Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - Any bikes comparable to the Fantom Uno?

Are there any other bikes out there for $400 or cheaper than is comparable to the fantom uno??
What I'm looking for in a bike is: singlespeed, cyclocross, fairly light(no walmart/target bikes).
This would jut be a secondary bike for commuting/cross. I can't afford to spend anymore than $400, even $400 is pushing it so I'm trying to find a used fantom uno..

the fantom cross uno is the cheapest you'll find. another option would be to build your own conversion using an older mtb frame (i'm talking 80's-early 90's) that can accommodate 700c wheels (some steel frames can) with horizontal dropouts. this may or may not be cheaper, depending on whether you can find good deals on the frame and parts.

From BD website:

2009 Motobecane
Fantom Cross UNO
$399.99 (List $895)

it is .01 less than $400, so why don't you just buy it?

he's asking for other options.

the answer is that there are none.

I suppose this threw me off:

"I can't afford to spend anymore than $400, even $400 is pushing it so I'm trying to find a used fantom uno.."

ah, I meant that it would be hard for me to spend the $400 on a new bike, albeit a good one for the money. I'm looking for something closer to around $300, but I guess I'm going to end up saving a little bit more. I wish another company would make a bike to compete with the fantom uno in that price range, thats at least decent quality. I'm not the biggest fan of bikesdirect bikes but they are good quality FOR the price.

wow, you won't spend 400 on a bike but you're complaining about bd bike quality?

umm... you do know that people usually pay 3x that for anything better quality, right?

not only are they paying 3x more than the BD price but they're getting the same frame with some huge bike company's name on the downtube being the only difference. You won't spend $400 on a BD bike cause you're not a fan then clearly you've never bought a bike from them. Everyone talks $hit on BD's quality but I have yet to see any problems in manufacturing in any of the 3 bikes I have bought from them. You're better off stalking your local craiglist.

not only are they paying 3x more than the BD price but they're getting the same frame with some huge bike company's name on the downtube being the only difference. You won't spend $400 on a BD bike cause you're not a fan then clearly you've never bought a bike from them. Everyone talks $hit on BD's quality but I have yet to see any problems in manufacturing in any of the 3 bikes I have bought from them. You're better off stalking your local craiglist.

bikesdirect does slap a huge brand on for the time being.

Short answer: nope.

I have a Fantom and love it.

Don't see many bikes under 700 bones with rackmounts, clearance for studded/wide tires + fenders, track ends, and semi-light weight.

My only gripes are the cheap stem and wonky brake cable braze-ons.

bikesdirect does slap a huge brand on for the time being.

I wouldn't call Motobecane a "huge brand".

no, but it's in big lettering down the side of it, not a bad thing in my opinion, I have a messenger(wife's bike) and I have a kilo, both good bikes for the money. I'm thinking about getting a cyclo bike, been really thinking about the windsor cyclo or the uno, can't make up my mind.

I wouldn't call Motobecane a "huge brand".

I think he's referring to the size of the lettering and the length of the word....like a cow brand. It is a huge brand. Make sense?

if i get a cyclocross bike it will be a BD bike. the cyclo is amazing but the outlaw gets you disc brakes for a hundred more, and if you're not competing that's a pretty huge advantage in everything but weight.

I think he's referring to the size of the lettering and the length of the word....like a cow brand. It is a huge brand. Make sense?

Think TheTank was referring to "some huge bike company's name" as a large bike company, not the size of logo.

http://www.on-one-shop.co.uk/acatalog/Online_Catalogue_Il_Pompino_120_550.html

However, It'll probably be cheaper to go with the BD complete.

Get an older lugged touring bike with 700c wheels for a couple of bills. Convert to singlespeed. Throw a set of Ritchey SpeedMaxes on the wheels. Pocket the rest.

I wouldn't call Motobecane a "huge brand".

a physically large branding.

Get an older lugged touring bike with 700c wheels for a couple of bills. Convert to singlespeed. Throw a set of Ritchey SpeedMaxes on the wheels. Pocket the rest.

you didn't finish the story.

pocket the 100 dollars left over. get mud gunking up the old, ineffectual brakes. crash into tree. walk around.

you didn't finish the story.

pocket the 100 dollars left over. get mud gunking up the old, ineffectual brakes. crash into tree. walk around.

If you get an older 700c touring bike, there's a good chance it will have old Mafacs or Mafac clones. Throw some good pads on there ($10-15 depending on where you buy), set them up properly, and you'll stop just fine on the road. You're still gonna get clogged up in a muddy cx race, but that'll happen with most setups.

If you get an older 700c touring bike, there's a good chance it will have old Mafacs or Mafac clones. Throw some good pads on there ($10-15 depending on where you buy), set them up properly, and you'll stop just fine on the road. You're still gonna get clogged up in a muddy cx race, but that'll happen with most setups.

I can't remember the last time I ran across a used bike with mafacs. Are you posting from the 1990s?

I've actually seen someone using a regular kilo tt with road brakes at the local cross race, that was pretty interesting.


wow, you won't spend 400 on a bike but you're complaining about bd bike quality?

I was complaining about the fact that no other company can make bikes as good quality as bikesdirect in the same price range. I used to have a windsor hour and I loved that bike, absolutely nothing wrong with it.

So I guess there isn't really any other competitor with the fantom uno. I figured that already but I just wanted to get some other opinions :).

so a kilo can fit cyclocross tires?

I can't remember the last time I ran across a used bike with mafacs. Are you posting from the 1990s?

Two of the last 3 bikes I bought from thrift stores had Mafac cantilevers on them.