Bicycle Mechanics - Need help on choosing a bike.

So i want to get a bike online. ive looked on diff websites and these two seem the best ones.

http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/windsor/timeline.htm



http://sgvbicycles.com/RETROSPEC_WHITE_RED_FIXIE_TRACK_BIKE_C6.HTML


I've heard sgvbicycles is rips people off, but then again. Im new to the bicycle world.
Suggestions?

Try posting in the single speed & fixed gear forum. They know about these kind of things.

You are aware that both these bikes have a fair amount of fashion statement in their ancestry right?
The retrospec in articular will pose a bit of a challenge if you decide that you'd like to run fenders or a rack to improve the everyday usefullness of the bike.

The Windsor is a tad "better" in this perspective, as it appears to have some eyelets at least, but their webiste postst the following "info": PLEASE TIGHTEN YOUR LOCKRINGS, CRANKS, PEDALS ETC BEFORE AND AFTER EVERY RIDE

which is outright wrong. If it's a square taper, torqueing it up after every ride is a surefire way of splitting the crank in fairly short order.

"PLEASE TIGHTEN YOUR LOCKRINGS, CRANKS, PEDALS ETC BEFORE AND AFTER EVERY RIDE "

Sounds like the lawyers talking.

My suggestion is that you try to buy from a company that will allow a test ride and help you with fit. If you buy a bike online and have any issues in need of ANY after the sale service, your "savings" will evaporate.

If you want advice on buying a bike from people on a forum like this its best to provide as much information as possible, that way you will get advice better tailored to your needs.
What sort of cycling will you be doing? Distance, hills town/countryside etc?
How much cycling have you done in the past?
Hows your mechanical knowledge (this can affect suggestions of 2nd hand options)?

Generally the advice you need most is DONT buy a cheap bike online. That said I have done it and although that bike was a piece or **** its great for winter use when I don't want my decent bikes exposed to the salt and muck on the roads and it did teach me what things I needed to improve on when looking for my next bike.
Are you sure you want Fixed gear? If you will only ever be cycling in very flat areas then its a decent option, otherwise I would consider getting a bike with some gears to cope with hills you may come across every so often. Consider whether you want to be able to carry things while cycling, if you might then ensure you are able to mount a rack to the bike. Will you cycle in the rain? Then you may want mudguards or at least the ability to mount mudguards at a later date. Are you on a strict budget? Cheap bikes from online stores are usually rather poor quality, they might put you off cycling. If you absolutely cannot afford a good bike, consider 2nd hand. Use forums like this to ask about potential purchases and if possible take along someone knowledgable when looking at the bike.

I'm immediately wondering why someone who is asking for help buying a bike has zeroed in on those two. It would seem that by the time you look at bikes like that you would kind of know what you want and why. If you must go that route the Windsor looks ok. A single speed is nice and simple as long as a single speed will work for you. As far as the SVG, IMHO any bike that is that stylized should have been put together by and individual that knew what they wanted. It like trying to copy what folks are doing to customize their bikes, except when you just buy it it isn't really customized.

This is Bicycle Mechanics...

=8-)