christinelalala

Hi all,

I'm seriously thinking about buying a bike to commute, and I found these bikes online
https://ilovebicycles.tumblr.com/post/110540333
and I love them! and also a wheel like this
https://ilovebicycles.tumblr.com/post...in-via-umamoon

can anyone tell me what kind of bike is that? I don't even know how
to describe it other than bikes with really thin frame and pretty wheels,
and I just want to make sure these bikes are for commute right?
Thanks a lot!

Cheers!

brianogilvie 

The bikes in the links you provided are fixed-gear bikes. They are designed for track racing, but some people ride them on the road. They have no brakes, because the idea is you can use your legs to stop, though this ignores the fact that most braking power comes from the front wheel. They do not coast; your legs are moving every time the bike is moving. They have only one gear. They often do not have the mounting points to attach racks and fenders. If your commute is on flat ground, it never rains where you live, you don't need to carry much stuff, you have strong legs, and you don't expect pedestrians or motorists to do dumb things that require you to stop suddenly, a fixed gear bike might be worth considering.

If your commute involves hills, if you like to be able to coast, if you like having reliable stopping power, it rains, and you need to carry stuff on the bike--in other words, if you are like 99.44% of bicycle commuters--you should consider a very different kind of bike for commuting. I personally am a big fan of the Breezer Town Bikes; I commute to work on an Uptown 8. The Breezer bikes give you an upright position so you can see traffic; they have internally geared hubs so that you get the advantages of multiple gears without having to deal with adjusting derailleurs; they come equipped with racks, fenders, a kickstand, and other useful accessories; and they have good brakes.

Other manufacturers make similar bikes, and a good bike shop could build one the way you want. Again, though, don't buy a fixed gear bike for commuting unless you know what you are doing and you are willing to accept the tradeoffs. It's not for beginners.

MMACH 5

I'm going to say look on craigslist.

What you're looking for is a hipster single speed or a messenger single speed. Those search terms should get you on your way.

Have fun.

maddyfish

Sure there are better bikes than those you listed to commute on, but, commuting should be fun, and you should ride something that you think is fun. Skip the fixed gear, get a single speed, and it should have brakes. BAsically the same look as you want, but more rideable. Use a backpack. And clip on fenders for when it rains.

Doug5150

The bikes I cannot tell a brand, but they appear to be "lugged construction". Not a lot of big-name companies do it anymore, but a lot of smaller custom frame-builders still do. Do a Google search for "custom bicycle lugged steel frames" to see more.

Some of these custom builders are insanely-expensive and customized, but there are some that just build basic steel-lugged frames to order. I'm not familiar with what's out there, but you could ask "what companies do basic custom frames" in the frame-building forum. A very basic custom steel lugged frame will cost $500-$600.

They look very "clean" because as someone else pointed out--they are not fitted with any handbrakes or gear-selectors, implying that they are fixed-gear (not something I'd recommend for street use). You cannot "coast" on such bicycles; the pedals have to turn all the time that the bike is rolling.

These are referred to as blade-spoke, tri-spoke or "triathlon" wheels.
Aerospoke is one, HED is another.
Specialized, Mavic and Spynergy are others that made them in the past, but don't seem to now.
There are advantages and disadvantages to these kinds of wheels, not the least of which is the price.
Figure on spending at least $800 or so for a pair.

Here is an earlier thread, noting a couple other companies and related info:
https://www.bikeforums.net/archive/in.../t-157892.html
~

Velo Dog

+1 on all of this. I built up a bike like this three or four years ago from an old Trek tourer and a BMX freewheel, just because I had the bike and wasn't using it. I ride it more than all my other bikes combined.
Don't skip the fenders.

geo8rge

If you have a bike you like and want to save money, just buy a new rear fixed gear rear wheel.

You should make sure you know the difference between fixed gear, single speed, and internally geared hub. And finally flip flop hub. Sheldonbrown.com is a decent place to start.

HandsomeRyan

BF.net has a whole forum dedicated to these bikes @ https://www.bikeforums.net/singlespeed-fixed-gear/

Outside of looking cool- I find riding my fixed gear to be one of the most fun types of riding. It's a great workout and I'm a believer in the "zen" of FG riding.

Retro Grouch 

A first time poster, with a girls screen name, asking naive questions about fixed gear bikes and carbon wheels. Guys are going to come out of the woodwork to respond.

I love it!

christinelalala

Thanks for the replies. I've been doing a lot of research on this, and I think I will go for a single speed bike with brakes like maddyfish suggested. Another thing is that I see a lot of wheels (not the tri-spoke wheel) with different color rims like these
https://www.flickr.com/photos/greenxs.../in/pool-fixie

do people paint them like that or you can just get any other in store? Thanks.

HandsomeRyan

Those brightly colorized and patterned rims are usually Velocity (or similar) rims.

https://www.velocityusa.com/

Jeff Wills

Like Ryan said, these are available in many, many variations. You can choose rims to match your fingernail polish! Once you find the right shop, you'll be able to customize your bike to your heart's content.

To see some more variations, check out Eighth Inch: https://www.eighthinch.com

FWIW: I built a single-speed "town bike" from an old Schwinn frame. Being the old curmudgeon that I am, I stayed with standard silver aluminum parts. I like the way it turned out:

envane

you don't want colours. black or silver rims go faster.

subclavius

If you're in a flat part of town a single speed is OK, but if the commute involves hills you'll want a bike with more gears than one.

Single speeds and fixies are normally geared higher than the lower ranges of a multi-geared bike, meaning it will be much more difficult for someone to ride a SS/fixie up the hills.

StephenH

I was in the "big" bicycle store across town the other day wondering around looking at all the new bicycles. I finally spotted some that I thought were attractive. Oops. They were the fixed gear bikes. I thought that was unfortunate- the things that made them attractive weren't related to fixed-gearosity. Bike makers need to look at what they're doing, and get some prettier road bikes out there.

HandsomeRyan

SS and FG bikes are also much lighter and more efficient than multi-speed bikes so it takes less effort to get them up a hill. Lots of people ride singe speed bikes in hilly areas, you just get stronger legs faster.

tatfiend 

High end Carbon Fiber road bikes are now readily available in the 15 to 16 pound range. In some cases you actually have to add weight to meet ICU racing minimum weight requirements. IMO you are not going to find many FG bikes much lighter unless you spens lots of $$.

As for efficiency the SS/FG bike is theoretically a bit more efficient but by measurement in the less than 5% range, depending on road bike gear selected and rider power output level. A equivalent SS is equally efficient. However for overall system efficiency, bike and rider, a gearing system is a good thing. Otherwise you would see FG and SS bikes being used in road racing competition. There is a reason why derailleur systems were adopted by road racers as soon as they were allowed by the ICU and TDF organizers. They allow higher average speeds for the same rider energy expenditure. That indicates to me that the statement that a SS/FG is more efficient is a urban myth. After all no bike is going anywhere without a rider so system efficiency is what counts. Anything else makes little sense.

Be interesting to know if a derailleur geared bike would be faster than a FG in track competition too but track racing mandates the equipment allowed so I am not aware of any comparisons which have been made.

Also consider that nothing is more discouraging for a new rider than having to walk their bike up a hill, particularly if commuting regularly on it.

I have nothing against SS/FG bikes and riders. What people choose to ride is personal choice and if it meets your needs great. I do question recommending a FG as an only bike to a apparently new and inexperienced rider who mentions commuting without any indication of the terrain involved.

envane

Make sure to tell Lance that before he tackles the Alpe d'Huez this year.

HandsomeRyan

I don't think I understand the point you are trying to make? FG bikes will always be lighter (and generally less expensive) than comparable road bikes.

Here's a test:

• Take your multispeed road bike and weigh it.

• Now remove the rear brake, cable and housing, both shifters, their respective cables and housings, both derailleurs, several inches of the chain, 1 or 2 of the chainrings (depending on if you run a double or a triple crank), and all but one of the cogs from the cassette.

• Now weigh it again; This is what a FG that is comparable in quality to your road bike would weigh.

tatfiend 

Again true. Can be lighter but so what! If 2 to 3 pounds makes much difference in road use it has not been demonstrated to me.

Most road FG/SS bikes available are not lighter than CF road bikes from what I have seen. IMO though neither is an ideal new rider commuter bike which is what the OP asked about. Without knowing any more about the OPs geographic area and riding conditions, including commute distance, any recommendations made in this thread could be dead wrong.

MMACH 5

Regardless of actual bicycle weight, in an area with moderate hills, a SS/FG will never match the efficiency of a geared bicycle.