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Old 11-08-10 | 03:14 PM
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divemedia
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Joined: Oct 2010
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From: Washington, DC

Bikes: Jamis Single Speed, Cinelli Gazzetta Fixie

Originally Posted by carleton
Might I suggest starting with a complete bike then replacing things as needed or desired. Find a single speed that's close to perfect and start with that as a base.

Buying a bike a-la-carte is expensive and only worth it if you are the type that knows EXACTLY what you want.

My random thoughts on your parts list:
King headsets are nice and colorful, but they finish off a bike. They shouldn't be the highlight.
Thomson is nice. I have Thomson seatpost and stem, but they are only available in black and anodized silver.
Brooks saddles are overrated. Plenty of normal saddles out there that look and feel better that do not require "hundreds of hours of saddle time" to break in.
You've got some nice small parts, why skimp on the cranks? Go for Omniums or something nice since this is a wish-bike.
The cog choice depends on the chainring size.
Phil Wood hubs are nice, but I'd pass on them.
Tektro brakes are budget. You can get some used mid or high end SRAM, Campy, or Shimano brakes used for a good price.


Buying best-of-breed parts may not be the best idea. Remember, synergy is important. Your parts list isn't awesome. I can't see this coming together and being a show piece. Maybe have a look at Globe (Specialized) Bikes. They have some nice stuff that will probably be cheaper and better coordinated than what you are proposing: http://www.globebikes.com/. Plus, assuming that you have cash now, you can ride today as opposed to gathering parts over days/weeks/months then assembly in order to ride.
Thanks for the input, Carleton. I do want to buy this bike a-la-carte though so I can get the experience of putting it together myself. I have someone who will hold my hand through the build process and I really want to learn how to do this stuff on my own. I'll definitely take your advice on the brakes. As far as the king headset, I already have one that I can use so that's why it's on there. Thompson is nice but you guys may be right- it is overkill and obviously if I want to have color options, I would need to go with something else. Brooks saddles may be overrated but I have been riding them all my life and enjoy them. I also have a Fizik that wasn't very comfortable for me as well as a Specialized Alias that I wasn't crazy about. For the cranks, I thought the Sugino was a pretty good one but I guess I was mistaken. I do like the look of it but that is not my priority here so I will check out the Omniums or whatever else you guys suggest. And I guess you guys are right about the Phil Wood hubs too- I just get carried away. What would be a more modest choice? I do want the wheels to be extra durable though. I ride all over Washington, DC and the streets are HORRIBLE here!
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