Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - Charge Bikes

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View Full Version : Charge Bikes


jaegee
05-26-11, 07:07 AM
Anyone have one of these? I see on bonktown the charge plug and other charge bikes coming available over the past few days.

I can't seem to find any reviews and I am looking for a low cost fixie for commuting needs.


rogwilco
05-26-11, 07:31 AM
I've had a Charge Plug for about two years and have been riding it almost every day since. I don't know what to review exactly, but I'm extremely happy with it. :)

jaegee
05-26-11, 07:37 AM
Thanks for the reply. How heavy is it? That's all I have heard is that they are overly heavy...


rogwilco
05-26-11, 07:46 AM
Well, I don't have a suitable scale to test it, but I would say it's about half the way between a state-of-the-art carbon road bike and the tank-like aluminium hybrid I was riding before I bought the Charge. ;)

It's certainly not the lightest steel fixed gear bike (I think it's straight gauge steel), but it's held up to a lot of use/abuse from me, and I don't really mind the weight too much since I can still get up all the hills and most of the excessive weight is around my belly anyway and not on the bike.

jaegee
05-26-11, 08:15 AM
ok, thanks. I also have a bit of unneeded weight around my belly :) I just wanted to make sure the bike itself wasn't a tank.

Speed2XS
05-26-11, 06:04 PM
ok, thanks. I also have a bit of unneeded weight around my belly :) I just wanted to make sure the bike itself wasn't a tank.

From one guy with a belly to another, m opinion is that the small amount of weight difference on a bike will mostly affect you when transporting the bike, when you're not riding it. You wont notice it while riding, unless it has excessively heavy wheels and tires, but this only if you ride someone's with a lighter wheelset.

If you like the Charge, buy it for a good price, ride it, and upgrade the wheelset and lesser components when you can afford to.

AModernDrunkard
05-27-11, 09:40 AM
If you like the Charge, buy it for a good price, ride it, and upgrade the wheelset and lesser components when you can afford to.

This. I own the charge plug racer. The geometry of the charge frame is more relaxed compared to my kilo tt, which, imo is nice for longer riders. I have also upgraded quite a few things on it, namely the wheelset and cockpit. I also picked up a Charge mixer for my girlfriend, which has the same frame but comes with disc brakes and the shimano alfine hub. Both bikes ride super nice and handle all kinds of abuse.