didn't like the Colour? they sell paint is spray cans or did they lock them up to prevent graffiti ?


that sounds like a BSO Brake pad.. swap to an Oregon Made Kool Stop brake pad set.

I work at a bike shop and we have Giant Escape for $439 and comes with 3year unlimited tune-ups.

http://www.merlincycles.com/bike-sho...road-bike.html

9 Speed Shimano Road Bike -- £329

• Shimano S2200 road bike specification:
• Frame: 6061 Aluminium
• Fork: CroMo
• Chainset: Truvativ Isoflow double
• Front Derailleur: Shimano Sora
• Rear Derailleur: Shimano Sora
• STI Brake / Gear Levers: Shimano 2300
• Cassette & Chain Shimano HG50 12-25
• Brakes: Radius Dual Pivot
• Headset: Integral
• Wheels: Q/R hubs - V-section black rims
• Tyres: 700 x 23mm
• Bars & Stem: Merlin Aluminium black anodised
• Seatpost: Merlin Aluminium black anodised
• Saddle: Velo
• Pedals: Wellgo platform including clips & straps
• Please allow 5-10 working days build time on this bike

No color options. Looks quite boring to me.

Also much more maintenance than a single speed when riding year round.

This is exactly the type of bike I am trying to avoid ... so thanks.

Like I said before, try finding a colored FGSS shipped to my door for less than 300 GBP.

Hello acidfast7!

Although this specific model probably isn't for sale in the UK, it can be found for €180-€220 ($240-$300) here in Greece, is considered a BSO, but did manage to haul my (very) heavy rear end around for a couple of days without any incident (parts breaking or falling off).

Also I kinda like the colors too, although I ended up buying a 3-speed IGH Jamis Commuter 1!

FIXED GEAR/Single Speed 28” (Flip flop rear wheel)
Frame: Steel
Fork: Steel RIGID
Saddle: Bassano
Wheels: 28" double walled alloy
Brakes: Promax F/R-alloy v-brakes
Tires: Kenda



http://podhlato.gr/image/data/produc...fcf966fbca.jpg

This is overstated by advocates of fixed gear bikes.

Hi! That's the point of the thread.

I love proving naysayers wrong so thanks for responding :)

I don't follow how you are proving anything about the reliability of geared bikes by commuting on this bike; a bike marketed specifically to teens and 20-somethings looking to get in on the multicolored fixie bike "culture."

You may well prove that a $450 single speed is reliable, but I would argue that it should be or you got ripped off.

Why don't you post a picture yourself and then I can assess your style and whether you have the necessary credibility to tell me whether I was ripped off. If you don't understand style than how can you make that assessment?

By your tone that is filled with angst, I would wager not.

You've spent more time typing on this thread than time I spend in a year maintaining my IGH bikes that were less expensive than your "BSO" and were/are used year round for commuting. IOW my IGH bikes need no more "maintenance" than any FG SS.

Maintenance on my geared bike vs. my fixed gear bike kills me......

The chain is longer and takes forever to lube.
There are five derailleur screws that have to be turned once a year or so, maybe.
There are rear brakes that need to be adjusted.

All long term experiments require a large upfront cost before they run smoothly.

I think you lost me.

1. You said that you weren't interested in a geared bike another member posted because you wanted a SSFG so that your bike will be reliable.
2. I said that the mechanical difficulties that are said to occur with geared bikes are overstated by those who advocate for FG bikes.
3. You thank me for posting and tell me you love proving naysayers wrong.
4. I ask how this thread (or the "experiment" it describes) will prove that geared bikes are not reliable.
5. You ask me for a picture of myself so that you can judge my sense of style and accuse me of being filled with angst and suggest it's because I lack style.

Firstly, let me assure you that I am effing cool and I look it. Secondly, I still fail to see how you riding an overpriced, bike marketed to teenagers looking to jump on some bandwagon proves anything about the reliability of geared bikes... that's a pretty big leap.

Maybe you're confusing me with the member who mentioned that you seem to gravitate toward any bicycle related trend that is prevalent in the area in which you live? That was not me, although I couldn't help but notice the same thing.

Wow dat is a heck of a lot of extra maintenance, thatz why you should consider an IGH coaster brake equipped bike.:)

Less time/oil required for lubing the short inexpensive 1/8" chain;
No derailer screws to screw around with;
No brake adjustment - EVER!

Disadvantage: doesn't have the hipster cachet of a POS SS-FG

That exchange was a head scratcher for me too.

I got two flats today on my geared bicycle towards the end of my 50-mile ride. Geared bicycles = flats.

You got a very good deal on that bike... the 7 speed IGH costs more than $130.00 wholesale.

It also looks like your front brake pad needs to be adjusted... it looks a little crooked.

Not sure what happens in the US anymore (thankfully!) but there appears to be a huge amount of hatred for coloured FGSS bikes. Perhaps, it's the same hatred for "hipsters" that seems to be prevalent in US. Perhaps the "hipsters" deserve it, perhaps they don't, but these issues are irrelevant for me. I don't really want to discuss these issues as they're not related to my descriptive experiment.

Anyway, I would really like to do a long-term test of a lower-end of FGSS colour customisable bicycle as it seems to be fun to ride something different. In addition, I must say that riding in SS mode is kicking my butt which is great.

I would just like to produce empirical data about the durability of such a bike, which you can feel free to comment upon, but I won't respond to other comments not directly related to the bike.

Back from Germany on Monday and will commute on Tues-Fri and see how the bike holds up as the rainy season starts.

This is how you started your dialogue with me:

not only is it disrespectful and doesn't contribute anything of value to the thread, it sets a bad precedent for future interactions as one only receives a single chance to make a first impression of which your was abysmal.

either run your experiment in parallel to mine with real data/images and not anecdotal evidence or please refrain from responding until you have something intelligent to contribute.

:)

4 pages ago I said that your bike is ugly. I stand by that comment. The recent exchange had nothing to do with the way the bike looks, but on your assertion that a geared bike would somehow be unreliable.

I'm sorry that you feel I should be looking to make a good first impression on you. You overpaid for a piece of crap bike marketed to kids and then made a big show on the internet about the fact that you're going to ride it to work. Hey, good for you. You may actually be a scientist, but that doesn't make this "experiment" result in empirical evidence useful to anyone for anything and it certainly doesn't prove anything about the reliability of geared bikes.

:lol:

In most cultures that I've interacted with, it's considered normal good manners not to insult someone as part of a first encounter, but that's neither here nor there within the context of this thread.

I do find your anger toward such bikes, and toward me in general, somewhat pathetic and slightly disturbing if you have a family.

As I said before, I'd appreciate it if you didn't continue to reduce the signal:noise ratio of the thread.

:)

Say what about extraneous noise? Doesn't matter if it a first post or not. Is your antipathy towards the U.S. an issue related to your descriptive experiment?

Rest assured, you're the one looking irrational and angry in this thread. Enjoy your bike.

Thanks! It been quite nice so far and I hope it stays that way :)

Put quite simply, now that I have a permanent academic post in the EU, I don't have to follow the US anymore, which makes my life much easier. The same could be said for Canada, South America, Japan, Korea and the CIS countries. It's critical to have a proper understanding of any government structure that one wishes to gain funding from. But that's not really revalent to the thread, therefore, I apologize.