highpants

Does anyone know what kind of hubs this perennial e-bay deal is sporting? I couldn't tell on the Mercier website, and I asked the seller but haven't heard back yet. $387 after shipping is an incredible bargain, it would seem.

BostonFixed

Probably something cheap and off brand. I wouldn't be surprised if there were quando/sovos/suzue or the like on there.
Don't let the cheap parts turn you off, that bike is incredible for the money. I'm thinking about getting one my self.

highpants

i suppose i can always upgrade later, but i can do that with the conversion i'm currently riding, too... i don't know, i'm pretty poor, and $400 is still a lot of money, good deal or not. one of these days.

amazing how?

highpants

er, i mean, incredible. not amazing. incredible how?

yetanothersport

My roommate has one of the Merciers and there is no markings on the hub at all. It looks like a basic high flange hub. He just got the bike but so far he's been psyched about it. He's thinking to upgrade in the future but nothing right now.

jasonyates

I've been doing delivery on the Mercier for four days now and it seems solid. Not sure on the hubs, but I had a Quando track hub that looks pretty similar to the ones on this bike. Probably the same thing. If you are worried about quality, you can just figure that all the components are very basic, everything does it's job though. If there is a weak link it will most likely be the wheels since they end up taking the most abuse. For the price I really dig the frame though, and even if I eventually have to replace the wheels I figure that will just make it that much better.

brokenrobot

Do these things ship with decals in place? If so, can you tell whether they've been clear-coated over, or whether they could be removed?

Thanks!

-chris

highpants

"joy tech track hubs with caged bearings with cones" is what the e-mail from the seller said.

i don't know joy tech, but here's a stupid question at the end of a long day that's nowhere near over: caged means not sealed, right?

dolface

caged/cones == not sealed.

i've got joytechs on my beater, the lockring threads stripped so i jb-welded that puppy on there, the cones are pitted, so i'm ordering new ones (about $8 per) to replace them.
i intend to ride them until the completely disintegrate.

highpants

my problem is that i ride in snow and ice and their varying forms of decomposition, and lately haven't had a whole lot of time/energy to put into maintenance, so i'm thinking sealed might be the route i have to take next time.

shmudaddy

I bought one off eBay recently. It is the same bike as the KHS Flite 100 Track. (I was just in a store selling the KHS and it is definitely the same frame and same wheelset). Their website doesn't really help...lists hubs as "alloy track." But maybe someone from KHS could give you more info on who makes them. https://www.khsbicycles.com/contact.html

BlastRadius

https://www.joy-tech.com.tw/index01.php
Here's JoyTech's website. No mention of their track hub though.

jkoshi

I just ordered one. I'll let you know how it goes...

soupless

Potbelly on Damen?

highpants

okay, a further query...

it looks like i'll be selling my piece of garbage car sometime soon, and spending whatever i can get for it on a new (or perhaps slightly used) track bike...probably right around $500, and right now the pista seems to be the best value. does anyone know what the bianchi track hubs are like? sealed or caged? maybe this should be another thread, i don't know.

jasonyates

soupless: You got it. I'm back downtown next week though.

highpants: The Bianchi's hubs use sealed bearings and Mavic CXP22 rims. It is a better wheelset than the Mercier/KHS, still basic though. I would say you spend less for the Mercier knowing that you might have to upgrade the wheels down the road. If I got a Bianchi Pista I would want the wheels to last at least a little longer.. (I actually did have one for a year with no problems.)

absntr

Pista 05's are not cxp22's anymore. They're Alex 400's with their own "Bianchi" labelled hubs. Not bad looking even - the front hub has some nice solid looking flanges that makes it look deceptively like a Phil. I've been riding them pretty heavy in the last two months through rain, snow, etc. They'be held up well so far. I'm getting a new wheelset in a few weeks so I'll keep them as a backup set perhaps. They seem to do the job though.

What's nice though is that they come fixed/fixed. A small but nice touch.

Jason - I was riding with the girl one evening and I saw you cut out across Damen from in front of Potbelly's. The bike looks pretty good in person. I didn't realize it was you until I saw the Mercier and then realized where you had just come out from.

highpants

absntr: sounds like they're sealed? (i'm thinking otherwise you'd notice some problems with the snow, etc.)

i used to live in chicago, went to harold washington college. those potbelly riders are insane... we used to stand outside and marvel as they went by, then turn our attention back to the klein and/or circle a parked in front of the school.

absntr

Yes indeed.

I thought your profile used to say Chicago...

jasonyates

Oh sorry, guess I'm out of the loop.

highpants

absntr: maybe it says something about "used to live in chicago," or else i talk about it a lot because i miss it and riding bike from pilsen to the loop and back everyday were some of the most fun and terrifying rides i've ever had.

and the reason i bought a helmet.

sbeatonNJ

I have a stock wheel of a flite 100 on my fixie and it is going strong after many miles. It was passed down from a friend and I think its been rebuilt once. However that wheel will be retired this weekend when I build up my nashbar hub to some no name black aero rim I had laying around.

chem_geek

Here's a pair of pictures of the hubs for those that want to know.....they're 36 spoke 3X and shiny. Can't see any other markings on them anywhere.

upthebikepunx

i'm very interested in this as well. i just bought one of these off ebay, and i'm really hoping the decals are fairly easy to remove. any tips on getting them off?

B17

I just ordered one myself, should be at the house when I return from work Tuesday. Hoping and praying for components that will last me at least a month until I can buy a new wheelset.

I'm also hoping the decals are stickers on top of the finish, rather than a waterslide-type that goes under the clearcoat. I'm not ashamed to ride a Mercier (No one really rides where I live, and the online fixed community seems to know it's a rebadged Flite 100 anyhow), but the fork decal is overkill. If they're stickers, they'll come off easily enough, and any residue can be removed with lemon oil. If they're under the clearcoat, you'll need to sand and repaint the spots where the decals were. No big deal- it's black, and Krylon is your friend if you know how to use a spray can well.