rlh184

The answer might be obvious, but I just wanted everyone's opinion:

Should I sell my almost new Langster (which I couldn't be happier with) and buy a used, 3rd generation GT track? Or just sell my Trek 4900, and keep the Langster, and buy the GT? I think the GT is awesome but it is used and my Langster is mint.

Just wondering what you all thought.

Thanks,
rlh

jinx_removing

drop both bikes and builld the best bike you can afford. It's all you need.

If not, drop the langster. It's not really worth it IMO.

meat_toothpaste

Stop and erase that GT from your mind.

Keep the Langster and avoid the downward spiraling expensive lifestyle of building a different bike every two months. Once you start, you'll never satisfied It all starts with just one innocent "cool" frame. Before you know it, you'll say "oh but this is a lugged Bottecchia" and that is a "Hinault edition Look steel frame" and so it goes.

Darth Vader awaits you on the dark side...

ink1373

there's no point in owning a GT and a Langster, and obviously the GT is far superior. (biased)...

ch0mb0

keep the langster, buy the track and have two bikes.

VeganDave

how many times must this be said before people realize the langster is craaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaap
the gt is obviously better than crap...but a nice custom steel frame will always be better than a aluminum frame

chrisgraham81

i 2nd, langster is crap

chrisgraham81

the fork is the ugliest thing ive ever seen

rlh184

Another question is:
The GT is 54cm. I'm 5'7. Would it fit me alright? I guess anything more than 30 inches standover height would be a little too big for me.

rlh

dobber

I'm 5-9 (ish) and ride a 52 GTB. The boys comfortably clear the top tube. That 54 is gonna be more like a 56 in road bike terms with a top tube of 57 or 58cc.

I'd say no, high potential of a bad fit especially if you can't ride and confirm.

Is it a GTB or a GT Pulse?

techone

Get the GT.
It's got a bit more street cred

BTW I'm 5'8" and a bit, ride a 55x55cm track very comfortably.

Ira in Chi

You guys are giving really bad advice! Note this part of the thread:

He LIKES the Langster so for him it is NOT crap. If the Langster rides well, ride the hell out of it until it breaks, then make a judgement for yourself as to whether or not it was crap. Obviously it's not a high-end bike, but why not just enjoy the thing for what it is: cheap, light, and fast. Of course, it depends on what you can afford. Get both if you want, or sell the Langster and buy the GT, just don't do it based on what people say is cool unless they give actual critiques based on first-hand experience. My only caution for the Langster is make sure you service the bearings (hubs, hs, bb) regularly, and I bet you won't have too many problems.

ch0mb0

I think having two bikes is great advice!

WithNail

I'm about 5'9" on a good day! and I ride a 58. . . I think I can't remember maybe a 57 either way you shouldn't worry about the standover hight. The bottombracket is much higher and that's the only reason the standover hight will be higher. I personally like the looks of the GT more but I have never ridden either of them. I have heard nothing but good things about the gt track though.

thechamp

Keep the langster. I'm not sure why people seem to think that everyone's riding style and preferences are the same, but they aren't. one person's 'harsh ride' is another persons 'efficient stiffness'.

If you like the langster and it fits (unlike the gt which is too big for you if you're riding on the street, where standover height does matter), don't mess with it.

If your after the street cred that everyone seems to think more important than your personal comfort start looking around for a project fixer. But heed meat_toothpaste's warning and beware of uncrolled bike aquisitions.

dobber

You'd probably reconsider once the boys meet at the bar.


Soliciting fit advice is like your wife asking if something makes her look fat. There is no right answer.

skitbraviking

I'm gonna date myself by saying this, but: GTs are rad! Dump the Wankster.

WithNail

I don't know why you think that standover height matters on the street. If I went by standover height my bike would be way too big for me as it rubs the bone inbetween my legs, yet I have ridden it with no problems for a year. but at the same time if you really like the langster you should stick with something with similar geometry and that's not the GT. If you feel in the mood for something a bit different then I would really go for it, I mean that if I were your height then I would get the 54 with no regret and in my humble opinion it seems like that might be a pretty good size for you. plus the GT is f-ing HOT

noumena9

I find the langster to ride a lot better than the few road conversions that I've checked out. I've felt like the bars are too high and the pedals are def too low on the conversions. The langter's geometry gives you a high bb keeps you from spiking, the bars are in the neighborhood of the right height and if you are tall and a klutz the relaxed top bar (which not purty) makes it easy to dismount. I plan on replacing the fork with a carbon cross fork in the spring to smooth things out a bit, but after riding steel for a decade I'm finding that I love the hell out of the stiff, twitchy ride that this thing has.

I'd say upgrade your langster's wheels. If you spend $5-600 on some Phil Wood or Paul hubs, Open Pros and a good builder you can plan on using those wheels for a long time and you will notice a HUGE improvement to your ride. The stock wheels, hubs and tires on the Langster are very weak. Also, spend some good money on a saddle, upgrade the pedals and have the BB replaced. This is pretty much what I've done so far and it was improved the bike's handling and feel considerably.

Not everyone is made of money... if I was I'd buy the Colnago Pista in the window of my bike shop tomorrow. My old bike died and I had $500 in the bank. I bought a langster and have spent $800+ on it over the last 10 months, being careful to buy components that I could carry over to a new frame. Over the summer if I decide to I can spend a reasonable amount of dough to upgrade my frame and I'll have a great bike... with no single outlay of more than $400.

dobber

Because standover is one of the components of a properly fitting bicycle? Fit is more than "Gee this feels ok" while sitting in the LBS or looping around the parking lot. It's not to tough to convince yourself something fits "ok" when you're in heat, when you're ready to buy.

But again, sizing is very personal. Short legs, long torso, big belly and old bones all come into play. What feels ok at the moment might suck after a good 20 miles haul. It's a bit easier to adapt an slightly undersized ride then one thats too big.

Nothing sucks like a bike you're not comfortable on, especially one you've dropped a chunk of cash on. I wonder how many EBay'd fixed gear bikes are the result of somebody buying something that didn' fit right.


And yes, the GT is sweet, so sweet I'm always tempted to grab a Pulse to hang beside the GTB.

bostontrevor

Not really. Unless you're planning on spending a lot of time with your feet on the ground, it has no affect on the fit of your ride. You're thinking of seat tube length (and crank length), which is a major component of proper fit. But what you care about is distance from hip to pedal, not hip to ground. On a bicycle with a lower bottom bracket this will come with a comfortable standover height. On a bike (like a track bike) with a heigher bottom bracket it will increase standover height but the bicycle will feel substantially similar.

Otherwise I think it's pretty dim to evaluate standover height on the basis of whether or not the top tube is just under or just above your jingle. The only way it makes any difference is if in the accident that sees you pop off the saddle and off the pedals also sees you land exactly square to the ground and with your legs fully extended. Land at an angle and you will probably clear the tube easily, land squarely but with bent legs and you're gonna roshambo anyhow.

jimv

Ooooo, Well said.

Thanks...

Jim

A3rd.Zero

I like having a geared bike around so I would hang on to the 4900. If it is a conversion I would trade it for the GT. The GT is fine, I like it a bunch and would get one if I could find one at the right price. But really once you have one nice cheap bike why not save up so that your second bike is really nice, like a Tommasini track bike or something. If you like the Langster then don't give it up for anything.

Milo

spindle

if you're liking the langster, then stick with it to avoid the spiraling described above, but let me just say the gt track is one sweet ride.