Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - SST AL Owners

For all the SST AL owners out there, help me out. I am thinking of picking one up. Tell me what you like, what you don't like, what would make it better, etc. Also, can anyone tell me how wide a tire this bike will fit?

I'm very happy with mine. I'm a big guy and the steel frames in my price range all felt a bit noodly under me or were hi-ten boat anchors. The SST AL is very stiff but that also makes it a very prone to some savage road buzz, you will feel every little bump in the road. A carbon seatpost dulled mine out nicely though. I'd go so far as to say I think it's practically necessary. Seatpost, saddle, pedals (very cheap and junky), and tires (very poor cornering traction) should be budgeted as near instant replacements. The frame looks like it might fit a 30, maybe a few 32s but not most. The brake calipers will only clear a 28 though and just barely at that.


I've modified mine a bit.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v186/Grivooga/Bike/2010-03-18144915.jpg

Sette Aeon stem 130 mm
Sette Nyx saddle - best damn inexpensive saddle I've ever seen
Crud Road Racer fenders (just barely clear with 23s)
Hutchinson Ultra Fusion II tires - ride is wonderful, about 1000 miles on them so far with very little noticeable wear
Sette APX carbon seat post
Crank Bros Quattro SL pedals
Sette ST-316 rear blinky - best little cheap light I've ever seen
Nashbar fake carbon bottle cage
removed the decals and blacked out most markings
put some strategic reflective tape on to make the police happy (as if my 1/2W rear and 700 lumen front weren't bright enough)

Thanks Grivooga. Where the wheels good to go out of the box, or did they need some work (truing/tensioning)?

Sweet bike griv. What size is that, 56?

I thought the decals were under the clear coat -- is that no longer true on the 2010 model?

I'm pretty sure the 2010 comes sans decals...at least that is what is shown on the BD website.

2010 looks identical to mine (same parts build too) except the hideous decals seem to be gone and BD is no longer including an 18t fixed cog (and I must assume lockring as well).

Mine is a 58. The bike definitely runs a bit smaller than the sizing chart would indicate. The 58 was supposed to have a slightly longer ETT than my 59 cm cyclocross frame. Yet I had to put a 130 mm stem on it to get the bars in a good position (cross bike uses a 110 mm stem which I flip down for road rides and up for offroad). If you're in between sizes you should probably go up but the smaller size does gives more exposed seat post for the carbon to work it's wonder and dampen out some of the road vibration (and I do recommend a carbon seat post).

The wheels have been wonderful. Perfectly true and well tensioned (I checked). At 230 lbs I beat the hell out of them and though they occasionally make some noise when I drop off curbs or mistime a speed bump hop they haven't given me any problems. I swapped an Aksium front on once and there's definitely slightly more drag than the lower spoke count wheel but it's only noticeable at 20+ (I do miss the sound that a bladed spoke wheel makes though). Overall I feel like this bike is faster than my cross bike with road tires. The computer tells a different story (geared bike is definitely faster) but the SST AL feels quicker even if it's not actually.

So, is Grivooga the only SST AL owner out there?

So, is Grivooga the only SST AL owner out there?

Not sure about here; but I know for sure a friend of mine has it; just checked bikesdirect; well they have a different newer version there now... with just a better carbon fork and no decals...

Anyway for the old version, the original fork is what I hated most... it was steel and didn't fit the styling of the frame at all... let alone the weird combo of steel fork and aluminum frame... apparently they fixed that gaff exactly like how my friend did with a bladed style carbon fork...

older version; click (darn site won't allow hotlinking):

http://cyclespectrum.com/merchant/1367/images/site/sstal.jpg

I also liked how the frame was made by Kinesis; who also happens to make raliegh, GT, etc company's frames and forks....

Bump.

Can a recent buyer of the SST-AL confirm that it now comes without decals?

I bought one 2 weeks ago. It has logos under the clear coat in the front steering tube and on the frame below the seat facing forward. Not sure what it is called but the vertical tube of the frame where the seat post goes in.

The logo isn't terrible almost looks like a Canadian maple leaf. Beyond that the bide rides great. I have everything stock and it rides fine for me and IM in NYC. I have it setup for single speed so can't talk about it's fg qualities. I feelmlike it is an extremely fast bike.

I should be receiving mine this Thursday.

Hello, I received mine a couple of days ago. I really like it so far. Mine is a 54 cm and it's about perfect for me (5' 11" with 32 inch inseam). The bike came with a fixed 18T cog and a 17T freewheel was also in the box. I thought the components where pretty nice for the price point, even the pedals are all metal and pretty smooth. The seat was comfortable but I had to replace it with something lighter. The wheels seem nice and strong, but are pretty heavy. I figured I'd lose some weight there right away and replace them with some Wabi cycles Jalco wheels, which seem very nice so far (1750 g for the pair) and a 17T cog. I just can't get used to drops and road brakes. So I did a quick flop and chop until I can get a proper bullhorn. The rear brake bridge is so close to the tire, I'm not sure I could even fit a 28 in there, maybe but that would be it.

The bike came stock 54cm at 21.06 lbs. In the current configuration it is 18.44 lb.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v86/vanloch/Dawes%20SSTAL/SST-AL2.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v86/vanloch/Dawes%20SSTAL/SST-AL.jpg

Can't really see it in the pictures but the top and downtubes have a really cool shape.
About 50 miles on it and this is my first fixed gear bike. I'm pretty stoked about it.

You got both a fixed cog and a freewheel? The site says the fixed cog is not included, so I wonder if it's incorrectly listed, or you were just lucky.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v186/Grivooga/Bike/2010-03-18144915.jpg

Sette Aeon stem 130 mm

That's a loooooooong stem...
How's that handling on that bike? Is it hard to corner?

Hello, I received mine a couple of days ago. I really like it so far. Mine is a 52 cm and it's about perfect for me (5' 11" with 32 inch inseam).

How does a 52 fit you...? I rode my friends 54 the other day, and aside from his seat post being too high for me the bike was perfect, and I'm a shade under 5'5" with about a 30 inch inseam...

How does a 52 fit you...? I rode my friends 54 the other day, and aside from his seat post being too high for me the bike was perfect, and I'm a shade under 5'5" with about a 30 inch inseam...

Sorry the bike I got is a 54 I messed up on the post (Just corrected it). The 54 is what I have it it fits me well. A little over an inch before the TT is touching the boys, I put a little bit shorter stem on (90mm) for stretching out on the ends. I was considering the 56 for a more upright ride, but I think the standover would have been too close. The 54 does have some toe overlap (foot size 10-10.5).

You got both a fixed cog and a freewheel? The site says the fixed cog is not included, so I wonder if it's incorrectly listed, or you were just lucky.

Yes, it was a total shock to me, because it's definitely not in the specs. But the bike came with the fixed gear installed. Maybe just lucky, who knows.

Got mine yesterday, I can confirm that the sizing runs a tad smaller I am 5'11" with a 31.5" inseam, so barefoot I get 1" from PBH with my jewels just touching the frame. Add a .5" to 1" with my boots.
I put bullhorns on ( can't ride with drops either). Flipped the stem to raise instead of dropping. Though I might consider a shorter stem due to the bull horns stretching me out a bit. Mine came as fixed geared and came with a freewheel cog.
Since I am coming from a 325666666666666666666666 <--- my cat wrote that... :love:
all aluminum frame/fork, the ride of the SST AL is so much better! I am really impressed.

I am also confirm that the SST AL seems really fast, and I feel more confident making tighter turns while going fast. :thumb:

This is my first single gear that I have owned for a long time and, damn, I am glad I made the move. ;)

FWIW, I feel this bike rides (based on memory) noticeably better than the SE Lager.

Do I need to post photos?

Got mine yesterday, I can confirm that the sizing runs a tad smaller I am 5'11" with a 31.5" inseam, so barefoot I get 1" from PBH with my jewels just touching the frame. Add a .5" to 1" with my boots.
I put bullhorns on ( can't ride with drops either). Flipped the stem to raise instead of dropping. Though I might consider a shorter stem due to the bull horns stretching me out a bit. Mine came as fixed geared and came with a freewheel cog.
Since I am coming from a 325666666666666666666666 <--- my cat wrote that... :love:
all aluminum frame/fork, the ride of the SST AL is so much better! I am really impressed.

I am also confirm that the SST AL seems really fast, and I feel more confident making tighter turns while going fast. :thumb:

This is my first single gear that I have owned for a long time and, damn, I am glad I made the move. ;)

FWIW, I feel this bike rides (based on memory) noticeably better than the SE Lager.

Do I need to post photos?

can i ask if you recieved it with a fixed gear or a freewheel?

edited: sorry i should learn how to read

On bikesdirect it says :

17T Freewheel (1/8)
(purchase and attach your own 1/8 fixed cog (not included) to the other side of rear hub)

So it seems fixed cog is a bonus.

the bare sst al looks amazing! i wish i had that instead of my kilo at times.

Sorry the bike I got is a 54 I messed up on the post (Just corrected it). The 54 is what I have it it fits me well. A little over an inch before the TT is touching the boys, I put a little bit shorter stem on (90mm) for stretching out on the ends. I was considering the 56 for a more upright ride, but I think the standover would have been too close. The 54 does have some toe overlap (foot size 10-10.5).

I was considering a 56 as well, but I too kinda feel the stand over would be a tad close. But it sure kinda makes me wonder.

I just ordered a 60cm in black! I can't wait to get it. It will be replacing a 1983 Nishiki Sebring SS/FG Convert that has finally cracked the drive side seat stay :( I must have gone for weeks trying to figure out what I wanted, even checking the LBS. For the price on BD VS a comparably equipped Fuji Classic Track it seemed like the right decision even going from a CroMo to AL. The Nishiki will be getting a facelift after it gets repaired and the dropouts are replaced with Track Fork ends.


Yup, I'm a N00B!

can u bunny hop with the sst al cos if not why bother?

So the frameset at BIkeisland doesnt come with a carbon fork
http://bikeisland.com/images/1204014.JPG
And the Complete on Bikesdirect comes with a Kinesis? Too Bad.
Complete is still Great Deal tho.

Griv, I gotta get those roadracer mudflaps!
http://www.crudproducts.com/wp-content/uploads/images/Roadracer_Black_8.png

Bike looks good. :thumb:

they just came out of version two of those fenders.

Hello, I received mine a couple of days ago. I really like it so far. Mine is a 54 cm....

Hey Loch can you measure the crank arms for me? BD says these bikes get 170mm on size small/medium and 172.5mm on large. I don't know what crank arm length size 54 and 56 fall in..

See, I'm trying to figure out what size to get..either a 54 or 56 as I'm also 5'11 w/33 inseam wearing my shoes. Is the size 54 stand over height really 30.5''? If you can, can you measure the distance from the ground to the top of the top tube.

Anybody with size 56? can you guys measure the crank arm length and true stand over height? Even tho BD list as 31'', still may be off ya kno

Still considering ordering this bike in a 60 cm. Great thread, should prove to be helpful. What's worse is that I don't have anything to compare it to as my Trek still hasn't arrived and won't for another month or so.

i really wonder why people don't buy this bike when i see it on bikesdirect. seems like a great deal to me compared to bikes like the kilo tt :)

I've got an SST-AL!

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs153.snc4/37005_405343533140_507013140_4516121_2444700_n.jpg

current trim with:
HED Stinger 90s
Bontrager carbon seatpost
Aerus Composites full carbon fork (blades and steerer)
C-Bros Eggbeater C pedals
KMC 710SL chain
etc...

I also have a rear disc wheel, front Hed3 and the stock wheelset sans machined braking surface if you want pics of those..

no, im good.

One of my friends just got this bike but they're looking to put a fixed cog on it (he doesn't want a freewheel, wants to go fixed). Does anyone know what I would have to buy to make it work? Just the fixed cog and a lockring? Any specific measurements or anything?
Thanks guys.

What kind of hub is it?
Track hub, freewheel hub or freehub...hub?

Honestly Vixtor I have no idea. XD
How can I find out? There's a freewheel on the other side already so I'd assume the other side is a Track Hub? Since this bike has a flip flop hub?

What brand is it?
If the other side has a "stepped" threading on the hub, then it is a track hub. He can just put a cog and lockring on and run it as fixed.
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/harris/images/hubs-harris-black.jpg

According to the bikesdirect website it's a formula hub, he hasn't received the bike yet. Is there any specific track cog I need to buy? I see a lot of different track cogs and lockrings, such as 1.29x24.tpi, 1.32x24tpi, etc. etc.

If it's a Formula, stay away from Miche or Phil Wood lockrings, they are not the same threading as your Formula hubs.

A tried a true combination of cog+lockring is Dura Ace or EAI cog with a Dura Ace lockring.

DA only makes up to 16T... is it okay to buy a 16T even though the bike is 17T on it right now? And does it matter which measurement lockring? I see some different measurements

http://cgi.ebay.com/Shimano-Dura-Ace-Track-Cog-Lockring-NJS-Fixed-Gear-NEW-/280544735903?pt=Cycling_Parts_Accessories
http://cgi.ebay.com/SHIMANO-DURA-ACE-16T-COG-FIXED-GEAR-TRACK-NJS-1-8-NEW-/290460003608?pt=Cycling_Parts_Accessories

I was thinking of buying this combination. Yes? No?

As I said, stay away from Miche or Phil Wood lockring, they are Italian threaded.

I'd stay with the same size cog so your gear ratio remains the same.

Dangit, Dura-Ace only makes up to a 16T cog. Oh well, I will just get the EAI cog then. Thanks!

Dangit, Dura-Ace only makes up to a 16T cog. Oh well, I will just get the EAI cog then. Thanks!

SOMA makes excellent cogs all the way up to 21T for a lot less than EAI >>> http://www.worldclasscycles.com/Track_components_cart.htm

Seems like the SOMA track cog is a lot more towards my budget. Getting the Black ANO track cog from there for 24$ only. Thanks TT!

The bike comes with a cog and a freewheel. The specs on the website are incorrect.

I've got an SST-AL!

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs153.snc4/37005_405343533140_507013140_4516121_2444700_n.jpg

current trim with:
HED Stinger 90s
Bontrager carbon seatpost
Aerus Composites full carbon fork (blades and steerer)
C-Bros Eggbeater C pedals
KMC 710SL chain
etc...

I also have a rear disc wheel, front Hed3 and the stock wheelset sans machined braking surface if you want pics of those..

what size? standover height?

what size? standover height?

I have the 60cm size. I'm not sure what the stand-over height is, but I have a 33" inseam and can straddle it w/o a problem..

I received my bike yesterday! However, shipping I believe has damaged the rear fork ends, little disappointed. The bike is beautiful in black. The only badges are on the head & seat tube, no big DAWES SST AL logo along the top/down tubes. However until I get a warranty fix or whatever it takes to get a new frame, I don't get to enjoy riding it, just looking at it. :/ I'll post pics of it when everything is normal again and I get the upgrades installed.

Hello,

I received mine a week ago. Polished, 58cm. I'm 5'11 w/33 inseam. Fixed gear cog is installed, freewheel included.

Could somebody post a photo of SST AL in black?

Oh man, Arkadi, can you post a picture of it? I've fallen in love with the SSTAL frame. :love:

Unfortunately, SST doesn't come in black.