State bike contender vs 2012 jamis sputnik?
03-05-14, 06:50 PM
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State bike contender vs 2012 jamis sputnik?
Hello everyone,
I am looking to purchase my first fixed gear bike, and I will be riding about 20 miles a day to commute, and was wondering what the merits of each were. I can purchase a new State Contender for $485 or a relatively new but ridden a couple times Jamis Sputnik 2012 for $450.
What should I choose?
Thanks in advance
I am looking to purchase my first fixed gear bike, and I will be riding about 20 miles a day to commute, and was wondering what the merits of each were. I can purchase a new State Contender for $485 or a relatively new but ridden a couple times Jamis Sputnik 2012 for $450.
What should I choose?
Thanks in advance
03-05-14, 07:01 PM
#2
Your cog is slipping.
The Sputnik. If I recall correctly, MSRP was around $700.
03-05-14, 07:06 PM
#3
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Sputnick! Higher end, cooler bike, and that's a great price.
03-05-14, 07:46 PM
#5
Your cog is slipping.
They're both steel.
03-05-14, 10:08 PM
#9
Still kicking.
03-06-14, 07:08 AM
#10
Zip tie Karen
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03-06-14, 08:57 PM
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Wow that's a beautiful bike. How is it for commuting? I am wondering if I should go geared instead since it's a fairly long commute but I like the simplicity and the low maintenance aspect of the ss a little better. But I think I'm pretty set on the SS as some swear by it and I like its quirkiness.
03-07-14, 09:41 AM
#13
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I don't commute on it, and only ride it for fitness, so can't comment fully. Here's what I can tell you...
The ride is comfortable and not as hyper responsive to command as a racing frame (or, I'm assuming, a track geometry). So that part would be okay.
The standard track bars and interrupter levers didn't work for me. Not conducive to longer rides, I thought. So, you'll have to work that out for yourself.
It comes with a very long steerer tube, which is good for adjusting to fit. I wound up removing one of three provided spacers and cutting the steerer down. It's a bonus to have the long steerer. If you're looking at a used Sputnik, see if they've already cut the stearer down as part of your fit check.
There is only marginal room for adding fenders, so you'd have to keep the tires to 25mm. This applies to seatstay bridge and fork crown. I haven't tried 28's at all, though.
There are mounting braze-ons for a rack on both the dropouts and the seatstays, so that helps. I'm assuming that you'd add a rack and bags. eventually. The longer the ride, the more comfortable you'd be with the gear off of your back, in my experience.
As for quirkiness...I don't know. To me, the enjoyment of fixed gear riding is much like they told you back in high school. You get out of it what you put in. If you like the challenge of climbing and then spinning, don't mind the higer-gear startups, and are comfortable using power and foot pressure to adjust your speed, you'll like it. A lot.
If you're tentative or fearful, you won't...
The ride is comfortable and not as hyper responsive to command as a racing frame (or, I'm assuming, a track geometry). So that part would be okay.
The standard track bars and interrupter levers didn't work for me. Not conducive to longer rides, I thought. So, you'll have to work that out for yourself.
It comes with a very long steerer tube, which is good for adjusting to fit. I wound up removing one of three provided spacers and cutting the steerer down. It's a bonus to have the long steerer. If you're looking at a used Sputnik, see if they've already cut the stearer down as part of your fit check.
There is only marginal room for adding fenders, so you'd have to keep the tires to 25mm. This applies to seatstay bridge and fork crown. I haven't tried 28's at all, though.
There are mounting braze-ons for a rack on both the dropouts and the seatstays, so that helps. I'm assuming that you'd add a rack and bags. eventually. The longer the ride, the more comfortable you'd be with the gear off of your back, in my experience.
As for quirkiness...I don't know. To me, the enjoyment of fixed gear riding is much like they told you back in high school. You get out of it what you put in. If you like the challenge of climbing and then spinning, don't mind the higer-gear startups, and are comfortable using power and foot pressure to adjust your speed, you'll like it. A lot.
If you're tentative or fearful, you won't...
Last edited by Phil_gretz; 03-07-14 at 09:45 AM.
03-07-14, 07:13 PM
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I don't commute on it, and only ride it for fitness, so can't comment fully. Here's what I can tell you...
The ride is comfortable and not as hyper responsive to command as a racing frame (or, I'm assuming, a track geometry). So that part would be okay.
The standard track bars and interrupter levers didn't work for me. Not conducive to longer rides, I thought. So, you'll have to work that out for yourself.
It comes with a very long steerer tube, which is good for adjusting to fit. I wound up removing one of three provided spacers and cutting the steerer down. It's a bonus to have the long steerer. If you're looking at a used Sputnik, see if they've already cut the stearer down as part of your fit check.
There is only marginal room for adding fenders, so you'd have to keep the tires to 25mm. This applies to seatstay bridge and fork crown. I haven't tried 28's at all, though.
There are mounting braze-ons for a rack on both the dropouts and the seatstays, so that helps. I'm assuming that you'd add a rack and bags. eventually. The longer the ride, the more comfortable you'd be with the gear off of your back, in my experience.
As for quirkiness...I don't know. To me, the enjoyment of fixed gear riding is much like they told you back in high school. You get out of it what you put in. If you like the challenge of climbing and then spinning, don't mind the higer-gear startups, and are comfortable using power and foot pressure to adjust your speed, you'll like it. A lot.
If you're tentative or fearful, you won't...
The ride is comfortable and not as hyper responsive to command as a racing frame (or, I'm assuming, a track geometry). So that part would be okay.
The standard track bars and interrupter levers didn't work for me. Not conducive to longer rides, I thought. So, you'll have to work that out for yourself.
It comes with a very long steerer tube, which is good for adjusting to fit. I wound up removing one of three provided spacers and cutting the steerer down. It's a bonus to have the long steerer. If you're looking at a used Sputnik, see if they've already cut the stearer down as part of your fit check.
There is only marginal room for adding fenders, so you'd have to keep the tires to 25mm. This applies to seatstay bridge and fork crown. I haven't tried 28's at all, though.
There are mounting braze-ons for a rack on both the dropouts and the seatstays, so that helps. I'm assuming that you'd add a rack and bags. eventually. The longer the ride, the more comfortable you'd be with the gear off of your back, in my experience.
As for quirkiness...I don't know. To me, the enjoyment of fixed gear riding is much like they told you back in high school. You get out of it what you put in. If you like the challenge of climbing and then spinning, don't mind the higer-gear startups, and are comfortable using power and foot pressure to adjust your speed, you'll like it. A lot.
If you're tentative or fearful, you won't...
I may add a rack down the road. I mean there aren't that many things that I carry in my bag as I am a college student. A macbook air, a notebook, and a couple writing utensils and a calculator. It's probably around 5 pounds in total so I am not too worried for now.
I might also add the fender down the road, but I'll probably try to drive when it's pouring just for safety reasons, and I'll have a poncho in my bag just in case.
But that was a very useful piece of information. I appreciate it very much, I don't think you could have answered it any better
Thanks!
03-08-14, 09:04 AM
#16
Zip tie Karen
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I already sold them to another BF member who had mentioned wanting them in an older thread.
03-08-14, 07:58 PM
#17
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Wow thank you for that informative post. Yeah it's partly for commuting and partly for exercise as well. I mean I could always drive but I wouldn't be getting much exercise that way. I'll be mindful of the risers, I am about 5'8" with a 31" inseam so I am getting a 55cm sputnik, which means that I have a shorter upper body so I think having a longer steerer tube might help.
I may add a rack down the road. I mean there aren't that many things that I carry in my bag as I am a college student. A macbook air, a notebook, and a couple writing utensils and a calculator. It's probably around 5 pounds in total so I am not too worried for now.
I might also add the fender down the road, but I'll probably try to drive when it's pouring just for safety reasons, and I'll have a poncho in my bag just in case.
But that was a very useful piece of information. I appreciate it very much, I don't think you could have answered it any better Thanks!
I may add a rack down the road. I mean there aren't that many things that I carry in my bag as I am a college student. A macbook air, a notebook, and a couple writing utensils and a calculator. It's probably around 5 pounds in total so I am not too worried for now.
I might also add the fender down the road, but I'll probably try to drive when it's pouring just for safety reasons, and I'll have a poncho in my bag just in case.
But that was a very useful piece of information. I appreciate it very much, I don't think you could have answered it any better
Thanks!
03-10-14, 03:09 PM
#18
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Make sure you test ride the bike to see if it fits. Measure yourself do a fit calculator then compare what size it tells you with the geo chart for the Sputnik. Just saying that because i'm 5'8 and a 55 would be to big for me, I ride a 53. I doubt our bodies are exactly the same. I'm a 31 insteam too, and inseam doesn't mean your pants size. Just something to make sure of before pulling the trigger.
Btw I remeasured my inseam to the pubic bone and that came out to be 32 inches. Also I'm 5'9 I somehow thought that being 175cm translated to 5'8? silly of me
But I understand it's the top tube length that matters the most. The tt on the 56cm langster is 558mm which is really long. Long legs and short torso is not easy on a big bike, and if this doesn't fit I'll just have to sell it and look at different options. Thanks for your advice again.
03-10-14, 03:16 PM
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Thanks for the advice in regards to sizing. I actually was able to pick up a nice 2013 specialized langster that has about 500 miles on it for $300. It was such a deal that I couldn't simply pass it, so I am going to see if a shorter stem might make it work. It has a 110mm on it now so I'm swapping it out for the 75mm. The handling might get a little squirrely though so I'll see how it works out.
Btw I remeasured my inseam to the pubic bone and that came out to be 32 inches. Also I'm 5'9 I somehow thought that being 175cm translated to 5'8? silly of me
But I understand it's the top tube length that matters the most. The tt on the 56cm langster is 558mm which is really long. Long legs and short torso is not easy on a big bike, and if this doesn't fit I'll just have to sell it and look at different options. Thanks for your advice again.
Btw I remeasured my inseam to the pubic bone and that came out to be 32 inches. Also I'm 5'9 I somehow thought that being 175cm translated to 5'8? silly of me
But I understand it's the top tube length that matters the most. The tt on the 56cm langster is 558mm which is really long. Long legs and short torso is not easy on a big bike, and if this doesn't fit I'll just have to sell it and look at different options. Thanks for your advice again.
03-10-14, 04:05 PM
#20
Senior Member
I agree, I could never ride a bike that was to big for me. You probably will end up wanting to sell it after riding it for a few weeks and finding that it's uncomfortable being stretched out.
03-10-14, 04:36 PM
#21
Your cog is slipping.
So after all that, you bought a bike that is too big for you?
Life is crazy.
Life is crazy.
03-10-14, 04:43 PM
#22
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03-10-14, 05:19 PM
#23
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Hahaha, I may just sell the frame and keep the components as they are really nice. As for comfort, let's see how long my 21 year old body can take being stretched out in odd places. Hopefully I'm rubbery enough to let myself enjoy the bike for a little while.
03-10-14, 05:23 PM
#24
Your cog is slipping.
