squidrobot

A little background on my previous experience and current motivations: I have been/was riding fixed for about two years before selling my Steamroller this winter, after unanticipated costs in the form of an uninsured hospital visit and an expensive semester at school. However, with a new job (within commuting distance) and the sale of my car comes a pretty decent amount of disposable income. Since I'll be using this bike as my sole method of transportation to and from work, and around the city, I'd like to make a sound investment.

I live in southern Maryland/north D.C., and will be using this bike on a bunch of pothole-riddled streets to work and the hills of Georgetown around school.

But before I get flamed for wanting to spend more than $350 on BD bike for my fixed gear commuter, please allow me to outline my reasons for considering these three bikes below:

Milwaukee Cream City

• Option for 1" threaded headset. Obviously for aesthetic reasons, but I like this feature.
• Quality American built Waterford frame.
• Ability to create a custom build on Benscycle.net
• Approx. $1700 for a complete build with custom wheelset. (Miche hubs, MAVIC Open Pros)

Soma Rush

• Option for 1" threaded headset as well.
• More "track-like" geometry compared to the Steamroller.
• Ability to create a custom build on TheBikeBiz.com
• Approx. $1600 for a complete build with custom wheelset. (High Flange hubs, Deep Vs)

Surly Steamroller

• More "relaxed" geometry than the Rush (and Cream City?)
• Ability to create custom build on TheBikeBiz.com
• Approx. $1500 for a complete build with custom wheelset. (High Flange hubs, Deep Vs)
• CAVEAT: Availability as a "complete" (at $720) with option to upgrade parts later.

All three builds come with Sugino RD cranksets, MKS pedals, Nitto stems and handlebars, and Brooks saddles. The wheelsets all come with quality hubs and rims.

Now obviously many of the costly additions to these builds can be seen as "unnecessary", but I feel that if I would be upgrading to these components later on down the road, it would be nice to get them all together. I hope I don't seem completely crazy with that reasoning.

Ultimately what I would like is a frame durable enough to handle the ****ty roads we have down here, while looking nice doing it. I find that these three frames have that capability, but I would like to hear what you all might think as well.

Also, are there similar places like BensCycle.net and TheBikeBiz.com (LBS aside, shops in my area don't seem to offer many of the parts I'd like) that offer the ability to piece together a custom build?

But ultimately, am I insane for wanting to get one of these builds? Or should I opt for the Steamroller $720 complete (my old bike), and upgrade parts afterwards?



Thanks.

cleanupinaisle3

Whoa. Where are you getting those $1500+ pricetags from? Is that inflation JUST from the custom wheelset? Because for those pricetags you can get a helluva bike, more than just a set of Deep Vs...

ksharp

^^^ I agree. For $1500-1700, I could build up a carbon track frame with Omniums and carbon wheels.

I think those 3 frames are pretty much similar. It comes down to which geometry you like the best since all 3 are spec'd out with the same parts with the price only being a $100-200 difference. The complete Steamroller is probably the best option to get you rolling quick.

How much are the custom wheels setting you back? Im pretty sure you can find something just as good and cheaper at BBW.
https://www.bicyclewheelwarehouse.com/

squidrobot

Thanks for the replies.

When building up these frames, the wheelsets were:

Cream City: Mavic Open Pros laced to Miche High Flange hubs with a $40 charge to hand build the wheels. (about $370)
Soma Rush: Velocity Deep Vs to Miche High Flange hubs with Phil Wood spokes, with $50 charge to build. (about $295)
Surly Steamroller: (same as the rush config.)

I should also probably note that the bikes also come with Chris King headsets, which tacks on to the final price.

I'm aware that this amount of money could also be well spent on a carbon frame and other goodies, but I thought it would still be worth investing this much into a steel frame as well. Maybe I am a little naive about that.

I was thinking that maybe ordering online, and getting all of these high end components in one grab might save a little cash in the long run (except for tracking all of them down on eBay), but the sticker price appears to be shocking to a couple of you. Maybe this is not the best way to put together a nice bike?

Anyway, I'm leaning towards the Steamroller config, and sacrificing the aesthetics of a threaded stem. I know there's some maintenance required with threaded vs. threadless, but it's hard not to want one after considering setups like this one:

renton20

If I was in your shoes dude, I would get two bikes. The stock steamroller which is a hell of a versatile bike, and a built up xtracycle or something else like a touring bike that can handle a lot of cargo. I know that this is different from what you stated that you wanted, but have you gone shopping for 60 lbs of groceries with only a messenger bag and a fixed gear? I did for a while and it sucked. Also I don't know about how theft prone the area where you live is, but having only one bike can be dangerous. It's nice to have the dream bike built up, but in my mind at least, utility is king.

andfar

How about Wabi Cyles? Consider the TIG-welded 'Classic' ($675) or the lugged 'Special' ($925).

squidrobot

It's embarrassing to admit this, but you've actually brought up a very good point that I honestly haven't considered. And you hit the nail on the head with this whole idea being born out of my desire to build up a "dream bike", though I can see your points about utility taking precedence here.

I spend most of my time outside of work in the city (Washington, D.C.) which doesn't seem to be that much different than most metropolitan areas. I think bike theft is always something you want to be concerned about, though I do think that down here it's not as prevalent as NYC, obviously. I see a lot of bikes locked up with a single U-Lock though. Walking home I saw a Trek road bike (about $1,300 I'm guessing) locked up with only a cable. Granted this was just north of D.C. (outside the city limit), and I can't tell if that's a testament about either the lack of bicycle theft in the area or people's ignorance, but it was something worth noting.

Versatility was one of the reasons I scraped together the money for the Steamroller in the past, and it looks like something I should be considering again. Thanks for the suggestion, Renton.

squidrobot

I took a look at the Wabi Cycles a few weeks ago, and was interested in them for a while. However, (yes, I am this shallow) neither of the color schemes appealed to me, and the presence of cable stays was also a turn off. I know both of these could easily be remedied with a little fixing, but still...

They do seem like really nice bikes though. I'll take another look.

bryyando

does the wabi have those ziptie like brake guides though?

cleanupinaisle3

I have to admit, that Creamroller picture you posted... very nice. Now THAT build would cost a lot.

squidrobot

I think I know what you're talking about, and I think the answer is "yes". Taking a look at this detail shot, it does indeed seem like the stays would be easy to remove: https://www.wabicycles.com/images/SS_red3.gif

That's actually a Cream City build (from Milwaukee: benscycle.net), but it's very similar to the Steamroller in geo I think. I think the stainless steel badge on the downtube is a really nice touch too. They allow a choice of either decals or a badge, as well as a choice of where you'd like them placed on the bike. Great for OCD riders like myself I guess.

tiiger

what kind of saddle is that on the Wabi? (Not the brooks you mention in your build, but the stock saddle that's in the image you posted)

elemental

Assuming you decide to go the dream bike route from the options listed above, I'd have a tough time choosing between the Cream City and the Steamroller. The Steamroller is very versatile and is a better "if I only had one bike . . . " bike, but the Cream City is just on another level of dreaminess. I mean, the Steamroller complete only costs a few dollars more than a Cream City frameset.

WoundedKnee

The cable guides on the Wabi are removable..

tiiger: I think it's a generic Velo saddle.

squidrobot

I'm not sure, personally, but I dug up the following info on the Wabi Cycles website:

"Saddle: Being the main contact point on the bike, the saddle is the most personal component choice of all. We chose a minimalist racing style saddle (that I happen to like quite a bit, actually) with a narrow nose and flexible base. Some like more padding, some have their favorite model, etc. But remember, the base flex is more important to long distance comfort than the padding is. So, a good base design plus the correct shape of the base (how it conforms to your shape) are the key ingredients in saddle comfort. In addition, proper adjustment (height and angle) are critical, along with how the handlebars are positioned in relation to the seat."

EDIT: Beaten by WoundedKnee.


I think the Steamroller might be what makes the most "sense" right now, but It's between that and the Cream City. Surprised I haven't heard too many advocates for the Rush, but the Steamroller does seem like it's popular for a reason.

Thanks for the input though.

xB_Nutt

Steamroller will allow you to run bigger tires which is plus on pot hole infested roads. I do like the Cream City though, would definitely not be just another run of the mill Surly. If you're going with Miche hubs, I highly recommend the Miche advanced crankset. Much lighter and fits in better with your build scheme. Soma Rush is nice, but just not as versatile as the other two. I vote Cream City just because I have always wanted one, but could never pull the trigger. I got my Steamroller frameset for a steal ($200ish) used so I can't justify selling it for something else.

squidrobot

Thanks for the advice on the frames and crankset. I can see why the Soma might lose a little ground to the other two, and while I haven't ridden with a Miche crankset before, I'll try to check out one before I pull the trigger.

Ken Cox

Surly has designed a magnificent street-worthy frame for the Steamroller.

Strong, light, versatile, rugged, fenders, fatties, etc.

And, I don't see the "relaxed geometry" in a Steamroller.

It has a rather quick 56 mm trail and handles beautifully.

Go somewhere that actually has a Steamroller frame in stock and look at the details, and touch it.

Solid, man.

The best value in a fixed gear frame and fork for the street, by far.

Nothing else comes close.

mihlbach

Ken, you comments are usually insightful, but this is nothing more than exaggeration.

veganwar

DC compared to NYC, the roads are far worse here. Georgetown has some crappy roads but in general, DC streets aren't too bad.

For aesthetics, I would go with the Cream City. It is also a nicer quality tubeset right?

If you are thinking of upgrading your cranks in the future, just get the Miche ones now. If you want them a few months down the road (or further down the road), you will need to replace the bb as well. Sugino RDs are a JIS bb taper while Miche is an ISO taper.

herbsandspices

That's a great reason, right there, and was one of the biggest factors for me.

That, and Ben's is an awesome place to deal with.

squidrobot

This was extremely helpful, and something I would have possibly overlooked. Thanks for this.

Thanks for the heads up. In the research I've done, I learned a little bit about the reputation of Waterford. Plus Ben's seems like a nice place. So far the Cream City seems like a no-brainer.

GSH

I live in Milwaukee, where Ben's is located. It's a neat shop and Ben is a good guy. One more vote too for the Cream City frame, as I've owned a Waterford years ago (they make them 45 min. from here) and they are wonderfully built/welded steel frames. More expensive, yes, but a top quality frameset. Good luck, and when you get whichever one, post pics!

TofuPowered

Um I suppose I'm the only one speaking up for the soma. I built up my current Rush as my dream bike and it's the last fixie I will ever build / buy / own. It is the most comfortable bike I have ever ridden or owned. The geo makes it quick but not twitchy. It is a work of art, art that can be ridden. The 2010's are even prettier too soooo yeah. I guess I'm paddling upstream here, but reconsider the soma. (Plus nobody really rides Rush's, everybody has a steamroller)

filtersweep

I built up a Rush. I don't like Surly's sizing. Also, I was able to receive the frameset for only $75 shipping to Europe--- which is an amazing deal.

I wish I would have went with a white frame. I am impressed with the welds on this, although the rear drop-outs on the 2009 are not that impressive. I believe they are updated for 2010. I purchased all the pieces from ebay and Speedgoat. With Aeroheads that I laced up myself, I probably have about $800 into this bike (including all the shipping). Oddly enough, it weighs more than either conversion--- this with a light saddle and carbon post. BTW- I presently am running Wobler tubular wheels rather than the purple abortions in the photo.

I really don't see how you could spend twice as much. I suggest building it yourself--- and saving the money for a BD beater. It is ridiculously easy to build a fixed gear. No frame prep (facing, chasing or reaming) was required.

If I were you, I would take a look at Speedgoat. They probably have the best deal on Soma, and decent prices on everything else you need.