DLR

I am looking for a Single Speed, and have a garage sale schwinn to work on. But anyone have any thoughts about SE bikes. Reasonable cheap for a new complete single/fixed gear bike. any thoghts.

ZiP0082

I think most will agree that the SE Draft is not so hot. You may find some good bike options here: https://www.bikeforums.net/singlespeed-fixed-gear/225713-discussion-budget-fixed-specific-frames-complete-bikes.html

jimisnowhere

I have the generic equivalent to the Lager (Dawes SST), its nice. The Draft is Walmart grade. The only ones I see outside of shops are rotting on lamp posts.

daybreak

draft blows. the lager (bikesdirect dawes sst) is good for the price and i love my SST. The Se Premium Brew seems way too much $$$ for what you get.

I want to hear from someone who owns the SE Premium Brew frame from bikeisland, anyone out there?

iamtim

I actually saw a dude riding a Draft down at Huntington Beach one day. I was... kinda shocked.

Adam G.

I bought a SE Lager in June. I love it! It came single speed but I transformed it into a fixed. I love the bullhorns as well. I am 5'11" and got a 56cm frame it just fits perfectly. The ride is great, its a chrome molly frame and really takes bumps in the rode with some cushion. I am not to fond of the pedals but I am going to switch those. I love the brown color, the stickers are very easy to take off which I did I just wanted a clean look. But I left the beer mug sticker on that is pretty cool.

Personally I don't think you will be disappointed. I notice this bike doesn't get a lot of love but I like it.

_hollister_

Fixed.

SE bikes are licensing their name on a reasonable quality Taiwan bike and have set up a decent distributorship.

SE Bikes in my youth were ALL bad *****. They had innovative designs and used exotic tubing. Now they are just a cool logo and some old skool cachet. I saw a Lager beside a Jamis Sputnik and took the Sputnik off the rack to try.

Maybe because I knew I could get it as a Dawes SST...

geoffvsjeff

I actually play ultimate with someone who rides a draft to all our games. I look at it and let out this mental sigh that out of all the bikes in existance, she chose to purchase that. Then I remind myself that at least she is riding it a lot, and that makes me feel OK.

_hollister_

Look that bike is horrible to some but really, if the head tube angle was 74 or 73.5 it would be a decent cheap fixie for the city. If my mom bought that to hit the store quick I'd want her to be happy with the steering feel. $250 around here gets you a rusty old Apollo or Schwinn off CL.

We all get the weird optics around how what WE need or want is what others should be doing. The girl above wanted a simple low maintenance bike in modern colours and feel. She did ok as long as she paid no more than $250.

sfcrossrider

I raced a PK RIPPER from 1982-1985, so I have fond memories of SE. Their new stuff seems like every other "box bike" on the market.

westokyo

I wanted a PK Ripper so bad when I was 12. It is sad to see a hardcore brand like SE's name getting thrown on whatever that will sell, but that is how it is. Masi, Schwinn, SE, etc.

sfcrossrider

I had a co-sponsorship through SE, and my LBS.

Good thing because my parents were broke@ss!

_hollister_

If they made a Quadangle SS with 700c wheels I'd sell my kidneys to buy one.

Dude hook me up.

ZiP0082

_hollister_

I had a PK for a month. It was way too small for me. And I was 15! Haros were small too. I stepped up to redline (rl-20) and life was good.

The list of diluted cycling names is long. Many are from bmx days. SE, Redline, GT, Mongoose, Diamond Back.

So sad really. Take a brand name and run it into the ground. Short term gains, long term disgrace.

lavieest

I just bought the SE Premium Frame from bikeisland; unfortunately I'm still waiting for all my parts to come in so I can't say as to how it rides : [. I do feel that for the price it's a decent frame.

daybreak

woohoo keep us updated lavieest

sneaky viking

They're owned by Fuji now.

They should make 29er OM Flyer.

The draft is a steaming pile. 1 piece cranks and single pivot brakes on gaspipe frame, in 2008? But some people want to buy a $200 bike.

Catnap 

i almost bought a Draft a few months ago when looking for a new bike. SOOOO glad i didn't! I do see some messengers riding them around Manhattan though. (not that it's an endorsement)

sp00ki

i don't.

Adam G.

Go with the lager!

patrickgh

Someone who's entire career is based around a bike, riding a $250 Singlespeed?


hopefully they swapped out everything but the frame.

Arson_Thomas

I bought a SE Lager a few weeks ago.

I must confess I do love it, but I have already began to change a few of the components.

The Alexrims R500 are too flashy for my liking and are pretty low end.

Like my problem with the rims, there is seriously too much red on the bike. I have changed the saddle, the bar cover, handle bars.

Should I have simply built my own bike? Maybe, but it rides pretty well. I am new to the game, so I am learning as I go.

vegipowrd

I built up a Lager frame and I love it. I'll transfer the components I got (Sugino, MKS etc) to the next frame I get once I have the money. As long as you steer clear of the Draft I'd say SE make decent bikes for the price.

Arson_Thomas

I completely agree. The crankset needs to be changed. I just threw on a Race Face Evovle Single Speed Crank Set... I am in love.