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Where to begin? Buying a complete bike

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Singlespeed & Fixed Gear "I still feel that variable gears are only for people over forty-five. Isn't it better to triumph by the strength of your muscles than by the artifice of a derailer? We are getting soft...As for me, give me a fixed gear!"-- Henri Desgrange (31 January 1865 - 16 August 1940)

Where to begin? Buying a complete bike

Old 04-02-14, 02:20 AM
  #51  
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Originally Posted by rms13
That guy is an idiot. Raleigh makes some very nice bikes
He's not an idiot, he's a Specialized dealer and hence, only wants to sell Specialized, preferably what's on his floor. He's the very worst kind of dealer, committed to gouging money from roadies and racer wannabes who imagine that what they see on the telebox is real life instead of a very specialised racing discipline (think selling NASCARS to Joe Bloggs as a family car).

Jimothy89, find someone who wants your business, not your money. A good dealer will say "Hmm, I don't usually sell them. I can check my catalogue or you could Charlie's Bike Shop up the road". You can also contact our good mate Scrod who's business actually IS selling these things.
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Old 04-02-14, 12:34 PM
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It's worth looking at the Fyxation Eastside, another online-only brand. If you use the coupon code STRAPPED to get 15% off, it comes to about $500.00. The odd components are mostly Fyxation branded, and that isn't a bad thing at all, in comparison to the usual stock components of cheaper bikes. It's a very nice ride. I love my Eastside.
  • Decals are on top of the clearcoat, so you can remove them if you want
  • Your choice of drops or bullhorns
  • Comes with chain tensioners
  • Will take up to 700X35c tires. Very versatile
  • Being new to bikes, you may appreciate the widish 28c tires

IMO, the bike is dope.


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Old 04-02-14, 12:40 PM
  #53  
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Originally Posted by europa
He's not an idiot, he's a Specialized dealer and hence, only wants to sell Specialized, preferably what's on his floor.
Some of this is the fault of Specialized, who don't let their sellers sell competing brands.
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Old 04-02-14, 02:22 PM
  #54  
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Originally Posted by prooftheory
Some of this is the fault of Specialized, who don't let their sellers sell competing brands.
That's why my LBS, where I've already bought two expensive custom built-up bikes, does not sell Specialized or any other "exclusive" brands. Also, they talked me out of buying a bike they already had in stock, because they were willing to custom build something that fits me perfectly with the same quality components for the exact same price. Needless to say, they get all of my non-online business.
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Old 04-02-14, 05:08 PM
  #55  
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Special-ed can suck an a-hole. They're the ugliest overpriced bikes on the market. Get the Kilo off Craigslist if it fits. With those spec's it's a very nice bike by any standard and is a fair deal.
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Old 04-02-14, 05:29 PM
  #56  
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Originally Posted by JamesCraps
#KiloTT
Originally Posted by RaleighSport
THIS IS BAD ADVICE!

The worst thing a person can do who has no experience with bikes is to send them to buy a bike online.

OP should go to several local shops and see what they have in stock and talk with the people in the shop for advice and suggestions. THIS is why bike shops exist.
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Old 04-02-14, 05:36 PM
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Originally Posted by carleton
THIS IS BAD ADVICE!

The worst thing a person can do who has no experience with bikes is to send them to buy a bike online.

OP should go to several local shops and see what they have in stock and talk with the people in the shop for advice and suggestions. THIS is why bike shops exist.
I'd normally agree with you about going the LBS route, but based on the OP's experience with his LBS I wouldn't give them my business. Some may call it salesmanship, I call it ******baggery. Not sure if there are other shops in his area. Seems he has few options, so I think the Kilo on Craig's is a pretty good call. Plus he'd be able to ride it first.
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Old 04-02-14, 05:38 PM
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Originally Posted by humboldt'sroads
I'd normally agree with you about going the LBS route, but based on the OP's experience with his LBS I wouldn't give them my business. Some may call it salesmanship, I call it ******baggery. Not sure if there are other shops in his area. Seems he has few options, so I think the Kilo on Craig's is a pretty good call. Plus he'd be able to ride it first.
Yes, I agree that bad LBSs don't deserve your business. But, Plan B should be to find another LBS, not go online.
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Old 04-02-14, 05:42 PM
  #59  
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Originally Posted by carleton
THIS IS BAD ADVICE!

The worst thing a person can do who has no experience with bikes is to send them to buy a bike online.

OP should go to several local shops and see what they have in stock and talk with the people in the shop for advice and suggestions. THIS is why bike shops exist.
You're right, it's obvious OP is not ready yet to do online shopping solo. That's what I get for joining the sarcastic and overwhelming Kilo TT responses
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Old 04-02-14, 05:49 PM
  #60  
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We have this emerging culture of "Go online for everything first then if you can't find it, buy locally". Newbies miss out on A LOT of information by doing that.

Buying online is great if you know what you want and don't want to drive around town to find it. It would be great if there were some device where you can press in a code for a store then talk with someone in a store verbally and confirm if they have stuff. It's like text messaging, but it's voice and it's real time. But, that's fantasy talk.

Bike shop employees can be idiots. They can often be bike lovers, great cyclists, but poor salesmen and customer service reps.

There are also lots of idiots online.

Last edited by carleton; 04-02-14 at 05:54 PM.
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Old 04-02-14, 05:56 PM
  #61  
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Originally Posted by carleton
We have this emerging culture of "Go online for everything first then if you can't find it, buy locally". People like OP miss out on A LOT of information by doing that.
^^This. That's why I compromised and went Wabi - best of both worlds!

Originally Posted by carleton
Buying online is great if you know what you want and don't want to drive around town to find it. It would be great if there were some device where you can press in a code for a store then talk with someone in a store verbally and confirm if they have stuff. It's like text messaging, but it's voice and it's real time. But, that's fantasy talk.
Fanfreakingtastic! Quote of the day/week/month/year.
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Old 04-02-14, 05:57 PM
  #62  
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My favourite bike shop is run buy a bloke with no experience with fixed gear and who looks at me and my fixed and geared bikes as some sort of interesting but exotic creature. However, he also listens to me and where he can, offers sound guidance and advice based on many years in the business and as a racer. Let's face it, unless you're trying to be a hipster or uber-cool, there is little in fg/ss that doesn't equate to normal riding (no, being a roadie racer clone is NOT normal riding, it's just common).

It's not the kit in the shop that matters, it's the bloke behind the counter.
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Old 04-02-14, 07:43 PM
  #63  
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You never rode a ****ing bike before, but you want a fixie. WHY? Because it's cool?
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Old 04-02-14, 08:26 PM
  #64  
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Originally Posted by AlmostGreenGuy
It's worth looking at the Fyxation Eastside, another online-only brand.
Online only? We sell quite a few Fyxation Eastside completes to customers who walk into my shop and want a good bike for under $600.
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Old 04-02-14, 10:04 PM
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Look- Having picked up a bike last summer and not having ridden in about 15 years, you need to actually sit on something and get your size. You also may want to swap the bars\and or pedals right off the bat depending on your preferred riding position. I found a unique hookup on craigslist NYC where i got a New 2012 Fuji Feather for about 400. I am very happy BUT I would tell any friend to check out some LBS untill you find one you like and want to work with. KILO TT is a great bike, for a great price but keep in mind that 1. your are buying something without being sure if it fits no matter how people tell you to measure -2. You will most likely be going to a LBS whom you will have to pay to assemble it anyway.

I would say to go to a LBS, pay the extra couple of hundred and start building a relationship. They will make sure you are happy as I am sure you have have the bike for a while. You can certainly land well under 1K
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Old 04-02-14, 11:19 PM
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Originally Posted by carnivroar
You never rode a ****ing bike before, but you want a fixie. WHY? Because it's cool?
I've ridden a bike before. I haven't ridden in quite a while and never owned a good bike. I wan something simple and light. And yeah I do think they are cool.
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Old 04-02-14, 11:23 PM
  #67  
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Originally Posted by jimothy89
And yeah I do think they are cool.
All the reason you need mate. Just buy a good one, preferably from a shop with someone who knows and understands fg so you don't find yourself with something you don't like or which doesn't do the job.
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Old 04-03-14, 12:15 AM
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Originally Posted by Scrodzilla
Online only? We sell quite a few Fyxation Eastside completes to customers who walk into my shop and want a good bike for under $600.
How do they compare to the Kilo TT? That seems to be the go to choice for a lot of people. There are a lot of LBS around me but almost none carry fixed gear bikes. There's a place in Long Beach that sells the Fyxation Eastside and I'll gladly travel the 40 minutes or so to see it in person and all that. I just want to know if the quality holds up when compared to other bikes around the same price range. Also, are the tires larger (thicker?) than most other road bikes? Maybe they just look that way to my untrained eye. Like many people have said, I'd love to help out a shop as opposed to shopping online. Thanks!
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Old 04-03-14, 04:46 AM
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I'd personally drive 40 miles and get the eastside. It's a bit more, but you get a good looking bike with some decent components and don't have to wait for shipping. I've got some fyxation bits on my leader and I really like them all.

The kilo is online only, unless you find one on craigslist. So you aren't going to have a shop to help you with bike fitting, provide customer service, etc.
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Old 04-03-14, 06:50 AM
  #70  
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Originally Posted by Scrodzilla
Online only? We sell quite a few Fyxation Eastside completes to customers who walk into my shop and want a good bike for under $600.
Bravo!!! I've seen lots of framesets sold elsewhere, but never noticed the full bike setups being sold.
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Old 04-11-14, 06:05 AM
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I do believe in supporting local business' but in my town the local bike shop is, well, a monopoly! That's right, the next closest is a partnership in a town 25 miles away.
Yeah, I went there looking for a "last years" model so I didn't have to pay the full price! The staff was ok, but when the owner stood there and was shooting the breeze with a client of his that he trained gossiping about another client and I asked to speak with him he didn't say a word like I'll be right with you. He just ignored me for a good 5-10 minutes but still looking at us occasionally over the clients shoulder! I felt that was rude, not to say "I'll be with you soon or something to acknowledge my request! Not very good customer service, do you think? However, I was needing a bike (sold my old Univega MTB) so I bit my tongue and bought the hybrid (Specialized Crosstrail) I just didn't want a Wal-Mart bike; I did buy a Mongoose MTB there but returned it in a day! I really didn't like it after adjusting everything on it.
And when I had a rear cassette side spoke replaced it ran over $60!
Later in the year, when a group of us were riding on a trail, we met another owner from a town 35 miles away; he was pleasant and we started talking bikes; I mentioned the fact I was charged $60 for a spoke replacement and he told us that several people from our area have come to him for repairs, parts and bikes just because they didn't care for the local bike shop!
Earlier this year I called around a 50 mile radius about road bikes; seeing 95% of my riding IS on the road and I used to do tri's. I like the speed achieved on a road bike, a good road bike. So, anyway, I sold the Crosstrail and found myself looking at online dealers and Amazon.
Long story, eh? So now I am a proud owner of a Motobecane Mirage S; very proud! I bought it at BikesDirect.com! It took about a week to get here, I took my time assembling it and adjusting everything. It's one of the best bikes I've owned. Nice components; nice finish and rides fast and smooth. I guess I need to start my own blog or at least a new thread!
I did go to a blog, "Wal-Mart bike vs Bike Shop" and voice my comments; twice I did that but my comments were never put online! I guess either the blogger never got around to reading my comments or he just posts positive BLS comments!
I am also offering my services to anyone in my area (Berrien County, MI) to assemble a bike bought online for a nominal fee, of course, not what some bike shops will charge (around $100 or so)

Keep the Roll Going

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Old 04-15-14, 08:13 AM
  #72  
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I have a perfect solution even though I'm new here if I may suggest a compromise.Find a local LBS and turn him or her onto the "kilo TT" and strike up a deal where they can order it for you and take delivery for say a set amount over what it would cost providing they will adjust and do whatever needs service.You might find yourself killing two birds with one stone.Any good reputable friendly LBS who is looking to make some money should see a good proposition.
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Old 04-16-14, 05:19 AM
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Originally Posted by jimothy89
Hey everyone,

I'll start by saying I have 0 experience with fixed gear bikes and really 0 experience with bikes in general. I made sure to do the right thing and read through all the forum stickies and even do forum and Google searches.

What I'm looking for is recommendations on decent quality, reliable fixies under 1000 dollars. I would say under 500 dollars but I am assuming most people here might say there is nothing worth getting at that price point. I've looked into a lot of companies that make bikes in this price range like: PureFix, Retrospec, State Bicycle Co, Strada, Surly, Mercier, Fuji etc. I'm not really able to distinguish between which are respectable companies and which are just trying to cash in on the trend with super colorful, customizable bikes.

I'm a complete novice and know nothing about building bikes or what to even look for. I'm just finding out about terms like hi-ten and chromoly. Eventually if this becomes something I want to dedicate more time and money to I'll gladly put in the time to researching individual parts and doing more customization.

I'd love to get a few recommendations so I have some options. Aesthetics are important to me but getting something that isn't trash is more important. I want start off on the right foot and I think this place will have a ton of knowledge to give.

Thanks!
First, Why a fixie over mx gear?
Next, any friends of yours ride? If so, check w/ them re: assembly, adjustments and tune-ups. What do they ride and where did they buy?
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Old 04-16-14, 07:51 AM
  #74  
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Originally Posted by TheRealBobCat
First, Why a fixie over mx gear?
Next, any friends of yours ride? If so, check w/ them re: assembly, adjustments and tune-ups. What do they ride and where did they buy?
But you have to make sure you have a friend that knows what they are talking about. I had a friend help me with sizing on my first (adult) bike purchase and I ended up on a bike that was two sizes to small.
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Old 04-16-14, 10:24 AM
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Originally Posted by Jared.
But you have to make sure you have a friend that knows what they are talking about. I had a friend help me with sizing on my first (adult) bike purchase and I ended up on a bike that was two sizes to small.
and sometimes, like in my case, I went to a LBS to purchase a bike and they put me on a Medium so the seat height was right for me pedaling but my crotch was touching the top tube, could be disastrous! What they should have done was probably put in a longer seat post on the smaller frame! Sometimes the LBS just wants to sell bikes! And this is the monopoly bike shop, the 1 and only in my town!
I went to ebicycles.com and learned about the correct height AND correct seat height!

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