help me choose my first fg
#1
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help me choose my first fg
ok, i'm in the market for a fixed gear, and im looking for something sturdy that will handle lots of abuse.
heres what im looking for:
frame that can handle LOTS of abuse
$800 or under
aggressive geo.
no bikesdirect
bonus points for aluminum.
all of the above are guidelines. im open to any suggestions.
currently looking at the Fuji Track. any thoughts?
heres what im looking for:
frame that can handle LOTS of abuse
$800 or under
aggressive geo.
no bikesdirect
bonus points for aluminum.
all of the above are guidelines. im open to any suggestions.
currently looking at the Fuji Track. any thoughts?
Last edited by cord13; 02-23-09 at 11:24 PM.
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Build a Leader, or the fuji track. Either would be decent choices for that budget.
Or if you're willing to go steel, an iro or spicer would be a good choice.
Or if you're willing to go steel, an iro or spicer would be a good choice.
#4
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Define "handle lots of abuse"? If you just mean something you can ride hard, pretty much anything will work for you. If you mean something you can beat around and dent up a bit, aluminum is a bad choice.
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felt curbside
trek soho-s
they aren't liked on here because they lack your oh-so-cool aggressive geo... but they're much better than most for ruff and tumble.
i think the only aggressive geo left are IRO and leader.
trek soho-s
they aren't liked on here because they lack your oh-so-cool aggressive geo... but they're much better than most for ruff and tumble.
i think the only aggressive geo left are IRO and leader.
#12
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Schwin Madison...beautiful bike, steel, ss/fixed flip flop hub, way under $800, comfortable yet aggressive and did I mention beautiful
#14
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800 bucks thats a ton. Man, you know like you should totally build it yourself. Watch for vintage track bikes on the Classic and Vintage ebay/craigslist sticky and in your hometown. Figure out what size frame you need. And start off with something nice. I saw one on indianapolis CL in cicero Indiana for 400bucks (it was vintage, custom built frame). I'm sure you could probably get if for 300 if it's still up there (listed like a week ago but no one lives near cicero).. Just a short drive to nap town. Then keep the other four hundred for upgrades and a killer lock. And keep it inside or much hate will come your way from me. You could always go the surly frame route or the bd killo frame route too. Build it up yourself, the same people that told you to buy a langster are going to call you a poser when it's all said and done. 800 bucks is a lot of money for a bike!
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https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...9378&page=1539
If you want utilitarian ultra godliness check out the surly on this page that is linked. I'm pretty sure you could do this up for 800 bucks, but ask the dude that built it what he did. It is freaking beautiful (it's the black surly with the wide ass tank tires..it looks bomb).
If you want utilitarian ultra godliness check out the surly on this page that is linked. I'm pretty sure you could do this up for 800 bucks, but ask the dude that built it what he did. It is freaking beautiful (it's the black surly with the wide ass tank tires..it looks bomb).
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building it up yourself is a terrible idea if you want it to last five years of abuse. you'll be tempted to get theft-magnet parts, you'll spend more overall... it's just a bad idea.
high levels of abuse on an actual vintage track frameset is even worse of an idea.
i'm still saying curbside.
https://www.feltracing.com/09-catalog...-curbside.aspx
they also offer the 'gridlock' frameset which is the curbside in black without any of the parts. you could build that up with stronger wheels and your choice of parts and have a stronger bike.
high levels of abuse on an actual vintage track frameset is even worse of an idea.
i'm still saying curbside.
https://www.feltracing.com/09-catalog...-curbside.aspx
they also offer the 'gridlock' frameset which is the curbside in black without any of the parts. you could build that up with stronger wheels and your choice of parts and have a stronger bike.
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If you're going to "abuse" your ride unconsciously then I suggest keeping your money, converting an old Schwinn and seeing if you like it or not. For a fraction of your budget, and a big fraction it is, you can determine if FG is for you.
I'm converting an 80$ Miyata to FG for my first. If I had eight-hundo to just blow it wouldn't be on a bike I may not like and can only sell for 80% of it's original price.
Convert a beater.
I'm converting an 80$ Miyata to FG for my first. If I had eight-hundo to just blow it wouldn't be on a bike I may not like and can only sell for 80% of it's original price.
Convert a beater.
#21
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cc700- if i was going to go that route, i would go with the bowery. $100 cheaper and i can buy locally. but im not sure that i like the sloping tt.
quixo- i dont have 800 to blow. thats just the max im willing to spend. im saving with my job, but i currently only have $270 saved.
quixo- i dont have 800 to blow. thats just the max im willing to spend. im saving with my job, but i currently only have $270 saved.
#22
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Man FW craigslist SUCKS ASS. Is there a bike shop around there maybe south bend, maybe Michigan that sells used road bikes from the 80s. Talk to Pops, and see if he wants to road trip with you one day. Parents eat that up, and they like to feel useful. So talk to pops, hell he may even help you pay for it if you find something too pricey! If he's like my dad he knows someone at work who has an old (insert object) lying around. Just look around, some one must have old ten speeds rotting away, ask if you can buy one off of them. Dude, your location is totally killing you. As for BD bike or bike island frames. I got my wife a BD bike and it made it here just ok. I'd bet that you'd get better luck looking through actual paper classified ads (I mean your neck of the woods isn't so up to date, I used to live in Indiana and it's backwoods brother---born and raised a Hoosier, so don't take offense, but look at your CL nothing but new target/walmart bikes and old huffys and women's Schwinns (F THAT). As for getting a new frame to beat up..DON'T. But don't beat up your bike. Ride it like you stole it but lock it like you love it.
#23
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im not out to just beat the hell out of it, heres a good example:
i play lacrosse, and i purchased a tank of a stick, because i know that when im on the field i dont have to worry about breaking it. no second thoughts to affect my gameplay.
so what im saying is that i will feel much more comfortable with something that i wont have to worry about breaking (and im paranoid). plus i dont have the best track record with breaking stuff.
edit: btw, im 6'0", 185 lbs. at 16 y.o.
i play lacrosse, and i purchased a tank of a stick, because i know that when im on the field i dont have to worry about breaking it. no second thoughts to affect my gameplay.
so what im saying is that i will feel much more comfortable with something that i wont have to worry about breaking (and im paranoid). plus i dont have the best track record with breaking stuff.
edit: btw, im 6'0", 185 lbs. at 16 y.o.
Last edited by cord13; 02-27-09 at 08:53 PM.
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if you're paying msrp for every single part, it's going to be more than if you bought complete. unless you can get parts at wholesale, only want used parts, or will end up replacing all the parts anyway... a complete is a better value.