton EC70 carbon seatpost. After a test ride on a Cervelo RS with an FSA carbon post, I thought that this change might increase comfort. It didn't. Not great value for money, but no way am I taking it off.

5) Terry Falcon Y saddle. I wore out the stocker, and thought that the black seat with grey graphics would look good on a black bike with grey accents. Also, I wanted to try a split saddle. Having ridden it, I think they're BS, no more comfortable than a traditional saddle. Also, the top of my seatpost doesn't look great from above, and crud gets in there when the bike is left parked outside. Next saddle will be traditional style.


I've had a lot of fun on this machine. I'm building another bike now because I'm a bit too out of shape to ride good old Nicky, and I'm nursing some knee injuries. I've done a bunch of 100k days on it - too many to count, and did back-to-back century rides (100 miles/day 2 days in a row), out to the Niagara Escarpment and back. I've never once regretted the purchase and if I was ever physically unable to ride the bike for some reason, I'd probably hold onto it and hang it on my wall. It's a beautiful machine and I have a lot of love for it.

What year sputnik was that? I just picked up the 09 and I love it except a couple of things.

Did you have any problems pedal striking? I'm really not confident in cornering because my clips would scrape the floor and I just recently got my pedal caught when I was turning and I did an accidental nose pivot. A good chunk of cage and pedal are gone just from that.

Also, you said the rims were sub par, yet the hubs made up for it. I feel the opposite because mine came with loose ball hubs and they were so crunchy and stiff I could not even spin the axle with my hands, I serviced them myself and they are much better, but are no where near as smooth as the cheapest sealed bearings.

Mine was a leftover 08 or 07, bought in the spring of 09.

I've never had a pedal strike problem, either I'm slow & lame on the corners (definitely possible), or my cranks are a bit shorter than yours (although mine are whatever came on the bike), or my slimmer pedals make the difference. The pedals I'm running give probably almost 10mm of extra clearance at the outside edge vs. platforms with cages.

BTW, I did end up putting some small lights on the bike, but no computer, bell, or mirror. For riding in the city, I learned that I prefer not having a computer. I got warned once by the cops about the lack of bell, I told them that my bell had been stolen and I had a replacement on my dresser at home that I hadn't had time to install yet. And I wear a helmet-mounted mirror, which I've been doing for years - love it.