New guy needs suggestions and advice
 

So I'm looking to drop $500ish on a new bike. This will be my first "nice" bike, but I've been doing a lot of riding for the past 6 months, borrowing bikes from friends.

I am thinking about getting a single-speed flip flop because I want to be able to mess around riding fixed gear, they are mechanically simpler, and cheaper from what I can tell. I really have no idea what bikes i should be looking at though. The only decent single speed that my LBS had was an Origin-8 Uno for $550. It rode pretty nicely, but I had never heard of it.

I live in Louisiana, so I dont have to deal with snow or anything like that. I'll mainly be using the bike to ride around campus, haul ass for the 9ish mile ride to work, critical mass, and other fun rides.

Is a single speed the best bike for my case? What are some solid bikes that I should look into? How do I determine what size frame is best for me? I've had people tell me I should be a 58-60+ just based on my height...

Thanks

I didn't know Origin 8 built a complete, but they're a pretty well known and respected "bargain bin" brand. I can't imagine it would fall apart too quickly.

If your willing to spend 550, dont buy an origin8 complete. You can get a better bike. I own an origin8 del pasado built with many origin8 parts with a formula/deep v wheelset. Its super solid and rides nice. So I'm not just bashing the company.

as far as size, I'd say bigger is better. Check your inseam and compare to different companies 58 and 60 size geometry. If you can comfortably stand over it, go for the bigger one. Top tube length is key, but I would make the same recommendation. Bigger(longer) will be better in most cases.

Id take a trek soho s over the uno. There are also many online options. I'm sure somebody will say bikes direct so you might want to look there. Check ebay/craigslist/forums for used bikes, you could end up getting one hell of a bike for ~550.

get a used road bike in your size with gears.

seems like people are selling insane bikes for that price just because it's the winter and they want to pick something new up on sale.

if you really only want a singlespeed, get something you can test ride and feels good to you. bikes direct bikes are great, but 550 won't get you anything better than a kilo tt pro or wtf or whatever.

What size bikes have you been riding?

There are really 2 parts to a bikes size. The seat tube length, and top tube length. Too short of a seat tube and you will have to jack up your seat so much and that will raise the saddle to handle bar drop/reach. Too long and you won't be able to straddle the bike. Too long of a top tube and you will be stretched out too much to reach the bars. Too short and you will be too compressed.

Make sure you know how to set a proper saddle height (heel on the peddle, and when in line with the seat tube your leg should but pretty much fully extended). Then go by the amount of seat post showing, and should be close to the size of the head tube (non sloping top tube, if sloping use your imagination). Then you are good to go and can play with stem size/angle and handlebars to fine tune. Doesn't have to be exact, but glancing at it could give you a decent idea if you need to go a size bigger or smaller on the frame. At least for your 1st bike.

Bike sizing is different for everyone. Some people like the saddle a bit higher, some a bit lower. Some like a bigger frame, and some like a smaller frame. And some people have owned a bike for 2 years and don't even know what size it is. Ignore those peoples suggestions like the plague.

The bikes I've been riding have all been a bit small for me, so I don't really know what a good fit feels like lol. So how should the seat tube length compare to my inseam?

What is your cycling inseam?

Your measure this by standing barefoot, shoving the spine of a book up your crotch (deep as a seat would go), then marking the top of the spine on the wall. Then measure that mark to the ground, in cm. Measure 3 times and take the average.

Also tell us how tall you are.

inseam: 86.5cm
I'm 6ft barefoot