For a while now I've been using fixed-gear conversions of old (70's/80's) road bikes as my winter commuter. I've been pretty happy with this setup but my current frame is approaching failure and I'm not really feeling excited about the prospect of finding and converting another old bike. So I want to buy new this time around. I haven't been keeping up with what's on the market lately and a little searching hasn't turned up any obvious choice.
My basic needs are:
- Drop bars
- Horizontal dropouts
- Rack and fender mounts
- Room for 28mm tires
I'm probably looking to buy a frame and build it up with the parts I have, but a complete bike would be fine if the price is right. My price range is around $400-500, although that's somewhat flexible.
It seems like a few years back there were a bunch of bikes like this on the market (RedLine 925, Masi Speciale Commuter, etc), but most of them aren't made anymore. The Crosscheck is still around, though I'm not a huge fan of canti brakes. What other options are out there?